Top Picks
Cornwall 365’s September Top Picks
Summer may be drawing to a close, but the best is yet to come! It's still warm and sunny enough to enjoy Cornwall's great outdoors, festivals and favourite spots for food, drinks and fun, as well as loads of great Autumn events.
1. Heritage Open Days in Cornwall
Thursday 7th – Sunday 10th September
Every year for four days in September, places across the country throw open their doors as part of Heritage Open Days – the country’s largest festival of history and culture. Running from 7th – 10th September, this is your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences, and best of all it’s completely free. Take your pick from the Heritage Open Day events in Cornwall and explore the treasure that’s on your doorstep!
2. Redruth Mining & Pasty Festival
Friday 8th – Sunday 10th September
The Redruth International Mining & Pasty Festival is a 3 day family event held within the Cornish Mining World Heritage site which embraces Redruth and its outlying venues and museums. Celebrating Redruth past and present, from its rich historical involvement in mining history to the current Art and cultural renaissance taking place, the wealth of small independent shops and business, the quality of the local Pasty makers, and our strong community spirit.
3. The Gurnard’s Head Forage & Feast day
Friday 8th September
Foodie favourite The Gurnard’s Head is teaming up with The Fat Hen for a forage and feast day. This is your chance to get to know the wild edible plants native to the coast and grassland before heading back to the pub for a three course wild lunch using seasonal foraged ingredients. Bring a bag or basket to keep your tasty treasures in, and wear shoes for walking!
4. Mark Watson: MW at Trebah
Friday 8th September
After over a hundred dates on the road in 2016, Mark Watson was amazed there are still areas of the country he’s neglected… for his new tour, he has a sensible plan: he’ll only visit places beginning with his initials, M or W, as they’ve already shown a commitment in the first place. See him in the sub-tropical paradise that is Trebah amphitheatre!
5. Little Orchard Cider & Music Festival
Friday 8th – Sunday 10th September
Set in the beautiful grounds of Healey’ 150-year-old working cider farm (the home of the famous Rattler cider), this will be three days of music, activities and a whole world of fun. Festival goers are greeted by a tractor and trailer to take you through the farm to the festival where there will be live music from headliners Scouting for Girls, Hot House Flowers and The Neville Staple Band, hoe downs, barn dances, hot tubs, comedy, craft traders, and festival food. Don’t miss the inter-pub tug of war contest!
6. Sax Impey - The Boatman Calls
Friday 8th September – Saturday 7th October
Born and bred in Cornwall, Sax Impey creates alegorical works derived almost exclusively from experiences at sea. He has sailed many thousands of nautical miles in many parts of the world, and his artistic mastery of the sea continues to captivate and enthrall. Don’t miss his new exhibition at St Ives gallery Anima Mundi.
7. St Ives September Festival
Saturday 9th – Saturday 23rd September
St Ives comes to life with 15 days of music, theatre, poetry, film, walks, talks and arts events. Musical highlights include Cara Dillon, Show of Hands, Flats and Sharps and Toploader, and there are plenty of opportunities for poetry lovers to get their fix. Expect art, storytelling, street entertainment, surfing, films and workshops. St Ives has it all!
8. Haunt the Woods and Rue in St Kew
Saturday 9th September
Harbour Sessions take over the stunning St James The Great Church in St Kew, Churchtwon for an evening of original live music. Plymouth band Haunt the Woods are hotting up on the local music season, with a new and unique sound incorporating an eclectic blend of soaring vocals, beautiful melodies and spellbinding guitar. They’re joined by Rue, a singer songwriter from East Cornwall whose fresh, unique style draws upon jazz, soul, rnb and pop influences which results in a sound that sits alone in it’s own right.
Head to the bar for a selection of beers from Harbour Brewing Co and Haywood Cider – enjoy!
9. IMS Prussia Cove Autumn concerts
Friday 15th September – Sunday 1st October
Once again IMS Prussia Cove present a season of world class chamber music autumn concerts in churches across Cornwall – with nine concerts from outstanding musicians and free tickets for under-25s, this is one not to miss.
10. Gyllngdune Tea Festival
Sunday 17th September
A celebration of all things tea and the heritage of Gyllngdune gardens, this Tea Festival is an eclectic mix of pop-up theatre, tea tasting, tea dances, live music, craft-tea activities, cream teas and afternoon teas, as well as a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Basically, if you or someone you know likes tea, this is where you need to be.
11. Mist and Mellow Fruitfulness at St Endellion Church
Sunday 17th September
The beautiful St Endellion Church hosts a group of young student musicians from Cambridge. Performing a range of chamber music for voice, violin, cello and harpsichord, they are set to delight an early-Autumn afternoon audience. A delightful way to spend a Sunday afternoon in the company of talented young performers.
12. The Great Cornish Food Festival
Friday 22nd – Sunday 24th September
Truro’s Lemon Quay once again plays host to The Great Cornish Food Festival, an event entirely dedicated to Cornwall’s outstanding food and drink. Opening the festival will be local hero and Michelin starred chef Nathan Outlaw, who alongside other local chefs will be demonstrating techniques and recipes on the main stage of the chef’s theatre. Sample, learn, discover, try before you buy and browse around 60 food and drink exhibitors at this seriously good free event!
13. Great British Country Apple Weekend Show at Cotehele
Friday 22nd – Sunday 24th September
The arrival of Autumn means one this at Cotehele… apples! The beautiful National Trust estate welcomes back the Great British Country Apple Weekend Show with over 50 food, gift and artisan stalls, live music, falconry displays. workshops, archery and well wanging!
14. b Group - Points of Echoes at Wadebridge Town Hall
Sunday 24th September
An intimate new dance-theatre work, Points of Echoes is a haunting tale of love, death and monsters, blending the tones of a Wes Anderson movie with the eerie dread of the Twilight Zone.
Isolated for one year Eric Valentine and Bernard Rose have been stationed at an unnamed lighthouse, at an unknown time, somewhere on the coast of England. Strangers to each other, the pair have just begun to lay down the foundations of a friendship when disaster strikes and a mysterious stranger arrives.
Part of Carn to Cove’s new Autumn season, this piece is designed especially for smaller venues, and is perfectly formed!
15. Looe Music Festival
Friday 29th September – Sunday 1st October
Rocking the Cornish coast as the last of the summer festivals, Looe Music Festival takes over the town with music around every corner, and boasting a main stage on the beach in a magical location.
See headliners Happy Mondays, Lulu and The Jesus and Mary Chain plus over 90 superb acts belting out from stages and set ups all over town. Discover new music from BBC Music Introducing and explore one of Cornwall’s most picturesque fishing ports.
Expect an electric mix of manic entertainment, visit for the day or the weekend, stay in comfort and eat like a king.
