Attractions & Activities-Padstow B&BForthcoming EventsMay Day (http://www.padstow.com/obby_oss/obby_oss.php) May Day, Saturday 1st May, is the biggest day in Padstow's calendar. It is not unusual to see 30,000 people crammed into our little town. It is a day when Padstonians from all over the world return to their roots. History of May Day - There have been many conflicting theories about the origins of the Obby Oss. Some say its roots are in pagan times, others that it's a rain maker, a fertility symbol, a deterrent to a possible landing by the French some centuries ago or even a welcome to summer. Whatever, the mists of time and the helping hand of successive generations of Padstonians have blunted the true reasons for its creation. The fearsome mask of today's Obby Oss regalia is set into a body covering costume built around a six feet wide circular wooden hoop. This is carried on the wearer's shoulders and covered in sailcloth that is draped down to the ground. Because it is heavy, internal shoulder straps enable the carrier to bear the strain more easily. The wearer then proceeds through Padstow's streets, swirling and dancing and accompanied by a Teazer, who leads the dance with theatrical movements and the use of the Teazer's club, a leather pad colourfully painted and mounted on the end of a wooden rod. The Teazer's accompanying retinue are dressed in white their costumes decorated with ribbons and sprays of cowlips and bluebells. As the procession moves around the town dancers perform a traditional gyrating dance to the sound of the accompanying musicians and drummers. Last, but not least, are the followers, young and old who follow the procession every year and join in the singing of the traditional May Song. Royal Cornwall Show (www.royalcornwallshow.org) The annual Cornwall County show which takes place at the Wadebridge showground on the 9th, 10th and 11th June 2011. It’s the county’s biggest annual event and is brim-full of exhibits and activities which offer so much in the way of entertainment, competition, information, shopping and all that’s best in Cornish food and farming. Padstow Lifeboat (www.padstow-lifeboat.org.uk) During 2011 there are sveral Lifeboat events in and around Padstow which include: Easter Egg Rolling - Annual Easter Egg rolling in aid of the RNLI. This takes place outside Cross House at the top of Duke Street. Bring your own hard boiled egg! Padstow Harbour Days - Padstow's Lifeboat Guild are holding open days to raise money for the RNLI. The lifeboat will be in attendance and It is a great opportunity to see the boat, meet the crew and purchase RNLI merchandise. This will take place on the quayside on the 30th May, 28th July and 8th September. Lifeboat Day - Padstow's Lifeboat Day will take place on 11th August. It is another great opportunity to see the boat, meet the crew and purchase RNLI merchandise. There will be life saving demonstrations in the harbour. Visit the lifeboat website for a programme of events. This will take place on the quayside. Band Concerts Cornwall is rightly famous for the high quality of its silver band music. Band concerts are a huge attraction and usually take place throughout the season on Sundays and some weekdays with the bands performing in the afternoon and early evening. The open-air concerts, usually held on the bandstand, give a taste of the Proms as there are no seats for the audience, they either stand as close as they can to the musicians or meander around the quays. The setting is quite magical and lends a new dimension to the concert going experience as the music drifts across and around the harbour. Visiting bands include some of the finest in Cornwall and over the years the town has also welcomed several bands from around the country that play in Padstow while on tour. Choir concerts have also proved increasingly popular and a number of these are included in the seasonal weekday evening programme, usually on Thursdays. Padstow Rotary Midsummer (www.rotary-ribi.org/clubs/page.asp?PgID=135890&ClubID=1049) Padstow Rotary hold an annual Midsummer Music fundraiser in the grounds of Prideaux Place on the 18th June. This year the entertainment will be provided by The FAB Beatles, Helston School Jazz Band and Shane Solomon. Padstow Carnival The culmination of Padstow Lion's Carnival Week and takes place on Saturday the 6th August. After the judging, whhich takes place in the link road car park at 5.30pm procession moves off at 6pm (tbc)down New Street (against the one way) then up Lanadwell Street, Middle Street, Duke Street, round past the Institute then around the quay to the Station Car Park (against the one way). The prize giving takes place on the old station platform on completion of the procession. Padstow Christmas Festival Padstow's 4th Christmas Festival will take place from Friday 2nd - Sunday 4th December 2011. Although the full programme has yet to be finalised events will include:
For WalkersSouth West Coastal Path (www.southwestcoastpath.com) Padstow is a popular town from which to start a section of the SWCP, whether going north towards Port Isac or South towards Newquay. Many walkers like to take advantage of its location and array of good restaurants spending two or more days, here using public transport to return to base or using the pick-up and drop-off facility offered by Rosmarinus. The Camel Trail (www.destination-cornwall.co.uk/camel-trail.html) A very popular walk/cycle path using the route of the old railway line which follows the River Camel inland to Bodmin, passing through the market town of Wadebridge. A walk across Cornwall, coast to coast in the footsteps of the Celtic Saints. A journey of just less than 30 miles it starts from St Petroc the parish church of Padstow to the Church of St Fimbarrus in Fowey.
|
