Fun Page
Below is our Fun Page guide to a few of the many things that are available to do and see in Cornwall
Christmas
Christmas in Cornwall is truly magical. Harbourside villages light up with fantastic illuminations, stately homes also festoon their grand rooms with festive decorations and open their doors and festive food festivals give you a chance to sample some local seasonal fare. And don’t forget New Year as Cornwall hosts some of the best celebrations in the UK with spectacular firework displays and revellers in fancy dress who take to the streets for a fun night out.
Here are some annual highlights:
A Time of Gifts and Ice skating at Eden Project, St Austell
November – February
A Time of Gifts is Eden’s spectacular winter festival which also includes skating, lantern processions, festive treats from their fantastic bakery and Christmas carols sung by Cornish choirs. It’s the perfect family Christmas experience. The magical ice rink at the Eden Project is the perfect place to hone your ice skating skills. As well as general skate sessions there are also special sessions for different abilities and ages, including Parent and Toddler sessions. Chilly Penguins and
Superskate
More info at: www.edenproject.com
Padstow Christmas Lights
November – January
Christmas lights illuminate Padstow Harbour throughout the Christmas Season. There are also floating displays in the harbour as well as many on key buildings throughout the town.
More info at: www.padstowlive.com
Made in Cornwall Christmas Fair
December Fun Page
A fantastic display of great products, made by some of the finest artisans, artists and food and also drink producers working in Cornwall today.
Festive Looe
December
Looe celebrates the festive season in style with a lantern procession and carol service and a visit from Santa during the light switch on.
More info at: www.visit-southeastcornwall.co.uk
Padstow Christmas Festival
December
Fowey
An array of seasonal treats including lights and decorations, Santa’s grotto, fireworks, food, festive demonstrations and late night shopping plus a traditional Christmas market in a large marquee on the quayside with stalls laden with Cornish goodies and gifts.
More info at: www.padstowlive.com/
Fowey Christmas Market
December
A weekend of festive entertainment, food and drink along with plenty of opportunities to also pick up some great seasonal gifts. With Santa arriving by boat, markets, street entertainers, evening entertainment, a hog roast and a service outside the Parish church.
More info at: www.fowey.co.uk
Christmas Food Fayre, Bude in December
Enjoy The Castle’s Christmas Food Fayre and the many stalls where you can taste, sample and buy fine food and drink from outstanding Cornish and West Country producers. It’s a great opportunity to “try and buy” a Christmas gift for someone special or, out of sheer indulgence, something for yourself.
More info at: www.visitbude.info
Bodmin and Wenford Railway, North Cornwall
Weekends throughout December
Enjoy a steam train ride and visit Santa in his grotto on the train during your journey. Free present from Santa for the children, mince pies and seasonal refreshments for adults. A wonderful way to start the Christmas Festivities!
More info at: http://www.bodminandwenfordrailway.co.uk/
Primestock Show, Truro early December
The annual Primestock Show is a favourite with farmers and families alike. Lemon Quay is filled with cattle and sheep as the best Cornish beasts are judged. Livestock will leave by 3pm, but the event is open until the evening.
Christmas Primestock Craft Show
December
A great follow up to the popular Primestock Show – this craft show is filled with small local manufacturers selling ideal gifts for Christmas.
Christmas Fayre at Mount Edgcumbe, near Torpoint
December
Inspirational cookery demonstrations from leading west country chefs; local produce and a wide variety of crafts and gifts.
More info at: http://www.mountedgcumbe.gov.uk
Carols at Pendennis Castle, Falmouth in December
Join the staff at Pendennis Castle for Christmas carols in the Keep and festive fun in the Barrack block where children can have fun making Christmas crafts to take home.
More info at: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events
Victorian Christmas Fair, Truro
mid December
With up to 80 exhibitors in some wonderful Victorian costumes, an animal pen with rare breed sheep, an in-house café, champagne bar and seating area and an eclectic mix of food, drink, arts, crafts and high quality gifts and more.
Newquay 12 Days of Christmas Festival
Fun page in December
To make Christmas in Newquay warm and welcoming every day in the 12 days to Christmas Eve there is craft making, children’s activities, entertainment and live music held at a range of premises for all ages in Newquay.
More info at: http://www.visitnewquay.org
Lostwithiel Dickensian Evening
December
A Victorian-style evening of period costume, Christmas market stalls, bands, choirs, bell ringers, buskers plus festive food and drinks, all set in Lostwithiel’s Christmas tree-lined streets.
More info at: http://www.lostwithiel.org.uk/events/
Falmouth Christmas Market
December
A new event in 2011, there’s a Christmas market, carol singing and street theatre performances over four days of festive food, drink and shopping. Stock up on locally produced gifts, and don’t miss the fantastic cookery demonstrations.
More info at: http://www.falmouthchristmasfestival.co.uk/
Montol Festival, Penzance
December
A 6-day arts and community festival based on the Cornish Christmas and Midwinter traditions, culminating in Montol Eve on the 21st of December.
More info at: www.montol.co.uk
Trebah Garden Santa Trails, Mawnan Smith
December
The spirit of Christmas arrives at Trebah, enter a winter wonderland, follow the trail, and meet Santa in his grotto, where all good children get a special gift.
