Copper Coast Cornish Festival Kernewek Lowender

The Kernewek Lowender, is a Cornish festival held in the Copper Coast towns of Kadina, Moonta and Wallaroo on Yorke Peninsula in South Australia. ‘Kernewek Lowender’ means ‘Cornish happiness’ in the Cornish language.

It is held on the second Monday of May, every two years, and their own website makes the claim that the Kernewek Lowender is the world’s biggest Cornish Festival in the world, though Wikipedia, does claim that it is the largest ‘Cornish festival outside of Cornwall’. Either way it is a BIG event.

cornish pastyHaving been instigated by local businessmen together with the then Premier of South Australia, Don Dunstan as a means to boost the then economically depressed Copper Coast, the first one was held in May 1973 and completely exceeded everyone’s expectations by attracting over 20,000 visitors.

2013 marks the 40th Anniversary of the Cornish festival, and the seven day program which runs from May 20-26, and is designed to involve the whole Copper Coast community.

The 2013 program is again expected to attract tens of thousands of people from around Australia andthe world to the Copper Coast region, with its record number of displays and associated activities organised by enthusiastic community groups, well complementing the traditional Kernewek Lowender events on offer. Past committee members and dignitaries have been invited back to mark the 40 years of festival success since the inaugural event was staged in 1973.

Maypole dancingMoonta Progress Association and Moonta National Trust are combining forces as organisers of the BankSA Moonta Parade and Street Party on Friday, May 24.

The Maypole and Furry Dances, the Procession, street stalls, Cornish pasty bake-offs, Queen’s Square entertainment, and the official opening will all be features of this event.

The major event on the Saturday (May 25) is the Rotary Village Green Fair in Kadina (staged by theNYP Rotary Club in conjunction with the Kernewek Lowender committee) where Victoria Square willbe filled with stalls amid entertainment, children’s activities, the Cousin Jack and Jenny competitions (sponsored by NYP Quilters), and more Maypole and Furry Dancing.

Kernewek Lowender street paradeOn Sunday, May 26, the monster RAA Cavalcade of Cars and Motorcycles is again expected toattract more than 500 entries, commencing from the Viterra Marshalling yards at Wallaroo, and travelling to Moonta and on to Kadina, culminating at Kadina oval for the Cavalcade Fun Fair.

Traditional Kernewek Lowender events include the coveted Newbery Chemists Art Prize and Soiree, and the Cornish Association of South Australia is again presenting its impressive Gathering of the Bards and Dressing the Graves ceremonies, and its popular Cornish Language lessons, Cornish Seminar and Spiritual Retreats.

There is much on offer for food, written word and music lovers, too, with more evening concerts, writers events and feasts, and top billing on a long entertainers list is Catherine Hancock, the current lead soprano in Little Women the Musical who just happens to be the great great granddaughter of Moonta Mining Company’s most renowned superintendent, Captain Henry Richard Hancock.

MORE INFO:
You can find further information on the Kernewek Lowneder website:
full program
book your tickets (note: to attend the festival itself is free, but some of the concerts and special events do cost, and require tickets booked in advance)

CONTACTS:
If you wish to contact the organisers, you can do so at:
Kernewek Lowender Office at The Farm Shed Museum & Tourism Centre
50 Moonta Road, Kadina, South Australia, 5554
Phone: (08) 8821 4500
Email: kernewek@coppercoast.sa.gov.au