The world was turned upside-down in Penzance for the longest night of the year on Saturday, December 21, as the midwinter solstice was celebrated with fire, beasts and misrule.

Thousands of masked revellers filled the streets for the return of Montol Festival - a community event celebrating the midwinter solstice, Cornish midwinter traditions of the past, and customs associated with Old Christmas.

Despite heavy downpours and strengthening winds ahead of a weather warning coming into effect at midnight, the solstice celebrations proved more popular than ever, with local residents and visitors alike donning elaborate costumes to take part in the parades.

Montol Festival began in 2007 and - led by Simon Reed and the Cornish Culture Association - soon became one of the highlights of the year for Penzance. Now in its 17th year, the event has grown under the Montol Organising Committee, but at its heart remains a re-imagining of many of the Cornish midwinter customs and Christmas traditions which were formerly practised in and around the Penzance area - and were once common to much of Cornwall. This year, Penzance Council awarded the Montol Organising Committee £5,000 of grant funding to put towards the costs involved in putting on the festival.

Mayor of Penzance, Stephen Reynolds commented: “Montol Festival has become a highlight of the year for the town, bringing our community together to celebrate the midwinter solstice in Penzance’s own inimitable way. Penzance Council is committed to promoting, supporting, and nurturing the distinct cultural heritage and identity of our Parish, so we are proud to once again provide funding to help make Montol happen.

“The team behind the festival have worked so hard to make it bigger and more inclusive than ever this year, so a big thank you to them for all their efforts and enduring community spirit.”

From early afternoon on Saturday, ‘Beasts’ and ‘Osses’ such as Pen Hood, Maw Bras and Alargh Du could be seen roaming the town, whilst Morris sides and carol singers gathered to perform. However, the real festivities began with the setting of the sun at 4.22pm, signalling the start of the Sundowner Parade.

10-year-old mock mayor of Penzance Herbie, Raffidy Dumitz Band, Tros an Treys, numerous Osses, Lord and Lady Montol and their honoured guests, led the family-friendly parade down Causewayhead during a torrential downpour.

Following the spectacular Summoning of the Sun Ceremony, seeing a battle between the Oak and Holly Kings, the main procession ‘The Progress of the Sun’ set off from Greenmarket. With the giant crow ‘Old Ned’ leading the way, a large procession of illuminated musicians, Guise Guilds, Beasts, Osses, and members of the public made its way up Causewayhead to the Princess May Recreation Ground for the Burning of the Sun.

The number of Guise Guilds grows every year at Montol, with some taking their inspiration from descriptions of similarly-named groups from early in the 19th century. The present-day guilds are still based on the tradition of friends getting together in small groups, and producing costumes linked to themes. The oldest surviving guilds are The Cornmarket Revellers and The ‘Gyptians, joined in recent years by the Physicians, the Turks, The Peccadilloes, The Scaleybacks, The Frolicking Fishy Folk, The Radical Ramblers, The Coddiwomplers, The Hwymm Hwamm Hyggas, The Hedgerows, The Tatty Mummers, and The Sticklers.

After the Burning of the Sun and dancing around the fire at the Princess May Recreation Ground, Raffidy Dumitz Band led the revellers back into the town centre for more guise dancing and Morris dancing. With the Guise Guilds assembled once again, Tas Nadelik’s Parade and the Progress of the Mock torch-lit procession set off from Greenmarket to end the evening with the traditional Cornish custom of Chalking the Mock, as well as a little bit more misrule.