Flora Day

HELSTON, THE CORNISH MARKET TOWN, WHERE FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, THE TOWNSFOLK HAVE CELEBRATED AND ENJOYED THE WONDERFUL TRADITION THAT IS FLORA DAY.

A spring festival to celebrate the end of winter and mark the arrival of the new vitality and fertility with the trees and flowers bursting into life. The houses and shops of the town are decorated with greenery and floral arrangements to express the spirit of renewal.

This year's Flora Day was rescheduled because of the Coronation of King Charles that will be held on Saturday the 6th of May which would have been the same day.

Flora day is traditionally celebrated on the 8th of May except if it falls on a Sunday or Monday which is historically known as market day. The upcoming Flora Day would be a Monday which means the event is moved to the previous Saturday being the 6th of May.

Schedule of dances:

7:00 am — Early Morning Dance

The First Dance commences from the Guildhall and proceeds up Meneage Street dancing in and out of a number of premises before coming back down and turning right into Wendron Street and Godolphin Road. Turning back at Godolphin House, it proceeds into Penrose Road, Church Street, and Cross Street. It moves down Penhellaz Hill into St. John's Road, Castle Green, Monument Road, and Coinagehall Street, ending at the Godolphin Club.

8:30 am — Hal-an-Tow

Starting at St. John's Bridge, the Hal an Tow performers tell of the history of Helston at the following locations: The Monument, near the cross in Cross Street, at the top of Wendron Street, at the lower end of Horse and Jockey Lane, at the junction of Trengrouse Way and Meneage Street and finally at the Guildhall. The words of the Hal an Tow song are printed in our official booklet.

9:50 am — Childrens' Dance

Over 1200 Children from Helston's four schools, all dressed in white with headdresses and ties representing each of the schools, will commence from Wendron Street and process up and then down Meneage Street turning into Church Street and Cross Street. Dancing around the gardens of Penhellis before progressing down Tanyard Lane to Lady Street. Dancing down the pavement of Coinagehall Street, the dance circles the Bowling Green before ending by dancing up the centre of Coinagehall Street.

12 noon — The Midday Dance

As the Town Clock strikes twelve the Helston born leading set of the Midday Dance leave the Guildhall. The Helston Town Band leads the procession up Meneage Street, dancing in and out of some of the properties before returning on the other side of the street. Turning down into Church Street the dance proceeds to Cross Street and into the Gardens at Lismore where a well earned break is taken. Penhellis, the Old Vicarage Gardens and Leslie House Gardens are on the route to Lady Street. They follow the pavement down Coinagehall Street , dancing around the Bowling Green to emerge under the Monument Arch and the final steps up Coinagehall Street before returning to the Guildhall.

5:00 pm — Evening Dance

The same dancers who took part in the Early Morning Dance return to the final dance of the day which follows a route similar to the Midday Dance.