The Mayor and the brave Knight Sir Constantine parade around the village (Photo: John Cryws-Williams).
When: 4th & 5th May 2013 (Bank holiday weekend)
Where: St Agnes, Cornwall
£: Free
What is it?
The Bolster Festival is an annual event which takes place in St Agnes with a lantern procession, bonfire, street theatre and pageant. Prior to the event local children make lanterns and clay houses at workshops which are then used in the procession. This year’s workshops take place on Saturday 20th April.
The festival kicks off on Saturday 4th May with the lantern procession at 8.30pm. The procession begins at the centre of the village and makes its way to The Beacon (the most prominent feature of the area’s coastline). At The Beacon a fire is lit, this is used to fire the clay houses that local children have made in the workshops. The clay houses represent the houses of the villagers. After the procession the villagers venture to the local pubs to carry on the festival spirit.
The Giant Bolster appears (Photo: John Cryws-Williams).
The Giant Bolster is a mythical giant who was said to have treated his wife badly. The giant is alleged to have fallen in love with St Agnes, who hatched a plan to get rid of the giant. A pageant, based around this myth, takes place on 5th May. The Mayor, the brave Knight Sir Constantine and Mrs Bolster, parade around the local hostelries from 12 noon to gather support for defeating the Giant. At 4.30pm dancers, drummers and life-sized puppets gather for the pageant at Chapel Porth beach which recreates the battle to rid the giant.
More info: www.facebook.com/pages/St-Agnes-Bolster-Festival and bolsterfestival.wordpress.com