THE 15-day St Ives September Festival of music and arts finished with a flourish.
It finished as it started with the sunshine and even though the rain came in fits and starts during the second week it failed to dampen the enthusiasm of festival-goers.
Despite not having the usual array of big names at The Guildhall, the town’s largest venue which closed for a major renovation following the final night of the 2023 Festival, visitor numbers appeared unaffected.
“Although it was unfortunate, any fears that the loss of The Guildhall would seriously affect the Festival proved to be unfounded,” said a festival spokesperson.
Other venues continued to attract capacity or near maximum audiences impressed with the deep pool of talented performers, mainly from Cornwall and the wider West Country.
A veteran line-up of Cornish jazz legends enabled St Ives Jazz Club to complete a hat-trick of full houses with all their three Festival nights selling out in advance.
Other second-week capacities included shanty singers Bryher’s Boys at St Ia Church, plus Winter Mountain and Du Glas at the Arts Club where all four screenings of Newlyn-based director Diana Taylor’s 2024 film, Catch The Wind: St Ives In 60s, sold out.
A number of the guided walks around the town were also fully booked and it was standing room only on several days for the free lunchtime poetry and music sessions in Norway Square.
‘Great to see how busy and full of joie de vivre the town is, the September Festival is a marvellous asset for the town,’ was the message from St Ives School of Painting which hosted a large programme of classes throughout the two weeks.
Ray Lewis, lead singer of the legendary Drifters during their recording heyday, lived up to his final night star-billing at St Ia Church last Saturday while Penzance-based harmony group Baldrick’s Plan, supported by Grace Dulcimer and Johanna Hillebrand, completed a successful festival fortnight at the Arts Club. Toni Carver hosted a third performer-packed Saturday afternoon “Big Cauldron” marathon music session at the Western Hotel.
Next year’s St Ives September Festival will take place from September 13 to 27.