St Ives – May Day Celebrations
The St Ives – May Day Celebrations can be traced back hundreds of years are a traditional celebration representing the start of spring and the end of winter.
St Ives – May Day Celebrations
At midday at the Guildhall the Grand Bard and Mayor choose the May Queen and King and their attending Prince and Princess, in a ceremony known bizarrely as the “pee whip”. The St Ives Guisers, dressed in their traditional black and white “mock formal” make an appearance, horn blowers herald the start of spring and there’ll be May sticks.
At 1pm there’s a parade to the harbour where you can watch May pole dances, traditional Cornish dancing and music. Various local choirs and brass bands perform by the harbour throughout the day.