A colourful procession at Lafrowda Festival.
When: 6th – 21st July 2018
Where: St Just, Cornwall
£: Free (but donations to keep the festival going are most welcome)
What is it?
Lafrowda Festival is an annual celebration of community arts in St Just, Cornwall. This year the festival will take place from Friday 6th to Saturday 21st July, with shadow puppets, buggy racing and freestyle dancing.
The name Lafrowda comes from the ancient name for the church lands where the little town of St Just stands today. St Just is the most westerly town in England and has a strong sense of Cornish heritage.
The first Lafrowda Festival took place in 1996 and the event has developed from a music festival into a two-week community arts festival. During the festival fortnight Lafrowda provides an opportunity for local groups to showcase the wealth of creative talent in the St Just area. A wide range of organisations take part with something happening every day, from music and comedy to drama and dance.
This year’s festival fortnight will have the theme of ‘5.7 Degrees West’. The fortnight promises plenty of fun-filled activities from workshops, dancing, and buggy racing, to lantern and community parades.
Eclectic workshops and have a go sessions at this year’s festival will include a community willow workshop, Moroccan cookery, costume making for the procession, banner making, rag rugging, Zumba, and knitting and crafts. There will also be a Penzance Guizers Workshop, celebrating the Tudor art of masked dancing with traditional folk, court and Cornish dance.
The gravity powered buggy racing will take place on Friday 20th July as teams race their handmade carts down Fore Street with the hope of getting the quickest time. Lafrowda eve will also feature live music in the Market Square.
One of the highlights will be Lafrowda Day on Saturday 21st July, when the roads are closed so that the streets can be filled with stalls and entertainment. This year’s events will include exhibitions about the history of St Just, Teddy bear parachute jumping, open air theatre, live music and a skate jam. The highlights of the day will be the community, children’s and lantern processions taking place throughout the day.
More info: www.facebook.com/LafrowdaFestival