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NEWQUAY ST PIRAN’S FESTIVAL 2026 - Celebrating Cornwall's Nation Day

Newquay St Piran’s Festival 2026 Planning Group is putting on a Festival on and around St Piran’s Day (5th March) for the community, in the community and with the community.  Offering opportunities for everyone, whether born in Cornwall or choosing to live here, to come together and celebrate the Cornish ‘hiraeth’ which binds us to life in such a unique part of the United Kingdom.  This cannot happen without the community supporting and engaging with events and activities.  As I write this, in mid January, things are beginning to firm up and fall into place and this is a good opportunity to draw attention to some of the events and activities and to thank those who have already come forward to support the Festival.

Newquay Lions Club and Newquay Towan Blystra Lions Club have both provided funding especially to help us with publicity.  However, that is not all.  I referred to the parade on St Piran’s Day itself as the highlight of the Festival in last month’s piece and this would not be possible without the support of the Newquay Lions clubs who organize and manage the required road closures and steward the event to ensure the safety of all involved.  St Michael’s Church then kindly hosts the children’s ceilidh which follows.  We are also grateful to the Church, especially the Rev. Canon Jane Kneebone, who will be holding a bilingual (Kernewek/English) service at 10.30am on 1st March.

FEAST has given us a grant that will help us to extend the area over which we can offer our school workshops.  This year we are offering workshops, led by 'Oll an Gwella', introducing children to songs with a strong Cornish attachment, including some of those written by Harry Glasson.  Schools should have received a letter outlining arrangements.  If you have not received a letter and you are interested in knowing more, just let me know.  Note that the children in participating schools have the opportunity to perform in front of family and friends at the Children’s Ceilidhs, the first of which takes place on 13th February, generously hosted by the Kilbirnie Hotel.

We are pleased to be supported financially and in kind by Newquay Town Council and Newquay BID.  Sponsoring our now much anticipated St Piran’s Eve Gig, featuring Newquay Male Voice Choir, the Harbour Rats and the Newquay Rowing Club Singers, in the Steam Bar at the Great Western Hotel on 4th March and also organizing the annual town trail taking in local shops and businesses throughout the week of the Festival.

St Austell Brewery, via the Great Western Hotel, supports and publicises the St Piran’s Eve Gig which reminds me to mention both the Central Inn and the Newquay Rowing Club who have come forward to host a ‘Trelawny Shout’ on the day itself.

Discussions are at a very early stage but I can say that we have begun working with Newquay Community Orchard to put on a very exciting event later in the year.  We also believe that Trenance Cottages will be ‘lit up’ throughout the week and that, as usual, Newquay Library will be hosting a set of events especially aimed at families.

Could your group, organisation or business be mentioned here?  If you are able to support the Festival in any way, please let me know.

You can find out more about the festival, including details of the schedule of events and activities as they are confirmed, by visiting our website www.newquaystpiransfestival.org

To contact the group and/or to follow up any aspect of the above please e-mail or call me as indicated below.

Jim Christophers (Secretary, NSPF26 Planning Group)

E-mail: jimc49@hotmail.co.uk

Mobile: 07971 271693