Newquay’s St Piran’s Day celebrations are in full swing.

The grand St Piran’s Parade through the town centre was held on Friday afternoon.

Hundreds of pupils from schools including Bishops, Newquay Primary Academy and St Mawgan-in-Pydar  walked through the town with pipes, drums and St Piran’s banners led by musicians Merv and Alison Davey, together with Tir ha Tavas.

Many were wearing Cornish tartan and waving Saint Piran's flags.

A school’s Celidh with singing and dancing supported by Oll an Gwella was held at the Central Inn afterwards.

Town councillor Alan Goudge, former grand Bard Liz Carne and Newquay Lifeboat Station operations manager Gareth Horner join the parade (Warren Wilkins)

St Mawgan-in-Pydar pupils join the parade (Warren Wilkins)

The celebrations started quite sedately on Friday with an afternoon cream tea and entertainment from Tir ha Tavas at Newquay Library.

The focus on Saturday, was on live music.  During the afternoon Oll an Gwella, Silvington and the True Foxes were performing both on the Piazza and at the Central Inn while in the evening a St Piran’s Eve Concert featuring Caracana, Silvington and the Newquay Rowing Cub Singers with compere Clive ‘Spider’ Stephens was being held at the Great Western Hotel between 7.15pm and 10pm.  

The Stowes were also performing at the Griffin Inn at 8pm and there was due to be music at the Celtic Lounge from 8.30pm.  Amidst all this a Cornish Language taster class was available at the Celtic Lounge at 2.00pm.

The Festival builds to its climax on Sunday, St Piran’s Day itself, with the iconic Trelawny Shout taking place at the Central Inn, The Griffin and Newquay Rowing Club at 9pm.  

The shout is preceded during the day by a bi-lingual service celebrating St Piran in St Michael’s Church at 10am and by performances by the Motown Pirates at the Griffin Inn at 3pm.

Newquay Rowing Club Singers and the Stowes will be performing at the Central Inn at 7pm) and Oll an Gwella will be taking to the stage at the Griffin Inn at 7.45pm.

Displays of children’s artwork and exhibitions by Newquay Old Cornwall Society will be found at both the Library and the foyer of the Lighthouse Cinema, where there will also be a special showing of Mark Jenkin’s recent film, Enys Men.

Admission to all events, apart from Enys Men, is free, with a retiring collection.