Author: Kaya Lovelock-Charles

Rock Oyster Festival

Rock Oyster Festival is returning to the Cornish coastline this July (24 – 26) with local Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur, Paul Ainsworth, hosting the weekend for the very first time. Returning to its original home of Dinham House overlooking the Camel Estuary, the family-friendly weekend promises to celebrate the best of Cornish food, music and well-being. With Dub Pistols, Land of the Giants and The Showhawk Duo confirmed plus many more acts to follow.

Staying true to the festival’s local roots, Ainsworth has invited friends and fellow south west chefs, to run their own ‘chef tipis’ over the weekend including including Andi Tuck from St Kew Inn, The Ethicurean duo Iain and Matthew Pennington, Jack Bristow from Nancarrow Farm and John and Emma Hooker from The Cornish Arms in Tavistock. Alongside Tim & Luke Marshall from Rock Shellfish, and of course Paul’s very own award-winning pub, The Mariners, Rock

As well as these pop-up restaurants, there will also be live chef demonstrations, open fire cooking, a great selection of street food stalls from local producers and a range of family entertainment.

Paul Ainsworth commented: “I’m delighted to be a part of the much-loved Rock Oyster Festival which returns this July. Historically, it has been a weekend that revolves around family, great music and delicious food, and I’m so excited to be cooking alongside my fellow chefs against the beautiful backdrop of the Camel Estuary”.

Headlining the festival will be ultimate party starters Dub Pistols; one of the most exhilarating live bands on the circuit, a riotous collision of drum & bass, hip-hop, ska, dub and punk. Also confirmed are Rock Oyster legends: Land of the Giants  and The Showhawk Duo – best known for their spectacular approach to playing guitar.  

Expect family festival antics by day, live music and campfire delights by night. The weekend will offer a range of family entertainment, including yoga, circus skills, outdoor activities and for little Rock Oysters a giant slippy slide and Sea Creature Fashion Show, amongst other things. There will also be camping, glamping and luxury accommodation available at the 17th century Dinham House.

Tickets for Rock Oyster Festival are now on sale and available to buy via www.rockoysterfestival.co.uk

Visit www.visitcornwall.com for more events.

Underground Cinema at Carnglaze

Join us for a season of classic films in the amazing Carnglaze Caverns.

A unique cinematic experience in the depths of the earth! 

7 Aug  THE GOONIES  

14 Aug JURASSIC PARK 

21 Aug THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION 

28 Aug PULP FICTION 

23 October ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW

Visit our website for times and prices.

Visit this former slate mine where slate was both quarried and mined underground in Cornwall. Carnglaze is part of Cornwall’s internationally important industrial heritage where you can find out about the miners’ ingenuity and skills, and how slate roofed the Industrial Revolution. Carnglaze Caverns is a constant 10°C underground, cool in Summer, warmer in Winter! A jumper and sensible footwear are recommended. As the Caverns are underground it makes for an ideal wet weather activity in Cornwall.

For more events visit www.visitcornwall.com 

48th Cornwall Folk Festival

The 2020 festival has sadly been cancelled…

… but the good news is, all the artists booked have agreed to perform in 2021!

So make sure you support the festival by buying tickets

(TBC) Line-up so far for 2021: Dougie Maclean, O’Hooley and Tidow, Merry Hell, Gatehouse, Granny’s Attic, Winter Wilson, The Blacksmith Band, Mike Silver and Joe Partidge, Geoff Lakeman and Rob Murch, Steve Dan Mills, Mic McCreadie’s Handpicked.

There’s plenty going on throughout the town. The renamed FAR Stage behind Wadebridge Wines showcases back-to-back talent from the South West, and proves again and again to be the place to hang out, with non-stop music throughout the day. Pub sessions and street music and dance in abundance make for one of Britain’s finest small festivals, perfect for the Bank Holiday’s last blast of summer. And for those wanting to attend workshops to improve their music and dance skills there are at least 9 workshops for instrumentalists, singers and dancers.

There is camping near the centre of the town in the Bodieve campsite, and a local mini bus will ferry people back and forth to the festival!

Now in its fourth decade, the former Wadebridge, now titled the Cornwall Folk Festival runs over three days in early August mixing local talent with acts from further afield to produce a varied programme of events to suit all tastes. The event draws musicians and fans alike from all over the UK to experience unique Cornish and Celtic musical heritage and dance culture. 

What happens?

The festival takes place at various venues in Wadebridge and the whole town is alive to the sound of music. Not only is there an international line up of folk from Cornwall and  Brittany and the USA but you’ll also find singers and instrument workshops, street entertainment, tune sharing sessions and children’s games and face painting.

How can you take part?

Get in the groove and join in the fun at concerts, ceilidhs, sessions and workshops. Cornwall benefits from some of the best weather in the UK but the Folk Festival differs from all others in that there’s the added advantage of all venues being undercover and in the warm. So if it’s raining outside there’s no problem as you can kick back and listen to some great folk music whilst sampling local Cornish food and enjoying a wide choice of Cornish real ales and ciders.

Did you know?

Wadebridge is home to the Sir John Betjeman centre housed in the old railway station where you’ll find a room dedicated to then former poet laureate with many items of interest about the his life and times spent in Cornwall. Then town is also a hub for the famous Camel Trail one of most successful recreational multi use trails in the UK.

To see a list of artists visit the web site here

Tour of Britain cycle race

Now taking place on the 5th September 2021

British Cycling along with the various stage hosts, including Cornwall Council, have decided it would be impossible to manage a safe race this year in light of the current Covid-19 restrictions. The decision has been made to switch the locations chosen for 2020 to the following year, meaning Cornwall is still scheduled to host the opening leg of the race. It will be the first time the prestigious event has been seen in Cornwall.

The decision to postpone was taken after the event organisers acknowledged increasing challenges in their ability to manage a safe race in September 2020.

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Cornwall will host the Tour of Britain for the first time ever in September 2021, with the Grand Depart of next year’s race seeing riders travel 170 kilometres through the Cornish countryside, starting in Penzance and ending in Bodmin.

Over 100 of the world’s best cyclists will grace the streets and roads of Cornwall, on an undulating course over hills and through valleys, starting in Penzance on Sunday 5 September.

The stage’s route will also visit St Just, St Ives, Hayle, Camborne, Pool, Redruth, Falmouth, Penryn, Truro, Newquay, St Austell and the Eden Project.

For more information, click here