PEOPLE in St Austell are being encouraged to take Cornish flags along to the town’s annual St Piran’s Day parade.

A free community event is being held in the town centre on Saturday, March 7, from 10am until 3pm. There will be Cornish music in Aylmer Square and a craft fair in Fore Street and the Market House. The parade will gather at White River Place before setting off at 1.30pm.

The day is being backed by St Austell Town Council, St Austell BID (Business Improvement District), the White River Place shopping centre and the Market House.

Running alongside these events will be the first Kevrennow festival celebrating links between Cornwall and Wales. Festival venues include the White Hart and the parish church.

Meanwhile, a St Piran’s Day concert of Cornish music and songs will be held at the Britannia Inn, Par, on Friday, March 6, at 7.30pm. NoteAbility, Carclaze Singers and Tywardreath Morris Dancers will be taking part with money raised going to charities supported by the Rotary Club of St Austell.

Elsewhere, Harbour Housing, a charity based in St Austell supporting people facing homelessness and complex needs, is marking St Piran’s Day by baking pasties and sharing saffron buns while raising awareness of homelessness.