A busy day ahead in Helston as Flora Day returns after a two-year hiatus.

A great atmosphere in the town with greenery, flags, and colour line the streets as the people of Helston look forward to Flora Day (7th) with renewed enthusiasm to support Helston's Ancient Festival after a pause due to the covid pandemic.

Mr & Mrs Corbridge are the new owners of Lismore and welcome dancers to the historic residence, having bought the property from Michael Jay.

People will be able once again to enter the Old Vicarage this year - with special thanks to Sir Nicholas & Lady Serota.

In a break with tradition, this year, the band will play the first 3 refrains of the Furry tune at the start of the morning dance outside the Guildhall in a stationary position. This is to honour all those we have lost in the past two years, many of whom loved Flora Day and are sadly missed. 

There will be some structural changes to this year's event as precautions from the pandemic. 

Not all dancers this year will be formed in the Guildhall, the adult dances will be split with a proportion forming in the Guildhall and the majority being formed in the Museum courtyard, this will help keep to the current government guidelines for events. Each of these dances will start at their traditional time of 7am, 12noon, and 5pm. 

Spectators have been asked to be aware of the dancers, a cordon will be in place to safely guide all those participating as they are led around the Guildhall, past Henlys to their start position. The same arrangement will be in place at the end of the Midday and Evening Dances so the dancers can safely return to the Museum courtyard upon completion. 

The Morning Dance will return to its traditional end position of Wendron Street as the dancers make their way to the Godolphin Club. 

At the start of the children's dance which will commence at 9:50am this year, reverting back to a more traditional time, the second band will stand and play at the junction of Wendron Street and Meneage Street by Lloyds Bank. Spectators are requested to leave space for them. Mr & Mrs Corbridge have agreed that the dancers may enter the property by the small gate in Cross Street and then proceed immediately around to the driveway of the house, to exit onto Cross Street again without going into the Gardens. 

The second band will remain outside the Monument and follow the dancers up Coinagehall Street. 

Parents are advised that the Children's Dance will finish at approximately 11:20am and that they should be in the appropriate location to collect their children from that time. Access to the Lismore gardens will be available to spectators for the Midday Dance from 11:30am and later in the day at 4:45pm for the Evening Dance. 

The route of the Midday dance will be largely as 2019, commencing at the Guildhall and proceeding on the road into Meneage Street and through Church St. The Dance will enter Lismore Gardens as usual. then proceed after Penhellis Gardens via Cross Street through the Old Vicarage gates, through the garden then on to Leslie House. Finally, leaving Lady Street onto the bowling green and returning to the Guildhall. 

The Hal an Tow will be following the same route as normal, starting at 8:30am after the Morning Dance finishes, beginning at St John's Bridge, in St Johns Road. The route then will go up towards the Grylls Monument at the bottom of town, then proceed to Number 1 Cross Street – one of the oldest buildings in the town.

The pageant which tells the legendary story of St Michael defeating the devil and St George killing the dragon – will then head towards Penrose Hill and will perform outside the CAST building. They will then head on to Meneage Street, the bottom of Trengrouse Road, and then towards the Guildhall where they will finish, in time for the Children's Dance.

Full schedule

5:30am - Town centre road closures in place.

7am - 8:30am - Morning Dance

8:30am - 9:45am Hal-An-Tow (approx timings)

8:15am St. Johns Rd

8:30am Monument

8:45am Wendron Street

9am – Meneage St (Boots)

9:15am – Trengrouse Way

9:30am –Guildhall

9:50am - 11:10am - Children's Dance

12pm - 2pm - Midday Dance

5pm - 6:30pm - Evening dance

10pm - Town centre road closures end

Nick Wills, honorary secretary of the Flora Day Association, told Nub News

"We are really pleased that we are able to go ahead this year, welcoming people into Helston to enjoy our day. Hearing the sound of the music again drifting through the streets will be wonderful."