September Festival – A two week celebration of music and the arts in St. Ives
The 15-day St Ives September Festival of music and arts – once again backed by a grant from St Ives BID – will take place from September 10 to 24 2022.
This year’s St Ives September Festival once again delivered magical memories during 15 days of music and arts across the town.
For a second successive year the volunteer-run Festival overcame doubts and uncertainty to attract visitors to the town and extend the major tourist season deep into September.
Last year it was the difficulties encountered as the country emerged from Covid: this year the announcement of The Queen’s passing less than 48 hours before the scheduled start.
Would the Festival go ahead? No-one knew overnight on Thursday September 8 . . . but two days later it burst into life with the first of two Saturdays of street entertainment putting smiles on the faces of visitors and locals alike.
Lindisfarne had already sold out The Guildhall weeks in advance of the opening night with Seth Lakeman doing the same at St Ia Church 24 hours later.
“House full” signs continued to go out across town until Fleetwood Mac Songbook sold out The Guildhall for a second year running on the final night which also produced a flag-waving finale with Helston Town Band’s Last Night of the Proms at the Parish Church.
In between a number of music nights, daytime talks and other events across the town attracted capacity audiences.
A moment of history saw a heritage plaque unveiled at Talland House to mark the writer Virginia Woolf’s childhood time in St Ives – and something different saw the Festival’s first Over-60s trapeze workshop!
Great Guildhall nights also included Dr Feelgood, the 48th and final date on American folk icon Peggy Seeger’s UK tour and the “last chance” to see soul legend Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band in Cornwall on their “farewell tour” . . . which might now not be the swansong after all according to “We had a blast” Geno.
Other highlights included Daniela Soledade and Nate Najar at St Ives Jazz Club, 2019 winner of ITV’s The Voice Molly Hocking at St Ia and Royal Cinema’s special showing of new film The Long Way Back with a Q&A with brothers Brett and Simon Harvey, the director and producer.
Bob Devereux’s daily lunchtime Norway Square music and poetry again attracted a large following of performers and spectators every day.
Thirty-eight artists welcomed visitors during Open Studios, there were exhibitions all over town and St Ives Rotary’s 15th annual Spot The Artist charity painting sale netted more than £8,000.
St Ives BID is one of the sponsors of the Festival which extends the summer season and attracts visitors to St Ives deep into September.
