On Friday 20th and Saturday 21st September, Redruth celebrated its International Mining and Pasty Festival. This year’s festival was particularly special because it celebrated 200 years since many Cornish miners left Redruth for the Silver mines of Mexico. A large number of miners from Redruth travelled to the Mexican town of Real Del Monte; due to this connection the towns were twinned in 2008.
To celebrate the bicentenary and the relationship between Redruth and Real Del Monte, a delegation of 10 Mexican visitors travelled to Redruth to join us for the Festival. It seemed only fitting that for such an important occasion our guests should be treated to a warm Redruth welcome of a fish and chip supper at the Penventon Hotel on the eve of the first day of the festival. Redruth Town Council staff, along with Redruth Councillors shared an evening of conversation (mostly through translation apps) and of course deliciously decadent fish and chips.
The Festival began with the biggest turnout for the Mining Day in three years. A large group gathered at the Miner Statue to join Will and Hetty of Cobweb Tours, dressed as a Victorian Cornish Miner and Bal Maiden. Cobweb Tours led the walk to Wheal Uny, pausing to tell tales of Redruth from days gone by, stopping at significant locations from Redruth’s history including Tatey Court, Fair Meadow and West End to tell stories.
At Wheal Uny, smoke filled the skies once again in a tribute to all those who worked in the mines both above and below ground. This year, the stacks billowed with red, green and white smoke representing the Mexican flag in celebration of 200 years of Cornish Miners moving to Mexico, bringing their Cornish culture with them.
Crowds then gathered around the base of the engine houses to watch The Morris Miners as they danced with shovels dressed as miners. Saffron buns were shared sweetening the celebration, even a bottle of Mahogany (a mixture of two parts gin and one part treacle) was making its way around some of the responsible adults.
As the crowds dispersed heading for refreshments kindly provided in St Euny Church, a third chimney was smoked with the engine houses smoking once again in the background. As the last of the languid late summer sunsets turned the sky a dusky shade of blue the smoke faded into whisps and the congregation dispersed.
Saturday morning dawned dry and bright with the promise of another wonderful day. Market Hall, Market Strand, Fore Street and Green Lane were packed with Traders setting up for the day. The Pasty Tent kindly sponsored by Abbots Event Hire and Tesco and run by the Cornish Pasty association was full of bakers ready to spend a day helping children learn to make traditional Cornish pasties. All the Pasty shops in town were displaying their letter for this year’s pasty trail kindly sponsored by Rowes.
However, the Cornish weather had other ideas, bringing in a tempest of torrential rain the likes of which many had never seen before. Fore Street became a rushing river as water cascaded down the hill in a flash flood which meant organisers had to make the difficult decision to cancel the outdoor elements of the festival for everyone’s safety.
Despite the storm, it was business as usual for the traders inside Market Hall and some from Market Strand were even able to set up in the Buttermarket’s sheltered courtyard. Market Hall and Market Way were filled with music from Foresail Sea Shanty, Jumping out Duo, Sam Lisle, Cornish Connection, Strange Folk and Bagas Hal an Tow. One of the guests from Mexico, Raul, happened to be a renowned guitarist and he filled Market Hall with classical guitar melodies. Later on in the afternoon, the Carn Brea Morris were able to perform by the welly dogs at Tatey Court.
Alongside the entertainment, there was so much to discover! The Cornish Diaspora exhibition in the Langman Room of Redruth Civic Centre had lots of interesting information about the ‘Cousin Jacks’ who travelled around the world in search of precious metals to extract from rocks. Featured in the exhibition was David Westby’s sculpture ‘Ruth’ the Bal Maiden.
Redruth Town Council created a Mexican-inspired Selfie backdrop and Rosi ran a Mexican shrine-making workshop transforming the library into a mini-Mexico and an explosion of colour. Next door, the Buttermarket was open for tours giving people a taste of what’s to come for their upcoming launch.
Representatives from Redruth including Max the Town Crier (and his coat) are making their way over to Real Del Monte to join in with the celebrations at their Festival Internacional del Paste which will take place on 11th – 13th October. Max will be documenting his time in Real Del Monte and his subsequent travels via his Facebook and Instagram.
While shared heritage bonds Redruth and Real Del Monte, ultimately it is the humble pasty or paste that helps us to recognise and celebrate this connection year by year. We hope to continue to celebrate this important historic connection with bigger and better festivals each year.