Looking for a different UK Christmas destination this festive season? Look no further than Penzance! The UK's most south-westerly seaside town has got an array of exciting offerings to enjoy. Christmas in Penzance is a “Celebration of Light” with unique festive celebrations full of entertainment, culture and history, from traditional Christmas lights to artist inspired light installations to torch-lit parades to a midwinter beacon on a hillfort high above the town!
Penzance launches the festivities with the annual Christmas light “switch-on” at 5pm on Saturday 26th November. For the first time this will include lighting up some of the town's landmark buildings and a town lights trail to see the elaborate Christmas window displays created by artists as well as the town's traders. Shoppers can follow the town trail through some of Penzance's renowned independent stores and on the way enter a £200 cash prize draw! Festive food and drink trails will lead visitors through a varied and eclectic mix of pubs, cafes and restaurants, including some of Cornwall's finest establishments.
The week before Christmas sees many traditions, events and celebrations come to life in Penzance. Saturday 17th December promises to offer something for everyone. Reindeer will visit Market Place between 2pm-4pm, to sparkle some extra Christmas magic, after which Penzance celebrates the birthday of Sir Humphry Davy, a Penzance born, world famous scientist and inventor best known for the miner's safety “Davy” lamp. In his honour, the centre of Penzance will be filled with light from 5pm as a lantern parade processes through the town to the Market Place where Sir Humphry's statue will be lit up. This is the day to follow the lights trail …..spend the afternoon in Penzance checking out the window displays, buying some presents and enjoying the lantern parade, then check out the lights in Newlyn harbour before ending up in Mousehole for the best Christmas lights switch on west of Regent Street!
Unique to Penzance is Montol an ancient celebration of the winter solstice on Wednesday 21st December which sees the appearance of Cornwall's scariest “Obby Oss” and includes Cornish dancing, fire and a flaming torch parade led by the Lord of Misrule.
