Helston
Flora Day
Perhaps
Helston's greatest claim to fame is the internationally famous festival
of the Furry, or Flora Dance. This is held every year on May 8th unless
that day falls on a Sunday or Monday, when it is held on the preceding
Saturday.
You'll probably have to park outside the town and walk in. Thousands
of visitors throng the streets all day and there's a carnival atmosphere
from dawn to well into the night.
You'll find the town decked out with bluebells, gorse, laurel leaves
and colourful flags. Dancing begins at 7.00 am, and at 8.30 there's
the mummers'play known as the Hal-an-Tow, at several venues throughout
the town. Watch St George and St Michael slay the Dragon and the Devil,
cheered on by a crowd dressed in Lincoln green and Elizabethan robes.
The
children of the town dance at 10.00 am, at midday there's the principal
dance, with invited participants in top hats, tails and dress gowns;
and a final dance at 5.00 pm. The dancers weave in and out of the
shops, houses and gardens behind the Helston Band playing the famous
Flora Dance tune.
The origins of the dance are certainly pre-Christian and are connected
with ancient spring festivals all over Europe. Nowadays its ancient
intention of ushering in prosperous harvests goes hand in hand with
the splash of colour all over the town, the joyous music and high
spirits of all involved.
