HUNDREDS of people are expected to gather in Callington tomorrow (Saturday, Nov 30) as the town hosts its second Kelliwik Golowi festival.

The event (whose name means “Callington’s bright night”) harks back to seasonal celebrations at the start of winter, and celebrates the light and warmth of fire. In the centre of town a torch-lit parade of dancers, musicians and local people in costumes will make their way through the streets to St Mary’s Square.

At the head of the parade playing a number of Cornish tunes will be the Kelliwik Golowi band, led by the Callington town crier and the St Piran Flag, and followed by belly dancers, children holding lanterns, drummers, morris dancers and many more, all swept along by the local fire engine.

Once the procession enters St Mary’s Square there will be two hours of light and fire-based performances by more than 100 participants. Young people have been learning circus skills over recent weeks to perform their fire-lit show, and there’ll be morris dancing with fire torches, Jilly Belly dancers, and some traditional Cornish social dancing led by Scoots Kernow. At the very end there will be a mass singing of Trelawny.

Kelliwik Golowi was conceived by Callington resident Sarah Slocombe who, with a band of volunteers, has built on the success of the first festival in 2023.

Sarah said: “It will be a fantastic evening, hopefully the second of many. I am so grateful to all of those who have given their time and resources for free; it just goes to show what amazing community sprit there is in Callington.”

Tomorrow’s parade on Saturday, November 30 will set off from Callington Primary School at 5.30pm with performances to start in St Mary’s Square just after 6pm, and singing of Trelawny around 8.25pm.