St Piran’s Day 2017 is Sunday 5 March and is widely celebrated throughout Cornwall.
Legend tells us how St Piran, the patron saint of Cornwall, was cast to sea tied to a millstone on the order of the Irish King who was suspicious of Piran’s miraculous powers. Although the sea was treacherous Piran survived, the stormy seas calming as he floated on the millstone until he reached the shores of Cornwall. St Piran is famous for his accidental discovery of tin, when a black stone in his fireplace got so hot that it leaked white liquid… the first tin smelting! This discovery formed the basis of the Cornish flag, with white hot tin on the black stone ore.
Take a look at some of this years St Piran’s Day events!
Penwith College, Penzance
Thursday 2 & Friday 3 March
Now in its 13th year, the St Piran in Penwith Concert and Furry involves over 400 children from 14 local schools. Pirantide is celebrated in a traditional manner, with a Cornish concert by an inter-school choir with musical guests and a Furry dance through Penzance followed by a saffron treat. Each child receives a commemorative rosette and the Furry is led by members of Cornish groups and Bards. It’s a real spectacle.
Concert 2nd March, 7pm
Furry 3 March, 10.15am
Newquay
Saturday 4 & Sunday 5 March
Join Newquay’s celebration of Cornish life and culture as Newquay Band leads a 3.00pm Saturday Parade through town finishing with the Heva Dance and Song outside the Council Offices. A 4.30pm concert at St Michael’s Church follows. Heritage and choral activities focus on Trenance Cottages from 10.30am Sunday, then visit our St Piran’s Ceilidh from 7.00pm at Newquay Rowing Club.
Visit the Newquay BID website for more information.
Redruth
Saturday 4 March
Celebrations include street entertainment, live music, a town trail and tin panning.
Find out more on the Visit Redruth website.
Heartlands
Saturday 4 March
A celebration of St Piran and all things Cornish. Heartlands have an exciting day planned to celebrate St. Piran with an array of activities for the whole family to enjoy, including: workshops, blessing of the Cornish flag, live music, Made in Cornwall craft stalls and much more!
AMATA, Penryn
Saturday 4 March
7.30pm
Legends of Cornish Celtic dance music Skillywidden return to AMATA for a wild night of Cornish dancing.
Skillywidden frequently pack dance floors with their take on the Nos Lowen style of Cornish music and dance. Their exhilarating performances, in a line up which includes bouzouki, fiddle, clarinets, viola, darabuka and vocals, convey the sheer joy they take in Cornwall’s indigenous culture. Tickets are £6 and include a pasty, while stocks last.
Visit the AMATA website for more information and tickets.
Hayle Community School
Saturday 4 March
7.30pm
Join the St Piran celebrations at a Cornish Ceilidh (think raucous barn dance!) hosted by The Light and Life Church.
Geevor Tin Mine, Pendeen
Sunday 5 March
Community open day with music, talks, demonstrations, mineral and Geevor games, hand drilling and kibble filling, followed by a special church service.
Find out more on the Geevor Tin Mine website.
Truro
Sunday 5 March
11am
Hundreds of St Pirans flags will be hoisted aloft in Truro as a procession of school children, community groups and musicians celebrate Cornwall’s patron saint. Free proper Cornish pasties will be available!
Find out more on the Visit Truro website.
Penzance
Sunday 5 March
Part of a nine day Cornish language festival, there will be a St Piran procession at 9.15am from the Greenmarket, Penzance to Madron Churchtown on Sunday 5th March, with a St Piran statue, Cornish choir and Bal Maidens in traditional costume. This will be followed by a St Piran service at Madron Church.
In the evening join the St Piran Fest Pasty Supper and the St Piran Play and Shout West at The Acorn, Penzance at 7pm.
Visit the Cornish Quest website for more information.
The White Hart Inn, Truro
Sunday 5 March
1pm
All welcome at Truro’s oldest pub, with instrument or not!
Contact: 01872 277294
Piran Point, Perranporth
Sunday 5 March
2pm
Held on the nearest Sunday to St Piran’s Day, the play produced by the St Piran Trust, takes place in Perranporth, where according to legend the revered saint was washed up on millstone from Ireland in the 5th century AD. Crossing the dunes to St Piran’s Cross, hundreds of people gather, generally dressed in black, white and gold, the colours of Cornwall, carrying the Cornish Flag.
You can take part in this celebration of Cornwall’s distinct identity by joining the spectators who walk over the dunes and watch the play acted out in three parts. Dozens of actors and musicians portray the stages of St Piran’s life from his birth in Ireland, his arrival in Cornwall, his miraculous discovery of tin and his Christian ministry in Kernow.
For further details see Perranporth Tourist Information Centre or call 01872 575254
Launceston Castle, Launceston
Sunday 5 March
6pm
At 6pm you can hear Piping the St Piran Flag on Cornish bagpipes, followed by a procession at 7pm through Launceston to The Bell Inn, Tower Street for a St Piran’s night of traditional live music, song and dance session with Rob Strike. Call 01566 775159 for more information.
Bude Surf Lifesaving Club, Bude
Sunday 5 March
The St Piran’s Day walk will start at 3pm at the Bude Life Saving Club, and will take you over the cliffs to finish back at the club for tea and biscuits. At 5pm, meet at the Tree Inn for beer, pasties and Cornish singsong!
Throughout Cornwall at 9pm
Sunday 5 March
What better way to celebrate than to take part in a mass singing of the Cornish anthem ‘Trelawny’ at pubs the length and breadth of Cornwall? All you need to do is get yourself down to a participating pub and sing your heart out.
Join Male Voice Choirs, community choirs, shanty groups, barber shop singers, bands and more to help this already flourishing event become a St Piran’s Day tradition.
Find out more on the Cornwall Foundation website.
Bodmin
Monday 6 March
11am
Celebrations will commence with a St Piran Parade from the library at 11am, which will weave through the streets followed by children singing and dancing. The children will then be escorted to St Petroc’s Church where they will present their own contributions to mark St Piran’s Day and celebrate by eating a good old Cornish pasty.
Find out more from the Bodmin Tourist Information Centre, or call 01208 73001
**EDIT: 3/3/2017
We previously included a listing for a St Piran’s Parade in Falmouth on Sunday 5th March – please note that this event is not taking place this year.
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