A NEW festival that aims to attract people into Newquay has started with a bang. 

The first weekend of the month-long Be Newquay Festival was a vibrant celebration of the town’s culture, identity and heritage filled with colourful creativity, rejuvenating wellness workshops and warming community spirit.

The festival began with a performance by Cornwall’s seven-piece female folk band, Kana, at St Michael’s Church on Friday night.

Families kicked off the festivities with the colourful ‘Bellyboard Painting Workshop for Kids’ with Newquay-based Dick Pearce and Friends on Saturday. Young artists applied their creative skills to craft their unique designs.

The BIG Newquay Market was a bustling hive of activity atop the town’s Killacourt, with various vendors peddling their wares, showcasing the best of local art, food, and goods. Families had the chance to drop-in to Blystra’s Autumnal Crafting workshops too. 

Visitors to the market also enjoyed watching local artists at work as they were inspired by the wild Atlantic seascapes via Seascape: A Live Art Event and Auction. Six local artists created various art and now people have the opportunity to pledge a bid on the artwork created, helping raise money for community partners.

The auction is now live and will close on Monday, November 11, at 9pm.

Over at A State of Mind Studio, the Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises and Sound Bath was a complete sell out, providing participants with a deeply rejuvenating experience through guided release exercises paired with a soothing sound bath.

Newquay Marine Group and Newquay Wild Activities Beach Art Workshop at Towan Beach encouraged participants of all ages to create artwork from rogue items found upon the shores including driftwood, and seashells.

Magnet Making at Tor Pottery proved to be a fun, hands-on activity for partaking potters who left with their very own bespoke creations to remember the session by. 

The BIG Movement pop-up community workshops and 4Motion’s feel-good dance workshops at the Killacourt Bandstand brought a welcome injection of energy and joy, inviting all to join in uplifting, spontaneous sessions of movement and dance. The Wildlife Walk provided a memorable opportunity to explore the local flora and fauna, guided by knowledgeable locals who shared their insights into the area’s rich natural ecosystem. 

Film fans gathered for a special Matinee Curated by Cornwall Film Festival featuring a selection of Cornish short films that spanned genres and showcased fresh talent, part of the incredible Cream of Cornish Weekender.

Other elements of the Cream of Cornish Weekender by Groundswell events included the stirring Kana by Candlelight, LOL-A-Day Destination and Dracula The Vampyr. 

The second weekend of the Be Newquay Festival, from Friday, November 8 to Sunday, November 10, invites locals and visitors to dive deeper into everything that defines Newquay.

People can check out Phil Strugnell’s residency at Seaspace, as part of the festival.

Phil will host a series of free events, both at SeaSpace and at Project Eighty Three.

On Friday, November 8, join the launch evening with a DJ at SeaSpace, on Saturday, November 9, there’s an artist workshop 10am to 1pm at SeaSpace and on Sunday, November 10, join an abstract collage workshop at Project Eighty Three.

Or join Upstart Theatre for a live-action storytelling game, in Red Planet: Revolution. Played in teams, placing the power to shape society in your hands. Additionally, get involved with To The Moon & Back’s free workshops. Pick from VRCade Play Party or Build a Secret World Craft Workshop.

For those looking to let off a little steam after a busy week, the Saunassa Sessions will offer a rejuvenating retreat, providing a chance to relax and recharge in a soothing Nordic style sauna setting. 

For the full festival line-up, individual events happening across the weekends, and booking details, check out the What’s On page: www.benewquayfestival.co.uk/events  or follow the Instagram account at @benewquay_festival for continual updates. Book onto sessions and workshops if required as spaces are often limited. 

Tickets are needed in most cases, even when free of charge as spaces are limited. Weekend two is getting booked out fast, so make sure you plan your itinerary via www.benewquayfestival.co.uk

The Be Newquay Festival is commissioned by Cornwall Council’s project Experience Newquay and supported by Newquay BID and Visit Newquay. It is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.