Events in Cornwall

The Royal Cornwall Show has been around for well over 200 years, bringing the Cornish community together in what is essentially a county show, but on as big a scale as you’re ever likely to see. There are animal competitions to find the best of breeds – we’re not just talking about dogs here; goats, rabbits, cavies, caged birds, and even bees all battle it out in their respective heats to find the Cornish kings and queens of the animal kingdom. Of course, you can also get your fill of fine Cornish foods from all kinds of traders. There’s always some quality entertainment and live music on show in the main ring. Just a word of warning, try not to drink too much cider – yes the scrumpy’s delicious, and you might be raring to get on the Rattler, but this is a county show after all – you don’t want to wake up as the (not so) proud new owner of a tractor or a combine harvester.

When the days are long, and the sun is (hopefully) shining, Boardmasters rolls into Newquay, taking place over three days in mid-August. Since it began in 1981, the extreme sports festival has been the biggest and best-loved surf competition in the UK, attracting some of the finest wave riders in the world. What’s more, it’s also a world class music festival – previous artists that have played on the Watergate Bay beach main stage vary from Calvin Harris to Cypress Hill and Snoop Dogg to Ed Sheeran. Then, after the headliners finish, the DJs take over with dance tents blasting out their music long into the night. Best of all, when you need to escape it all, our Quintrell Downs hotel is just a 10-minute taxi away when your creature comforts come calling.

The oyster fishery in Falmouth has been dredging the delicious delicacies for more than 100 years, with some of the oldest surviving boats being around since 1860. To celebrate their rich heritage, and the beginning of the fishery season in October, the Falmouth Oyster Festival takes over the town with cooking demonstrations from award winning chefs, live performances from talented musicians, food stalls, pop-up bars, working boat races and more. It’s certainly a quirky festival – the music ranges from funk and soul to sea shanties – but that’s probably what’s made it one of Cornwall’s most popular food festivals with 45,000 visitors, and 20,000 oysters slurped over the four days.

The Royal Cornwall Showground now also plays host to the Cornwall Spring Flower Show – one of the most popular and respected flower shows in the country. People visit from far and wide to bag some bulbs, and to admire the delightful flower displays. There’s also a ‘Food From Cornwall’ area, and an arts and craft marquee where you can pick up some lovely handmade wares from creative Cornish people.