Festive fun in Cornwall this Christmas
Cornwall isn’t just a summer destination. It may be quieter during the winter months, but that just means you don’t have to share the county with as many tourists. It is a really beautiful sight at Christmas, with the quaint harbour towns sparkling with festive lights and the narrow streets fragrant with spices and warming cooking.
When you are staying at a Cornwall caravan park with your loved ones at this time of the year, you will want to know what is going on to keep everyone occupied. Fortunately, we have put together a list of some of the best festive fun in Cornwall this Christmas that can be enjoyed by all.
Christmas events in Looe
You don’t have to venture far from your caravan park in Looe to enjoy Christmas, with plenty of festive events happening in town. Activities are running throughout December, with the first kicking off on the 1st, at the Looe Lantern Procession and Carol Service in West Looe.
If you are visiting Cornwall with your little ones, why not take them to see Santa? On the 2nd December from 12.00-7.00pm you can walk around the numerous stalls and enjoy all of the entertainment, including bouncy castles and a reptile and raptor display. Father Christmas will be arriving by train, before leading a procession to his own grotto at the harbour office.
Elsewhere, you can see the Looe Santa Fun Run on the 3rd or even enter it yourself. With an 11.00am registration, entry is just £2 at the Quayside Centre in West Looe, before a 12.00pm start.
Other Christmas events in Looe
Christmas Concert at Sclerder Abbey – 7.30pm on 9th December at Sclerder Abbey – tickets are £10.
Carols by candlelight with Keltique – 7.30pm on 18th December at St Nicholas Church
Christmas concert in Polperro – 7.30pm-9.30pm on 23rd December – a free event with donations welcome.
Padstow
If you want an evening away from your caravan park, then visit Padstow, a beautiful spot for some festive fun this Christmas.
Padstow Christmas Festival
This sleepy corner of the country awakes from its winter slumber for the annual Christmas Festival, one of the largest of its kind in the UK. Around 40,000 visitors head down each year to see Padstow at its sparkling best. Celebrity chefs like Rick Stein and Nathan Outlaw join the crowds and entertain the masses with free demonstrations, while more than 100 local producers will be set up to provide you with any last minute gifts.
Eden Project
The Eden Project is arguably Cornwall’s most popular attraction and one reason is thanks to its year-round accessibility. Eden’s landscape transforms into a winter wonderland, with light displays, soundscapes and music presented throughout the end of 2017.
Festival of Light and Sound
For something really unique, try the Festival of Light and Sound, a plethora of brilliant colour and music. A dramatic laser show lights up the dark skies and illuminates the biomes in a display likened to a ‘man made Northern Lights.’
In the Mediterranean Biome you can witness music and light fill the air, while the Rainforest Biome hosts an after-dark experience from a 50-metre-high lookout, as well as craft workshops and festivities across the park.
Dates: 1-3, 8-10, 15-23, 27-30 December between 5.00pm and 8.00pm with all activities included in with an entry ticket.
Meet Father Christmas
For something a little more traditional, enjoy a meet and greet with Father Christmas himself. Fresh from his visit to Looe, he and a handful of his helpful elves will be set up in a cosy tent which allows you to see behind the scenes. Check out the elves’ bunkbeds, stockings and presents ready for Christmas and pigeon holes full of letters for the man himself before you sit down in front of a roaring fire for a story.
Dates: 1-3 December: 12.30-6.30pm, 8-10 December: 11.30-6.30pm, 11-14 December: 3.30-5.30pm, 15-17 December: 11.30-6.30pm, 18-19 December: 10.30-6.30pm, 20-23 December: 10.30-7.30pm, 24 December: 10.30-3.30pm.
Flambards Christmas Fayre
Flambards, in Helston, is one of the best family attractions in the county. Award-winning indoor attractions, endless entertainment and during the winter, Christmas themed activities guarantees festive fun.
For the third year, Flambards will host its Christmas Craft Fayre on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd December, where numerous stalls will showcase fantastic local products, food and drink. Whether you fancy a little treat for yourself, or want to get a last minute gift, we can be sure you will find something in one of the various venues across the park. Santa, who is very busy with his tour of Cornwall, will be making an appearance, as well as live music from the Helston Town Band.
Christmas Markets
Across the country Christmas markets are popping up, with the scent of mulled wine enticing visitors to the stalls full of ornate gifts and festive food. Cornwall is no different, with a number of traditional markets taking place across the county. You don’t need to be a panic buyer desperate to find a gift for everyone to enjoy the lures of the stalls, you can simply kick back and soak up the atmosphere as entire towns come together for the evening.
Padstow Christmas Festival, 7-10 December
We have already spoken of Padstow Christmas Festival, but it is certainly worth a second mention. In perhaps the most picture-perfect setting, sat beside the harbour where fairy lights reflect off of the rippling water, this Christmas market is ideal for foodies. Locally sourced treats range from cider to chutneys, as chefs entertain with demonstrations.
Mount Edgcumbe Christmas Fayre, 9-10 December
In its fourteenth year, the Mount Edgcumbe Christmas Fayre is as enticing as the first. Some of the West Country’s best chefs demonstrate their skills, while you yourself can try it at home with the local produce on sale.
Hosted in Mount Edgcumbe County Park, entertainment is guaranteed, as you marvel at the Christmas carols and the visit from Santa at 11.00-3.00 on Saturday and Sunday.
Truro Winter Gift Fayre, 12-17 December
This is a brand new market for Truro this year, as the town welcomes you with hand crafted gifts, delicious festive treats and a spirit of Christmas pulled straight from the North Pole.
Nadelik Lowen, Falmouth, 16-17 December
For a real taste of a Cornish Christmas, head to Falmouth for Nadelik Lowen. Traditional dances, mulled wine, tales told around open fires, carol singing and much more will get you in the festive spirit.
Of course Cornwall is beautiful in the summer, which is why millions flock south each year. But as the cold sets in, don’t assume that this corner of England shuts up shop. There is so much festive fun to be had this Christmas, so book your stay at a caravan park and see how the many beautiful coastal towns celebrate the holidays.
Image Credit: srikanta H. U Arthur Edelman Clem Onojeghuo
