Truro Events and Festivals
(Truro, Cornwall, England, UK)
Truro is well placed for festival goers and there is always something going on either in the city or in one of the many nearby towns and villages. Within Truro itself, the Cornwall Food and Drink Festival and the Truro Carnival have both become major events and crowds pullers.
Nearby, the Fal River Festival at the end of May, the Royal Cornwall Show each June, the Stithians Agricultural Show in July and the Cornwall Folk Festival every August are all not to be missed, offering plenty of fun and things to do for all the family.
National Public Holidays
- 1st January - New Year's Day
- Good Friday / Easter Monday - late March or early April
- First and last Monday in May
- Last Monday in August
- 25th December - Christmas Day
- 26th December - Boxing Day
Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015
January
- SECTA Catering and Hospitality Trade Show - late January, held at the Looe Bay Holiday Park in the St. Martins area, with many themed events and information about the area's accommodation and catering. Less than one hour's drive from Truro
February
- Valentine's Day - February 14th, many on the town's best restaurants get in the mood for romance and offer special candle-lit, three-course dinners for couples
March
- Easter Celebrations - late March, early April, with a number of religious services and events at local churches, and plenty of Easter eggs in many of the town's shops
April
- Giant Bolster Weekend - late April, in the nearby Parish of St. Agnes, celebrating the local legend of a bad-tempered giant, with various events and street entertainers
- Trevithick Day - late April, a popular celebration of the area's rich mining heritage, with plenty of free entertainment for everyone. Held in nearby Camborne
May
- Fal River Festival - late May to early June, with various events taking place along the banks of the Fal Estuary, close to Truro, such as boat trips, music, food stalls, arts and crafts, and theatrical performances. The Fal River Festival lasts around two weeks and is always well attended
June
- Looe Festival by the Sea - early June, held around the nearby port of Looe, with plenty of family fun and entertainment, including photography exhibitions, flower displays, choir concerts, dancing, live music, al fresco dining and even demonstrations of fish filleting. Looe is around 64 km / 40 miles from Truro and can be reached in less than one hour
- Royal Cornwall Show - mid-June, taking place at the Royal Cornwall Showground in Wadebridge, lasting three days and offering flower shows, agricultural stands, bee keeping, household pets and farmyard animals, poultry, steam engines and much, more. The Royal Cornwall Show regularly draws crowds of more than 100,000 people and lasts for three days. Wadebridge is roughly 38 km / 24 miles from Truro and can be reached in around 35 minutes
- Polperro Festival - mid to late June, a range of activities are held in nearby Polperro, including live music, art exhibitions and even traditional Morris dancing. Polperro lies just over 60 km / 39 miles from Truro, with an expected journey time of 55 minutes
- Mevagissey Feast Week - late June, around 24 km / 15 miles from Truro and celebrating the historic feast of the fisherman's patron saint, St. Peter. Lasting all week, plenty of seafood dishes are on offer and other festivities include a carnival parade, local fete and colourful fireworks display over the waterfront
July
- Stithians Agricultural Show - mid-July, this buzzing agricultural show lies in Stithians, 16 km / 10 miles from Truro and has become one of the region's biggest shows of its kind. Lasting only one day, the Stithians Agricultural Show always attracts well over 20,000 visitors and features a wealth of interesting exhibits and various events
August
- West of England Steam Rally - mid-August, in St. Agnes, less than a 20-minute drive from Truro and offering more than 200 different steam engines, trade stalls and a old fashioned funfair
- Cornwall Folk Festival - late August, held at the town of Wadebridge, close to Truro, and lasting four nights. Expect plenty of folk music, dancing and various other events, held over the August bank holiday weekend. A make-shift festival campsite can be found at the Royal Cornwall Showground, connected by regular courtesy mini-buses
September
- Truro Carnival - mid-September, with various day-long events and a host of traditional Cornish activities, including street entertainers, live music and fireworks. The carnival parade based at the Lemon Quay from around 18:00 onwards
- Cornwall Food and Drink Festival - late September, lasting three days and featuring many food stalls selling fresh local produce and kitchen gadgets, together with numerous cookery demonstrations, based around Lemon Quay
October
- The Lowender Peran Festival - mid-October, three-day event with plenty of concerts, dancing, workshops and Celtic-themed entertainment. The Lowender Peran Festival takes place in Perranporth, around 13 m / 8 miles from Truro, a drive-time of just over 15 minutes
- Roseland Festival - mid-October to early November, a series of cinematic, music and drama festivities held all around the Roseland Peninsula, roughly 61 km / 38 miles from Truro
November
- Bonfire Night - around November 5th, with a number of spectacular fireworks displays both in and around Truro
- Christmas Lights Switch On - late November, marking the official start of the seasonal Cornish Christmas festivities
December
- Christmas Events - various Christmas-related events take place all through December, including many local appearances of Santa