The best music festivals in Cornwall

There’s an impressive array of festivals held here for one county, with genres ranging from folk and rock to world music and sea shanties. Whether you’re seeking a three-day party weekend to let your hair down and dance into the early hours or simply a relaxed afternoon watching an intimate gig from a deckchair, there’s an event for all music fans to be found in Cornwall – many with breathtaking backdrops of glittering coastline or rolling countryside, too. 

If you’re looking for some inspiration for this summer, here are some of the best music festivals in Cornwall in 2024.

Tunes in the Dunes, Perranporth

17th-19th May 2024

If you love the idea of a weekend spent dancing barefoot with sand between your toes, Tunes in the Dunes could be the festival for you. This upbeat three-day event is the UK’s only festival to take place right on the beach, and with three miles of golden sand and a scenic backdrop of sand dunes and rolling waves, Perranporth is the perfect spot for it. As the sun sets over the ocean with a cold drink in hand and live music playing, there’s a distinct Mediterranean feel to it all. This year’s headline acts include McFly, Craig David and Ocean Colour Scene, with plenty of other performances to keep all musical tastes on the dancefloor all day. When hunger strikes there are a host of wonderful food stalls from independent caterers. And if you’ve still got some energy left as the night draws in, there are often lively after parties at The Watering Hole (still right on the beach!).

The Great Estate Festival, Scorrier

31st May-2nd June 2024

The Great Estate is a family-friendly festival that describes itself as ‘The most rambunctious garden fete’. Set in the grounds of the beautiful Scorrier Estate, you’ll find quirky happenings around every corner here, from circus workshops and a Victorian Sports Day to Hip Hop karaoke and a magical silent disco in the woodlands. But it’s not just the eclectic mix of activities that make The Great Estate so exciting. The diverse music performances will keep you entertained all day and well into the night, with headliners this year including The Darkness, Soul II Soul and The Stranglers. There are usually some beautifully peaceful acoustic sessions around the site too – the perfect opportunity to sip a Pimms in the afternoon sunshine. Plus there’s a tranquil ‘Zen Den’ if you want a little space to unwind with a sound bath or yoga class. 

The International Sea Shanty Festival, Falmouth

14th-16th June 2024

Thousands of people descend on Falmouth for the hugely popular International Sea Shanty Festival, ‘the largest free nautical music and song festival in Europe’. From Friday through to Sunday the town’s streets, bars, pubs and harbourfront become a bustling mass of singers and beer drinkers donning Breton striped tops – with some of the 70+ shanty groups having travelled from far and wide to get involved. From famous names like Fishermen’s Friends to small local shanty groups, there’s an enormous programme of merry maritime music and singalongs to enjoy over the three days, from morning until late. Don’t miss the shanty parade on Saturday! The whole weekend provides an unmissable atmosphere – and in the perfect location too, with Falmouth’s long history of sailing and beautiful backdrop of bobbing boats and blue seas.

The Wyldes, Bude

Various dates in June and July

If you’re after a lively festival atmosphere without the full-throttle three-day party, head to The Wyldes near Bude. This magical venue is enclosed in a wooded valley in the North Cornwall countryside and is hosting an array of ‘one-day festivals’ this summer, with capacity for 10,000 people to come and enjoy their show-stopping music and local food. This year's big-name headline acts are Underworld, Simple Minds, Anne-Marie, Jess Glynne, James Arthur and Idles – each coming with their own special guests and programme of support acts, as well as a celebratory after party. 

Paradhis Festival, Boconnoc

5th-7th July 2024

Paradhis Festival is a brand new event for 2024, described as ‘the ultimate destination for exploring the intersection of music and wellbeing’. Set in the serene grounds of Boconnoc Estate, this festival’s wellness focus brings something a little different to Cornwall – and is sure to attract a crowd of lovely like-minded people looking for a laidback atmosphere. There’s a diverse programme of yoga, meditation, sound healing, breathwork cold water workshops, and more, along with a broad mix of music from around the world to dance and chill out to. Expect everything from African electronic music to soulful songwriters to gentle folk. Morcheeba is headlining the festival’s first main stage too, so they’re starting strong. Paradhis is the Cornish word for ‘paradise’ – and with such a magic mix of wellbeing and music amongst nature, we think it will live up to its name.

