Home to a fantastic selection of things to see and do throughout the year, from historic castles to action-packed watersports, Falmouth has certainly made a name for itself when it comes to filling your stay with fun.
Falmouth is the place to be if you fancy a world-class festival in a super scenic locale. Presenting an exciting and eclectic schedule throughout the year, expect a host of shenanigans involving everything from food and live music to sporting and charitable events for foot-stomping, toe-tapping, and belly-filling and times.
Ready to celebrate the Cornish way? Here are Falmouth’s top festivals so you can dance, drink, and dine in the Duchy’s vibrant harbourside town.
Falmouth Spring Flower Show
Best for: Blooming good fun
23rd - 24th March
Princess Pavilion and Gyllyngdune Gardens, Falmouth
Celebrating the maritime town’s abundance of bloom-filled and open spaces, this seasonal spectacular has long been Cornwall’s first foray into spring, with hundreds of different botanical varieties going up on display throughout Princess Pavilion and Gyllyngdune Gardens. From daffodils to magnolias, orchids to cacti, Cornwall’s biggest (and arguably best) flower show always packs a sweet-scented punch.
Alongside the beautiful displays, The Garden Room serves up delicious food and drink, while photography and sculpture exhibitions show off some incredible creations. Entry is free, so why not pop along and soak up spring in true Cornish style.
Falmouth Food Festival
Best for: Cornish cuisine
24th - 26th May 2024
Church Street Car Park, Falmouth TR11 3EG
falmouthfoodfestival.com
Cornwall’s newest addition to the food festival lineup, the Falmouth Food Festival welcomes you to a weekend of non-stop foodie goodness. Local vendors whip up tongue-tingling treats, from brownies and cakes to burgers and wonderfully fresh seafood, while a selection of microbreweries and coffee roasters wait to well and truly wet your whistle.
If you want to quench your thirst for knowledge, a series of gin talks, wine tastings, and chef demos ensure you leave with a new appreciation for your favourite dishes and drinks. Alongside the button-popping variety of food stalls, this foodie sensation also offers some superb entertainment, with DJs and bands taking to the stage to fill the air with music throughout the weekend.
Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival
Best for: Toe-tapping tunes
14th - 16th June
Various locations across Falmouth
falmouthseashanty.co.uk
If you can’t let your hair down at Europe’s largest - free! - nautical music festival, then perhaps a pirate’s life just isn’t for you. Oh yes, full of boot-stomping, glass-raising music and a bevy of bevvies, Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival is one of the town’s biggest festivals, attracting music-lovers from all over the county and even country!
Across the three days, a jaunty mix of local and international bands and singers take to the many stages that spring up around the town to regale you with their favourite maritime music, from classic sea shanties to modern mash-ups. Back for its 20th year, the festival will be pulling out all the stops for 2024, with over 70 performers lending their voices and instruments to the weekend. There will be over 20 venues across the town’s many pubs and bars, with three main stages along the harbour where the biggest acts will perform. With food and drink aplenty, this is one shindig you won’t want to miss.
Falmouth Classics
Best for: Maritime amusements
14th - 16th June
Various locations across Falmouth
falmouthclassics.org.uk
Taking place across the same weekend as the Sea Shanty Festival, Falmouth Classics is another excellent reason to stop by this harbourside town in June. Bringing together beautiful classic boats for a magical maritime parade, not to mention the action-packed races that take place across the three days, this Falmouth festival is a true celebration of life on the water.
Making full use of the Carrick Roads, there are plenty of incredible vantage points to enjoy over the weekend, from the towering position at Pendennis Castle to the many cosy waterside eateries Falmouth is known for - you can even watch the boats bob past from your very sea view cottage!
Falmouth Week
Best for: Week-long parties
9th - 18th August
Various locations across Falmouth
falmouthweek.co.uk
Falmouth comes into its yachting own during one of the most popular sailing regattas in the South West and beyond. Expect an adrenaline-filled schedule of keelboat racing alongside traditional craft and dinghies throughout Falmouth Bay, the Carrick Roads, and harbour, as well as an eclectic mix of entertainment such as live music, themed party nights, carnivals, and the beloved Pink Wigs Parade, which raises money for local breast cancer charities. Meanwhile, The Moor offers up a jam-packed itinerary of family activities in addition to the Maritime Museum, Falmouth Art Gallery, Pendennis Castle and Gyllyngdune Gardens.
Falmouth Oyster Festival
Best for: Seafood galore!
TBC (usually in October)
Church Street Car Park, Falmouth TR11 3EG
falmouthoysterfestival.co.uk
Commemorating the start of the oyster dredging season with a plethora of cookery demonstrations from local and celebrity chefs, live music, and a range of food and drink to sample and stock up on, the Oyster Festival is one of the most coveted in the calendar. Kids can get creative in the crafts marquee, while music-lovers can swish and sway to the sea shanties that echo across the festival.
Turning your attention to Falmouth’s famous harbour, the Falmouth Working Boat race brings a sense of maritime adventure, while the town parade brings raucous entertainment to Falmouth’s cobbled streets. Of course, it wouldn’t be an Oyster Festival without the title fare! From shucking competitions to tempting stalls full of the good stuff, this is the place to be if you’re a fan of seafood.
Excited to experience Falmouth’s epic festival lineup for yourself? Browse our beautiful holiday cottages for a holiday full of food, music, and waterside celebrations.
Tags: Falmouth | Festivals | Music | Food and Drink |