Unmissable Events and Festivals in Falmouth This Summer!
It’s safe to say that Falmouth absolutely comes alive over the Spring and Summer, and we are so lucky to have so many free festivals and events happening in the town. From food to creative culture to nautical history, there’s something here for everyone, so take a look and see which events coincide with when you’re visiting…
…and if there’s something you like the look of that’s not when you’re in Cornwall, get your dates booked early for next year!
Starting at the beginning of the season with:
Falmouth Food Festival, 24th-26th May 2024
Back for its second year, this foodie gathering will be held over three days in the Church Street events area in the centre of town. From 10am-8pm there will be cooking demonstrations, drink tastings and food traders of all varieties, showcasing local food and drink culture from Cornwall.
The festival will have live music from local performers. You can check out the full schedule closer to the time on their Facebook page.
Sea Shanty Festival, 14th-16th June 2024
A Falmouth classic that draws crowds from miles around. This is one that every local will have in their calendar and people will be out signing come rain or shine! The wholesome three-day celebration of Sea-Shantying takes over the town with pop-up performances from the Moor and the Prince of Wales Pier all the way along to Events Square and many places in-between.
Most of the pubs and venues will take a turn at hosting performances throughout the day, and full schedules get published on the International Sea Shanty Festival website nearer the time.
Expect to see pirates in the street and bunting abound!
The majority of the festival is free but there is also a ticketed and seated Gala Concert at 7pm on Friday 14th June at Princess Pavillions, featuring Hit & Miss, the Wellington Wailers, The Countrymen, Captain Cat & The Sailors and Acapella Moonshine (yes, these are all names of shanty groups!) If you’re in Falmouth in mid-June, it’s not one to miss!
The Falmouth Classics, 14th-16th June 2024
The prestigious sailing regatta will be held on the same weekend as the Sea Shanty Festival, with both competitive racing and the ‘Parade of Classic Boats’ and ‘Small Classic Boat Parade’ accompanying the on-shore activities.
Expect this to be a busy time in the middle of town, but there will be plenty of spacious vantage points to watch the sailing from if you prefer to hear your shanties from a distance. We suggest heading towards Pendennis Point, or perhaps watching from Flushing if you’re after a quieter experience (with easier parking!) Perhaps you could even hire a self-drive boat or paddle craft and watch from afloat?
Full details about the history of this long-standing event and the timetables for this year’s races and parades can be found here.
Falmouth Cringe (Comedy Festival), 4th-7th July 2024
One of the town’s newest and funniest festivals will take place at multiple venues across the first weekend of July. The well-padded programme of evening events is ticketed but costs are kept as low as possible for this community festival, run by a collection of business owners from Falmouth who are passionate about getting creative talent to make their way this far West…
Falmouth Week, 9th-17th August 2024
Officially a sailing regatta week, the famous ‘Falmouth Week’ has grown to become a week-long festival that takes over the town both onshore and off. With the annual ‘Pink Wig Parade’ kicking things off on Friday evening, the party atmosphere continues for the Carnival on Saturday, Family Day on Wednesday (usually featuring the Red Arrows) and a fantastic Firework Display on the final Friday night.
Additionally, there is evening entertainment in marquees at Church Street and Events Square, which will be announced nearer the time. These evening events are ticketed but the majority of the week is free, organised by Falmouth Town Council.
This year there will also be a Comic, Movie & Anime Fest at the Princess Pavilion on the final weekend, in aid of the True Butterflies Foundation.
Form Art Festival, 20th-22nd September 2024
Centering around a large art exhibition at Princess Pavillions, the Form Art Festival is a gathering of creative talent in Cornwall. Organised by two local gallery owners, the festival hosts workshops and market-style stalls selling unique art pieces from paintings and ceramics to crafts. 2024 is the third year of the festival, celebrating the long history of creativity in the town. You can find out more and plan your visit here.
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