Mousehole Christmas Lights
December – January
The Christmas lights in Mousehole are a stunning sight each year, with floating displays of lights in the harbour and around the streets.
Nadelik at Pendennis Castle, Falmouth December
Celebrate Christmas the Cornish way. Visitors can expect a truly Cornish welcome as we embrace all of the best traditions and trimmings from Christmas past with mince pies, mulled wine, Christmas lights and more.
More info at: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events
Halloweden highlights
Cryptid* Petting Zoo
Come face to face with some very unusual animals, including the extremely rare Mongolian Death Worm and the loveable Giant Beast. See these mythical monsters up close and learn more about them from specially trained handlers.
*Cryptid – an animal whose existence or survival is disputed or unsubstantiated.
Potion Making and Pumpkin Carving
Make potions of unlimited possibilities using the finest botanicals and some extra special secret ingredients. Plus, watch our expert pumpkin carvers for tips and inspiration.
Fun Page Storytelling
Spooky but fun Halloween stories for all ages, told by the Eden storytellers.
Owl Encounters
Learn all about these magnificent creatures with our friends from Screech Owl Sanctuary.
Web weaving
Make a spider’s web and discover why our eight-legged friends are important and need homes to live in over winter.
Creepy Hollow
What’s lurking inside the trees? Dare you stick your hand in and find out?!
Ice skating
Come along for a skate on our chilling ice rink (extra charge applies).
Halloween disco: Little Monsters’ Ball
On Saturday 26 October, get your fancy dress on and join us for an evening of fang-tastic fun, including spine-tingling discos in our Mediterranean Biome, tasty treats in our cafés, and an ice rink to chill you to the bone. Find out more
Using our fun page You can use your car hire to explore Areas of outstanding natural beauty…
Exploring Cornwall’s AONBs: The Tamar Valley is an area rich in beauty + history, fine scenery + haven for wildlife
Take yourself down to explore West Penwith , from Mousehole and also round Land’s End to St Ives, covering coast, coves, high uplands + villages
Explore the small narrow stretch of AONB from Godrevy Point to Portreath, truly stunning coastal scenery
For spectacular views
discover Widemouth Bay to Pentire Point, 30 miles of AONB
Discover the Trevose Head to Stepper Point AONB section with its mix of high cliffs + sandy bays
Exploring Cornwall’s AONBs: Rame Head and the Mount Edgcumbe Park Estate in South East Cornwall
Explore South Cornwall’s AONB from Par to Looe
Exploring Cornwall’s ANOBs: The Camel Estuary with seven glorious miles of the River Camel from Wadebridge to Hawkers Cove
Discover your own secret beach
Many of the best things in Life require a little more effort and this is true of Lantic Bay. Roughly 20 minute’s walk from the closest car park it is beautifully hidden and secluded, ideal for the May half-term. It is nestled in a sheltered cove on the south east coast, just over a mile from Fowey, Lantic Bay is renowned for being a ‘sun-trap’ and has fine white sand bordered with shingle.
Even if its wet or windy outside, spring will be here before you know it.. Use our Fun page to help start planning holidays, especially if you want to catch any special events in Cornwall through the year.
For the Cornish, things kick off on March 5th, the feast day of St Piran. Musicians and dancers take to the streets in a sea of black and white to celebrate the life of Cornwall’s most famous saint. It also coincides with the World Pasty Championships. These will be held at the Eden Project on March 2nd. You don’t have to be Cornish to attend…but it helps!
The beginning of April sees things warming up with the first weekend having the Cornwall Spring Flower Show. This to its new venue at the Royal Cornwall Showground at Wadebridge. You will get colour and scents and many ideas for planting up your own garden for this summer. At the end of the month it’s time to head down west for a big food festival, held down around the harbour in Porthleven. Get there early, it gets busy! As it does in Padstow and Helston as they celebrate the coming of summer in early May. Many May Day celebrations go on around Cornwall, check out on our what’s on pages and save yourself a long drive!
May
Will also see Cornwall filled with song as the International Male Voice Choral Festival takes place. It’s one of many music festivals. Covering classical concerts at St Endellion near Padstow down to Sea Shantys in Falmouth.
From top artists at Boardmasters and local folk singers at the Cornish Folk Festival in August. You can also catch music and dance at the many community festivals held throughout the summer. From Polperro to St Just via Mevagissey and Bodmin. Midsummer has the Golowan Festival taking place in Penzance. With the highlight, Mazey Day filling the street full of processions, stalls and entertainment.
Royal Cornwall Show
Many Locals and visitors check out the Royal Cornwall Show at Wadebridge. Taking place over three days in early June, it’s so much more than just an agricultural show, as is the Stithians Show in July. Lovers of the countryside can also enjoy all the steam rallies around the county in the summer, a chance to experience life as it used to be including all the fun of the fair. Away from the land, it’s time to turn back time on the water as the biennial Looe Lugger Regatta returns with sailing vessels from as far away as France racing under full sail out in the bay.
If you have any recommendation’s for our fun page. You can also submit them to help other customers so please send them in.
Hire a roof rack and get down to the beach for the last wave of the day!
We came across this Master piece one day when out delivering. If you can tell us where and also when we saw it we will give you a weeks Free Car Hire.
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