AS the Be Newquay Festival begins this week, more details have been revealed on one of its weekend headliners, the Trenance Trees and Tales: Lantern Parade and Christmas Lights Switch On.

On Friday, November 22, from 5.30pm, the team at Newquay’s Trenance Cottages is hosting a celebration of the start of the festive season in a most magical and bedazzling way.

This ‘Christmassy’ event is on the fourth weekend of the festival and promises an evening of festive cheer, carol performances, storytelling and light displays in the heart of the Trenance area of Newquay.

The lantern parade will lead the proceedings from Trenance car park at 5.30pm before making its way to Trenance Cottages in a dazzling display. This is the first time that Trenance has played host to the town’s popular lantern parade tradition in partnership with Blystra Arts. Hundreds of schoolchildren and members of the community are expected to partake to showcase their illuminated creations in a glowing trail of radiance.

The evening will continue with the grand light switch on at 6.30pm which, alongside the Christmas tree, will light up the beautiful gardens including the foot bridge over the stream, and the façade of the heritage cottage itself.

Trenance Trees and Tales: Lantern Parade and Christmas Lights Switch On 2
Trenance Cottages will play host to the town’s Lantern Parade (Submitted)

From 6.30pm to 9pm, local performers and choir singers will deliver Christmas carols and live music. There will be stories regaled by local storytellers Rob Copeland and Kate Stebbing-Allen. The Garden Cafe and Trenance Cottages will be serving up food and drink throughout the evening. 

Chairman of Trenance Cottages Newquay, Jill Wilmott said: “It’s such a joy to see all our proactive organisations coming together in this way to mark the start of the Christmas season. Our beautiful light displays around the cottages and gardens, will brighten up the upcoming winter evenings and create a magical atmosphere in the lead up to Christmas.

“The evening itself will be a great way to celebrate our heritage and bring people together, plus we’re incredibly excited to host the Lantern Parade here for the first time, marking the start of the Christmas festivities in Newquay. We are grateful to Cornwall Council led project Experience Newquay for funding the lighting infrastructure and helping to make this vision a reality for Trenance Valley.”

Ahead of the lantern parade, Blystra Arts is running some drop-in craft sessions, where visitors can make some autumn crafts that can be taking to the lantern parade. Visitors can join the Jar Lantern & Autumn Craft workshop on Saturday, November 2 (10am to 3pm) on the Killarcourt or Willow Lantern Making workshop on Saturday, November 16 (10.30am to 3.30pm) at Trenance Heritage Cottages & The Garden Café.

For the full Be Newquay Festival line-up, individual events, and booking details, visit: www.benewquayfestival.co.uk/events