This month we are waving pumpkins goodbye (hurrah!) and embracing November. As the nights draw in, look out for twinkling torches and lanterns at Truro City of Lights and St Austell Torchlight Festival, and come in from the cold to Leach Pottery’s Fire It Up exhibition.
Embrace the outdoors and let the cold air bring some colour to your cheeks with cliff side walks and woodland rambles; share meals with friends and family at The Exchange’s Supper Club and The Old Coastguard’s Wine Tasting supper, cosy up in the cinema at Cornwall Film Festival, and take a look behind the scenes of the National Trust’s Cotehele.
Read on for our top picks this month – as always, just a small selection of the wonderful cultural happenings. (For more events listing, visit www.whatsoncornwall.co.uk)
Cornwall Film Festival
The Poly & Newlyn Filmhouse
2th – 13th November
A celebration of local and international filmmaking, the Cornwall Film Festival returns for its 15th edition to showcase the best of film.
This years festival offers a fantastic programme, with films from within Cornwall’s boarders and further afield, dance films, documentaries, workshops, and more.
Visit the Cornwall Film Festival website.
Fire It Up Exhibition
Leach Pottery
4th November – January 2017
In celebration of Bonfire Night, Leach Pottery are sharing something of the excitement, fear and fun of a potter’s profession by inviting you to a live firing of their specially constructed kiln. The kiln will be opened, whilst still white hot, to hopefully reveal a fully intact, glowing ceramic sculpture.
Hot soup and bread will be served by the fireplace in the Old Pottery, and the event will be accompanied by the opening Preview of our ‘Fire It Up’ winter exhibition in the Entrance Gallery. ‘Fire It Up’ is an exhibition of collaborative and individual works by Leach’s talented Studio team.
Visit the Leach Pottery website.
Pinxtos and Paella Supper Club
The Exchange
4th November
For this supper club Tiggy Elliott of Cornish Fusion Fish & Food will be sharing her passion for the humble pinxto (a small Spanish snack!) using the finest Cornish ingredients followed by her famous paella, packed with pumpkin and autumn game, and a surprise ‘bonfire’ finish!
Supper is £15 per person for three courses and a drink, and includes free entry to the exhibition at The Exchange from 5pm.
Missing
Gecko
Hall for Cornwall
9th & 10th November
Missing is a deliciously warped journey into the depths of the human psyche. Follow Lily, a woman whose soul appears to be decaying. She is very successful in life and love but something is missing…
Amit Lahav’s production invites the audience to experience a series of extraordinary images, jaw-dropping choreography and a tantalizing multilingual vocal landscape. The shadows of Lily’s past invite her, along with each audience member, to consider how far they have strayed from who they are and where they come from.
Visit the Hall for Cornwall website.
My Big Fat Cowpat Wedding
Kali Theatre
The Poly, Hall for Gwinear, The Stithians Centre, Perranporth Memorial Hall
10th – 13th November
You are invited to join the guests at Clare and Arjun’s wedding reception. All their friends and family will be there. A celebration of a mixed marriage between a girl from the country and a boy from the city – what could possibly go wrong? Plenty does in this comedy drama set in the reception of a wedding between a country girl and a lad from the city which explores all the prejudices and miss-assumptions that this can throw up.
For dates and venues, visit the Carn to Cove website, and The Poly’s website.
Anonymous Art Auction
Heseltine Gallery, Truro School
10th November
An anonymous art auction and exhibition featuring work by local artists, raising money for The Wave Project.
The Wave Project runs an award winning surf programme, transforming the lives of young people suffering from anxiety and helping to building confidence.
Ranging from professional artists to pupils of Truro School, it is a chance to get your hands on some fantastic artwork at an affordable price, and provides an opportunity for aspiring artists to display their artwork alongside professionals.
Visit the Truro School website for details.
Cornwall Contemporary Poetry Festival
The Falmouth Hotel
11th – 13th November
A feast of contemporary poetry in Falmouth, the second Cornwall Contemporary Poetry Festival features readings and workshops with some of the UK’s most celebrated and compelling poets, as well as a poetry slam, discussions and open-mic events.
Poetry will even be taking to the water: the final event of the festival is a cruise up the River Fal, with a chance to read your words on the waves.
For full programme details and tickets, visit the Cornwall Contemporary Poetry Festival website.
Secret Cotehele Tour and Lunch
Cothele
16th – 17th & 21th-22th November
This is an in-depth tour of Cotehele House after it has closed for winter. Meet the team as they give the house its annual deep-clean, learn about conservation practices and peek behind closed doors before enjoying lunch in the Barn Restaurant.
The 60th-anniversary Christmas flower garland will be on display in the Hall and the First World War exhibtion will be on in the Breakfast Room too.
Booking is essential – visit the National Trust’s website for details.
Wine tasting supper
The Old Coastguard
18th November 2016
Winner of Wine List of the Year at the Imbibe awards last year, The Old Coastguard will be hosting the perfect supper for wine-lover this November. The supper will be hosted by Dorte Nakel, scion of the brilliant Meyer Nakel operation. The Meyer Nakels are at the forefront of the wine-making revolution in Germany and they will be visiting with her Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir).
Tickets are £60, available from The Old Coastguard. Call 01736 796 928
Visit The Old Coastguard’s website.
St Austell Torchlight Carnival
19th November
St Austell comes alive with live bands, stalls, music, processions and dance to celebrate the beginning of winter.
Visit the St Austell Torchlight Carnival website.
Truro City of Lights
23 November
Held in November each year, the City of Lights event sees a dazzling procession of withy and tissue lanterns float through the streets, handmade and carried by professional artists, school children and local community groups. The event includes the official switch on of Truro’s Christmas lights, plus music and dance from Truro School of Samba and other local bands.
For more information, including parade routes and timings, visit the City of Lights website.
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