Top Picks

Cornwall 365’s November Top Picks

Autumn is in full swing, but that's no reason to hide inside! Cornwall has lots of wonderful events to offer throughout the month, from marvellous music and theatre to markets, exhibitions and singing under the stars. Read on for our Top Picks of things to do in Cornwall this November.

1. Music at Tresanton

Friday 3rd – Sunday 5th November
Tresanton Chapel, St Mawes

A series of four concerts, this year devoted to American music, from the classical to contemporary, from Tango to the Avant-Garde. Performed by world renowned musicians, including French virtuoso clarinettist Chen Halevi, Argentinian composer and Bandoneon master Marcelo Nisinman, the award winning Aredo string quartet from France, and pianist Noam Greenberg who is also the Artistic Director of the series.

2. Winter Fayre at The Old Coastguard

Friday 10th November
The Old Coastguard, Mousehole

This fair will showcase work by local artists and crafts people promising something for everyone, with proceeds going to the Penzance Jubilee Pool Fund. Exhibitors include Wild Smoked, Ruby Alice Flowers, Kiwi Print, Emily Nixon, Ebby and Flow Cornwall, Gilly Cooper and many more. Stop by the Old Coastguard stall for Cornish Seaweed, FishPye Pottery, and homemade bread, cakes and jams!

3. Omar Sosa & Seckou Keita: Transparent Water

Friday 10th November
AMATA, Penryn

Seamlessly melding Latin American and West African music, Cuban Pianist Omar Sosa and Senegalese kora player and vocalist Seckou Keita come to AMATA, Penryn to perform their new album Transparent Water.

4. Cornwall Film Festival

Friday 10th – Sunday 19th November
The Poly, Falmouth

This year’s festival features a large and diverse programme of events, with a BAFTA Masterclass, local talent, short films, an exclusive gala screening of The Square, plus international films The Florida Project, God’s Own Country, Killing of the Sacred Deer and much more.

5. Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra – Burning Boy

Saturday 11th November
St Ives Guildhall

Written by Cornish poet Charles Causley, The Burning Boy tells the story of the prophet Elisha and the raising of the boy from the dead after he had been struck down in the field by the heat of the sun. Causley transposes the story to the West Country, and blends the ritual of the harvest and the myths of the corn spirits. Performed to a live score performed by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Ensemble – Kokoro.

6. Tate Collective: U Studio

Saturday 11th November
Tate St Ives

Tate St Ives invites 15-25 year olds to drop in, hang out, and make art. Join experimental and creative open studio sessions run by young people from Tate Collective St Ives, with hands on activity, performance and more.

7. Harbour Sessions #04 – Winter Mountain

Saturday 11th November
St James Church, St Kew

The only Cornish date on their UK tour, Winter Mountain are coming to St James Church with support from Sadie Horler and The Woodcarts.

Cornish singer-songwriter Joe Francis is Winter Mountain, blending melodic songs, an amazing band, an extraordinary voice and heartfelt lyrics. Sadie Horler’s warmth and authenticity has made her a hit on the South West festival circuit, whilst The Woodcarts are causing a real stir on the Cornish folk scene.

8. Beach finds jewellery making workshop

Saturday 11th November
Bedruthan Hotel & Spa, Mawgan Porth

Spend a relaxing, creative and eco-friendly day making cool and contemporary jewellery out of found materials from the beach. Professional jewellery-maker Sarah Drew will take you beach combing for sea glass, sea string, driftwood, pebbles and shells to make into quirky modern jewellery.

9. Sing and Supper with Claire Ingleheart

Friday 17th November
Mount Pleasant Eco Park, Redruth

Join the ever-so-inspirational Claire Ingleheart for an autumnal sing and supper evening at the Eco Park where you will experience the joy and exhilaration of singing in three or four part harmonies. Expect Sea Shanties, Folk, African and more!

After the workshop get stuck into a delectable sharing feast in La Cantina, and end the evening with a campfire at sundown and singing under the stars.

10. Three Spires Singers and Orchestra present Dvorak and Schumann

Saturday 18th November
Truro Cathedral

Join the Three Spires Singers and Orchestra for a special concert at Truro Cathedral, featuring Schumann’s Piano Concerto and Dvorak’s Stabat Mater.

11. Secret Cotehele tour and lunch

Monday 20th – Tuesday 21st November
Cotehele House, St Dominick

This is a special chance to join an in-depth tour of Cotehele House as you go behind the scenes after it has closed to the public for winter. Meet the team as they give the house its annual deep-clean, learn abut conservation practices, and peek behind closed doors!

12. The Tin Drum - Kneehigh Theatre

Tuesday 21st – Saturday 25th November
Hall for Cornwall, Truro

On Oskar’s third birthday, he rails against the adult world and decides to remain a child forever. Armed with a heart full of rage, a singing voice that shatters glass, and a seemingly indestructible tin drum, Oskar sets about to reveal the world for what it truly is.

However, the world has other plans for our hero… The tide is turning. People are taking sides. And the shadow of the Black Witch draws ever closer.

Often hailed as one of the greatest novels ever written, Günter Grass’ surreal post-war masterpiece has never been more prescient. Kneehigh will retell this extraordinary story of love, war and fizz powder as startling musical satire: part Baroque opera, part psychedelic white-out, part epic poem. A burlesque, a blitzkreig, a tidal wave about to break. Prepare the dance to the beat of a different drum!

13. 3 Daft Monkeys

Friday 24th November
The Acorn, Penzance

The dynamic four piece bring infectious dancing rhythms with Celtic and eastern influences to The Acorn Penzance – bring your boogie shoes!

14. St Ives Sea Shanty Shout 2017

Friday 24th November
Various venues, St Ives

Now in its second year, St Ives Shanty Shout is back to take over the town with over twenty groups including Aggie Boys Choir, Bamaluz Bootleggers, Oggymen, Falmouth Shout and many more in venues across the town – all to raise money for RNLI and Children’s Hospice South West.

15. Pussy Riot 'Riot Days' at Falmouth Rugby Club

Sunday 26th November
Falmouth Rugby Club

One of the most important voices of the past 10 years, the Russian protest art-collective’s lyrical themes include feminism, LGBT rights and opposition to Vladimir Putin.

With fevered monologues underpinned by real footage and frenetic noise-punk, Riot Days goes back to 2012 as Maria Alyokhina and Pussy Riot ascend the altar of Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour for a guerilla performance protesting the Orthodox Church’s support for Putin during his election campaign. The performance is all based on Alyokhina’s new book, also called Riot Days, which revisits the events leading up to her incarceration. Together with a host of collaborators, she’s transformed the book into this unique piece of performance art for fractious times – exploring resistance and protest around the world.

They will be supported by funky, punky solo-artist Luke Moss and all-female psychobilly band The Eyelids, both from Falmouth.

16. Robyn Denny Exhibition

Until Saturday 2nd December
Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange, Penzance

A solo exhibition celebrating the work of Robyn Denny across Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange. Robyn Denny  was one of an internationally acclaimed group who transformed British art in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, leading it into the international mainstream. His large-scale, resolutely urban abstract paintings captured the cool, modernising mood of the time yet have a sombre and enigmatic presence that makes them seem paradoxically timeless.