| Where: | Penzance, Cornwall starting at Causewayhead and St Mary's Church on Chapel Street |
| When: | 21st December |
| Time: | From 3.30 with main Procession 6pm |
The Montol Festival is an annual midwinter celebration timed to coincide with the winter solstice; the name comes from an old Cornish word meaning the turning point of the year. The main event is the procession on the 21st with traditional Guise Dancers, a Lord of Misrule, mummers, Penglaz the Hobby Horse, lanterns, a river of fire and a variety of musicians and dancers. Though a recent addition to the calendar, it incorporates many traditions and customs from Cornish heritage, some of which are suitably sinister and mysterious, befitting the dark days before Christmas. There’s a sundown parade at 4pm followed by the main festivities which begin at 6 o’clock at St Mary’s Church on Chapel Street with a family community event featuring a procession, food and drink, guising, dancing, carol singing, a Mummers Play, and Cornish Carols then the burning of the sun. At 10pm a torchlit procession forms leading to a lit Beacon for more merry making and the Chalking of the Mock and the bonfire. The Mock is a yule log and it’s an old Cornish tradition to mark it in chalk with a stickman before it’s burned – chalking the Mock is considered an honour. There are concerts, entertainments and film shows in the build up to the main event.
Helpful Hints
Check the links below for any changes in timings etc. – check the event website for full details of plans for the current year.
When we went in 2015 the timings went adrift during the mid-evening but were back on track later on!
Many of the entertainments normally feature fire so if you’re nervous about naked flames take extra care – also beware of drips of wax if you’re in the torchlit procession (it took us ages to pick the bits off!). Dressing appropriately is encouraged – mock posh outfits, beribboned hats, face painting and masks are all the fashion for the festival. It can be muddy underfoot at the first fire site.
For a full programme check out the event’s own page (link below).
Click here for the website: http://montolfestival.co.uk/
Click here for the event Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/montolfestival/
and here for the Cornish Culture Association: https://www.facebook.com/CornishCultureAssociation/
and here for the. Raffidy Dumitz Band: https://www.facebook.com/groups/647198909249359
What date is the festival being held on in 2023 is it still on the 21/12/2023,, many thanks
Hi Stephen,
As far as I know it should be on 21st December in 2023, as it’s been held on 21st for several years. Check out the page of the organisers at https://www.facebook.com/CornishCultureAssociation/ (I just had a look at all the pages/sites linked to the festival and this is where some of the announcements and updates were made for 2022). It’s a long way off so keep checking the relevant pages a bit nearer the time- calendarcustoms isn’t connected with the organisation of the festival so if you need further confirmation maybe message the event’s own Facebook page or the organisers to make sure? I’ll be checking for calendarcustoms later on too.
Best wishes,
Averil