Feast Day is coming to St Ives on 9th February, and this year there will be a slight change to the usual programme because of building work at the Guildhall.
Mayor Johnnie Wells throws pennies to children from the Guildhall balcony last year. This year, the focus moves to St Ia Parish Church. Photograph: St Ives Town Council
The building usually provides a focus for the day’s celebrations, especially when youngsters gather to catch pennies dropped by town councillors. It is also, of course, where the silver ball is returned to the mayor at noon.
As Feast is so strongly linked to St Ia Parish Church — and a celebration of its dedication in 1434 — it was felt that the church building would make a fitting temporary home for 2026.
So the revised programme for Feast Day 2026 will be as follows.
9.15am
Guests are invited to arrive at St Ia Church from 9.15am. The mayoral procession will leave the church at 9.40 for the Venton Ia Well, at Porthmeor, and, after the short ceremony, including a Cornish blessing, will return to the church by 10.30. As is the tradition, children from local schools will dance in the procession, alongside the Bagas an Norvys processional band, and take part in the ceremony at the Venton Ia Well.
(If there’s adverse weather on the day, alternative arrangements will be shared.)
10.30am
The silver ball will be hurled from the wall of the parish church by the mayor. Once the ball is caught by one of the waiting crowd, it will be passed from one to another on the beaches and throughout the streets of the town. The person holding the silver ball at Noon will take it to the mayor in Market Place — on the steps of the Memorial Gardens — and will receive a reward of a silver coin.
11.30am
Distribution of pennies, to children aged under seven, will take place outside the main entrance to the church.
11.40am
Distribution of pennies, to young people aged seven and above, will take place from the corner of the church onto Lifeboat Hill.
The traditional civic service will take place at the church on Sunday, 8th February, conducted by the Rev Nick Widdows.
