Short answer: Friday 16 to Sunday 18 October 2026, with a fundraising gala night on Thursday 15 October. All performances are free, across around 20 venues in Mevagissey and Pentewan; in Mevagissey everything is within 150 metres of the harbour, and a free shuttle bus links the two villages.
In Mevagissey, everything happens within 150 metres of the harbour, so you can hop between sets in a couple of minutes — this is one of the most compact, walkable shanty festivals in the country. It's run entirely by volunteers, and part of the point is supporting the village's economy in the quieter months.
Across in Pentewan, the venues are close together on flat ground — the Ship Inn and Into the Woods in the village centre, and Hubbox on the Pentewan campsite. A free shanty shuttle bus runs between Mevagissey and Pentewan on Friday night and all day and evening on Saturday, so you can do both without driving.
The Lost Gardens of Heligan are just up the hill — perfect for the morning before the music starts — and the flat Pentewan Valley Trail runs between the two festival villages. More in the St Austell guide, and every other date is in our Cornwall shanty festivals roundup.
Programmes, venues and timings are the organisers' to change — check their official pages before you travel. Spotted something we've got wrong, or have details we're missing? Tell us and we'll fix it.
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