A Recap of the Redruth in Lights Festival and Redruth’s Festive Saturdays
The build-up to Christmas here in Redruth has been filled with festive fun. Setting the tone for the season, the Redruth in Lights Festival on Saturday 30th November blended Cornish Traditions with a classic children’s lantern parade creating a timeless celebration in unique Redruth style!
In the morning Wassailers adorned with greenery and fairy lights gathered for the Wassail bowl handover and some traditional carols, including Redruth’s own Wassail song. The singers’ voices were as rich as the mead exchanged in the bowl handover ceremony filling the foyer and the library.
Shortly after, Redruth’s Christmas Market opened, marking the beginning of the festival. Stalls selling crafts and festive food and drink lined the town centre while people picked out Christmas presents from the wide array of retailers.
As the sky turned a dusky blue, crowds began to wrap up warm and gather in St Rumon’s Gardens to watch the Mummers Play. The Mummers play is an ancient Cornish Tradition; similarly to a pantomime, it is performed around Christmas time. The story is a folk drama that usually depicts a hero trying to conquer an evil of some depiction. The Redruth Mummers Play was revived alongside the Redruth Wassail in 2014.
With the last light of the day, the parade formed. Led by the Redruth Wassail singing Redruth’s Wassail song, local groups and schools carrying North-Pole-inspired lanterns made their way up Fore Street. The soft glow of the willow and paper lanterns lit the delight of faces young and old as the atmosphere turned to that of excited anticipation as the light switch on drew nearer.
Families, reunited following the parade gathered around the Miner Statue as Redruth’s Mayor Cllr Stephen Barnes, Deputy Town Crier Jasper Morrison and Buddy the Elf began the countdown.
Three, two one…
Twinkling lights and the sound of cheers suddenly illuminated Redruth’s town centre. Then, just as suddenly, the lights went out! They were quickly turned on again to even more cheers and applause. Father Christmas, who had been rather busy at Redruth Town Council’s Christmas Grotto, even made a surprise appearance in the window of Hatter’s Coffee House.
The Wassail continued to wind its way throughout the town, collecting money for the charity Redruth Community Association, who look after Redruth’s Community Centre. Wassailers poured into the courtyard of the packed Buttermarket for the grand finale and gathered around the impressive tree in the centre of the courtyard. Diners were treated to a festive atmosphere brought about by a blend of carols, Christmas lights and fragrant wafts of spiced mulled wine.
Saturday 7th December – Festive Saturday
Not even the fierce tempest Darragh could put a pause on Redruth’s festive Saturday 7th December! The market was moved inside to a very festive Market Hall, bedecked with greenery from local parks and footpaths collected by the Redruth Town Council’s Facilities Team.
Redruth’s Christmas Grotto opened its doors promptly at 10 am, inviting families to see Father Christmas and his cheeky Elves. Children had the opportunity to write a wish for the Christmas wish tree, name Redruth’s resident Reindeer and write letters to Father Christmas while they waited to see the man himself! When their festive name was called, families were taken to see Father Christmas in his magical winter wonderland Grotto. Inside the Grotto, they were able to tell Father Christmas all about their Christmas wishes before receiving an early Christmas present in the form of a Christmas picture book.
A smaller market ran inside Market Hall, protected from the elements. A selection of stalls sold lots of lovely local produce, from Cornish silver to Cornish eggs. It was a small but mighty successful end to the Redruth Town Markets season.
Next year’s Town Markets will resume on 1st March with the St Piran’s Festival, then will be the first Saturday of every month until the end of the year.
Saturday 14th December – Festive Saturday
Saturday the 14th, the final festive Saturday saw lots of exciting things happening! People young and old got their groove on at our Christmas silent disco at Redruth Library. With three Christmas playlists to choose from, there was something for everyone to dance to! Artist Sam Bradbury was also at Redruth Library, running a workshop creating Christmas crafts.
Throughout town, shoppers were treated to performances of festive favourites from Bagas Crowd and Redruth Town Band.
It was also the final day of Redruth Town Council’s Christmas Grotto. In addition to providing a free visit to Father Christmas in his wonderful winter wonderland, the Grotto helped raise £211.74 in cash donations and even more via digital donations for local charity Penhaligons Friends.
The name ‘Jingle’ was selected for the Redruth Grotto’s resident reindeer by Father Christmas and the Mayor of the North Pole.
The Christmas lights are still twinkling throughout the town and there is a wonderful festive atmosphere here in Redruth as the big day approaches. 2024 has been such a wonderful year with so much to celebrate throughout Redruth, let’s hope 2025 brings even more blessings for the town and all of its residents.
In the morning Wassailers adorned with greenery and fairy lights gathered for the Wassail bowl handover and some traditional carols, including Redruth’s own Wassail song. The singers’ voices were as rich as the mead exchanged in the bowl handover ceremony filling the foyer and the library.
to even more cheers and applause. Father Christmas, who had been rather busy at Redruth Town Council’s Christmas Grotto, even made a surprise appearance in the window of Hatter’s Coffee House.
Redruth’s Christmas Grotto opened its doors promptly at 10 am, inviting families to see Father Christmas and his cheeky Elves. Children had the opportunity to write a wish for the Christmas wish tree, name Redruth’s resident Reindeer and write letters to Father Christmas while they waited to see the man himself! When their festive name was called, families were taken to see Father Christmas in his magical winter wonderland Grotto. Inside the Grotto, they were able to tell Father Christmas all about their Christmas wishes before receiving an early Christmas present in the form of a Christmas picture book.
With three Christmas playlists to choose from, there was something for everyone to dance to! Artist Sam Bradbury was also at Redruth Library, running a workshop creating Christmas crafts.
