Award-winning Irish folk singer Cara Dillon will headline St Ia Parish Church’s 11-show line-up during the 2023 St Ives September Festival.

Cara will appear at the church on September 17 – the middle Sunday of the 15-day festival of music and arts.

Her countless awards include Album Of The Year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, the Meteor Music Award for Best Irish Female and Tatler’s Woman Of The Year in Music.

The programme at the Church – the September Festival’s second largest venue – announced this week, is very much focused on Cornish entertainers this year.

Shanty favourites Bryher’s Boys return to St Ia on the opening night – Saturday, September 9 – with Cornwall comedian Johnny Cowling back there the following night and choir Resurgam on Wednesday, September 13.

St Ives “local” Molly Hocking, the 2019 winner of ITV’s The Voice and a “graduate” of the town’s Kidz R Us theatre group, will perform in the Church on Thursday, September 14, accompanied by jazz musician Tom Quirke on keyboards.

Bailey Tomkinson, another St Ives-based singer whose self-penned Bright Red was a rallying cry for sustainability and social justice during the G7 Summit in her home town, will be at St Ia the following night followed by jump jive band Company B on Saturday, September 16.

Following Cara Dillon’s appearance the second week of the festival will see Cornish musician Josh Curnow at St Ia on Tuesday, September 19, the Celtic Male Ensemble on Thursday, September 21 and fast-rising Cornwall folk-pop duo True Foxes, just back from their first UK tour, on Friday, September 22. 

Helston Town Band return on Saturday, September 23, for another Last Night Of The Proms, which has become something of a festival closing night tradition. 

• Festival information and tickets at www.stivesseptem berfestival.co.uk