Things to do: Activities in February and March

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1. TAKE IN A BIG SHOW

Look out for the big guns at the Hall For Cornwall – the kind of shows the refurb was made for. These include We Will Rock You (February 21 to 26) and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (March 21 to 26), as well as comedians Jimmy Carr (March 4) and Katherine Ryan (March 12) - plus the Banff film festival (pictured) returns on March 9, featuring two new collections of inspirational films from the wildest corners of the planet. www.hallforcornwall.co.uk

2. ISLAND LIGHT: A WIDER WORLD

The biennial Island Light festival is timed to lift the spirits of Scilly residents during the darkest part of the year. Coordinated by the ARTiculate collective, the sixth festival celebrates how the migration of birds and people can transcend imagined boundaries, enriching and reconnecting us all through their stories and cultures in challenging times. The events draw upon the lockdown project Words On The Wing, which united islanders and mainlanders in the creation and sharing of bird-themed arts and poetry. Artists will work with Five Islands Academy pupils, and north Cornwall musical duo Wilderness will work with budding and established musicians to found an Island Light Band, culminating in an illuminated musical event on February 26. See Scilly by helicopter: page 82. www.articulatecollective.com

3. WALK IN A WOODLAND

TV presenter Julia Bradbury has joined the Woodland Trust’s campaign to get people out and about. The trust has many sites across Cornwall, all free to visit and open daily; there are no toilets, cafés, bins or staff, just unmissable views, clean air, birdsong and woodland paths. Try Howard's Wood, a small, steep patch of native broadleaved species on the banks of the Tamar next to Greystone Bridge; or find others by entering your postcode at woodlandtrust. org.uk/findawood. Alternatively, families will enjoy the new Superworm activity trail at Cardinham Woods, near Bodmin. Based on the children’s picture book by Gruffalo creators Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, the 1.7 mile trail is pushchair/ wheelchair friendly and highlights small but mighty forest creatures such as Toad, Beetle and Wizard Lizard.

4. REMEMBER HMS WARSPITE

HMS Warspite. In 1947, she was wrecked off Prussia Cove on her way to the breakers and was dismantled there, and at Marazion over the next decade, an incredible and ingenious feat of salvage was witnessed by many locals. Marine historian Richard Holme’s talk will embrace both her service, winning numerous battle honours in both world wars, and particularly her last days off Cornwall, using new information and photos gleaned from the breakers' own records and salvage workers. Marazion Community Centre, Thursday, February 24 at 3pm, followed by entertainment and refreshments. www.cornwallheritagetrust.org

5. TREAT A LOVED ONE

It's Valentine’s Day on Monday, February 14, and Mother’s Day on Sunday, March 27. Why not celebrate with a slap-up meal? See page 78 for a selection of fine dining restaurants that have made the prestigious Michelin and AA Guides, or feast on a seven-course tasting menu – dubbed the Lost Supper - at the Lost Gardens of Heligan on February 12 (see page 76). Alternatively, Kenneth MacMillan’s classic adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, performed by The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, will be broadcast

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by cinemas across the world, including WTW venues in Truro, Newquay, Wadebridge and St Austell at 7.15pm. www.wtwcinemas.co.uk

6. ST PIRAN’S DAY

The Welsh have St David’s Day, the Scots St Andrew’s - and the Cornish celebrate St Piran on March 5, which falls on a Saturday this year. Many towns hold annual processions – see Facebook pages for events in Truro, Newquay and Penzance; while Lowender Peran will celebrate with an evening of traditional Cornish and Irish folk music and dance, courtesy of The Stowes, at Memorial Hall Perranporth. For details, see Facebook: The Lowender St Piran's Day Party. The Trelawny Shout – a singalong of The Song Of The Western Men, Cornwall’s adopted “national anthem” - is scheduled to take place at 9pm in pubs around the county (including The Driftwood Spars in Trevaunance Cove, St Agnes, as part of its annual beer festival The Dark, The Light & The Saison). Last year’s Shout moved online; the resulting video was watched by 60,000 people within 24 hours. Look out for a series of Trelawny Conversation podcasts in the run-up to the big day. Visit www.trelawnyshout.com. The following day, check out the St Piran Play across the dunes at Perranporth. See page 46 for an interview with Grand Bard and sometime St Piran impersonator, Pol Hodge.

7. VISIT A GARDEN

bloom earlier and in a more exotic fashion. See page 17 for a selection of highlights, including Snowdrop Sundays, the reopening of gardens such as Caerhays and Trevince, and spring flower shows.

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8. WORLD PASTY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Each year, pasty-makers take part in a unique event to find the pasty champions of the world. Professionals and amateurs of all ages come together for the World Pasty Championships - a day of music and fun at the Eden Project. The titles are fiercely battled and each year brings a few surprises – as well as traditional Cornish “oggies”, past entries have included weird and wonderful creations including insects and even roadkill! Having taken a year off for 2021 due to the pandemic, the event will return to Eden for a 10th anniversary celebration on St Piran’s Day: Saturday March 5, 2022. See page 73 for an affectionate look back over the decade.

9. HURLING IN ST IVES/ST COLUMB

The ancient Cornish tradition of hurling is a rough-and-tumble sport, and there are two opportunities to witness it. On St Ives Feast Monday (February 7), a celebration of the consecration of St Eia’s parish church in 1434, a silver ball is blessed then hurled into the crowd on the beach with a cry of “Guare wheg ya guare teg! (Fair play is good play!)”; on the stroke of noon, the ball is returned to the Mayor on the steps of the Guildhall, and pennies are thrown from the balcony to eager children below. In St Columb Major, near Newquay, hurling takes place on Shrove Tuesday (March 1) and the second Saturday following. The Townsmen and Countrymen of the parish battle for the ball; things can get tough, and shops barricade their windows and doors to avoid accidental damage.

10. CATCH A MATCH

The Cornish Pirates will face off against Jersey Reds on Sunday, February 27 and Hartpury on Saturday, March 5, both at home in Penzance. The rugby heroes have partnered with digital ticketing platform TicketCo for RFU Championship fixtures, with QR codes sent directly to your smartphone to be scanned at turnstiles or printed off at home. Visit cornishpirates.ticketco.events

11. FEB FEST

Feb Fest is a 10-day celebration of Bude’s food, community, coast and arts. Immerse yourself in over 30 diverse workshops and activities during the February half-term. Enjoy an evening food market, theatre performance, comedy, music and guided walks and talks. Highlights include comedy from Patrick Monahan, music from the Bencoolen Wreckers, The Kiss That Missed from Minack Theatre Productions, arts and craft workshops including ceramics and macrame, and sports ranging from Canadian canoeing to SUP yoga. Many activities are free, so don’t miss out. www.visitbude.info/febfest/