Tropical Pressure Festival, Porthtowan

12th-14th July 2024

Tropical Pressure Festival has been crowned ‘The Best Small Festival in the UK’ by The Times, and for good reason. Set at the Eco Park on the beautiful cliffs at Porthtowan, there are typically only 3000 tickets on sale for this laidback and intimate event – but what it lacks in size it makes up for in vibrant energy, bright colours and uplifting music. The carefully curated line-up at Tropical Pressure is all about world music, celebrating the cultures of Latin America on the Friday, Africa on the Saturday and the Caribbean on the Sunday – all of which are guaranteed to have you up and dancing with a smile on your face! DJs take over in three different areas for a post-sunset boogie. Plus there’s a jam-packed schedule of free creative workshops, should you fancy learning a new craft or dance style. Tropical Pressure and the Eco Park are ultra environmentally conscious too, so expect plenty of trucks serving delicious plant-based foods and colourful art installations made from recycled materials dotted about the place. 

Rock Oyster Festival, Rock

25th-28th July 2024

Foodies will be in heaven at the intimate Rock Oyster Festival, ‘a voyage of culinary discovery and musical mystery’ held in the idyllic location of Dinham House, overlooking the Camel Estuary in North Cornwall. You can expect demonstrations and inspiring master classes from esteemed chefs like Nathan Outlaw, Emily Scott and Jack Stein, as well as long-table feasts and reems of food and drink stands to sample delicious street food and other dishes from around the world. But this festival isn’t just one for the taste buds – all of your senses will be delighted during three days at Rock Oyster, with ample art, culture and wellness entertainment and activities to discover, as well as live music with well-curated headliners. In 2024 Rock Oyster is welcoming Bombay Bicycle Club, Sugababes and The Human League, to name a few. 

Boardmasters, Newquay

7th-11th August 2024

Boardmasters started as a laidback surfing competition in Newquay in the 1980s and has since evolved to be Cornwall’s biggest music festival by a long way. It’s also one of the biggest in the UK, drawing over 50,000 festivalgoers in 2023 – this is definitely one for the party people! There are seven different stages to catch a huge mix of music over the five-day event, with headliners like Chase & Status, Sam Fender and Stormzy gracing the main stage looking out over the stunning Watergate Bay. You’ll also find wellbeing areas, fairground rides, independent shopping stalls and food trucks galore, once you’re ready for a little break from dancing. And if you fancy seeing world-class pro surfers taking to the waves, head down to Fistral Beach to watch some of the Boardermasters Open competition. You can book a surf lesson too, should you feel inspired to give it a go yourself. 

Cornwall Folk Festival, Wadebridge

22nd-26th August 2024

Folk fans shouldn’t miss the Cornwall Folk Festival over the August bank holiday weekend. This relaxed event in Wadebridge has been running for over 50 years, bringing together top local, national and international folk artists to play intimate gigs to adoring crowds. Being set in such a small town, everything is within easy walking distance and you can enjoy a variety of venues and performances across the weekend, from traditional folk in the main concert hall to alt-folk and shanties in local pubs and cafés. A full festival ticket will get you access to everything, or you can choose tickets for individual concerts if you prefer. There’s also lots of free live music in the town’s streets, as well as an array of folky workshops and ceilidh dance.

Tunes in the Park, Port Eliot

22nd-25th August 2024

The team at Tunes in the Dunes are also behind Tunes in the Park. This festival is just as vibrant but has the greener, leafier setting of Port Eliot Estate, a picturesque venue on the banks of the River Tamar. It’s taking place over the August bank holiday weekend and, as with Tunes in the Dunes, there are a whole host of big-name acts performing, including Sophie Ellis Bextor, Paloma Faith, Busted and another appearance from McFly. You’ll also find comedy sets from the likes of Russel Howard and Al Murray, as well as a range of enticing wellbeing sessions, creative workshops, great food, DJ tents and more. We especially love the sound of the Woodland Feasts, where you can enjoy three courses and fine wines under the canopies of the trees. 

Little Orchard Cider and Music Festival

13th-15th September 2024

Little Orchard Cider and Music Festival is set at Healey’s Cyder Farm, the award-winning producers behind the well-loved Cornish tipple, Rattler. As well as providing plenty of opportunities to sample thirst-quenching cider in the sunshine, this festival features a brilliant selection of well-known and emerging acts for a good knees-up. On this year’s varied programme you’ll find Dub Pistols, Echo Town, Levellers, Bailey Tomkinson and more – as well as The Wurzels for a true cider-drinking experience! There are more fun and games around every corner too, with happenings like The Rattler Olympics, a barn dance, a skate ramp, DJ workshops, a silent disco in the orchard and the Little Orchard outdoor adventure club for mini festival-goers. It’s a fitting celebration to say farewell to the summer and round off another joyous festival season.

Where to stay in Cornwall

This county has so much to explore, from stunning coastlines and sweeping beaches to charming towns and unique heritage sites – so whilst visiting Cornwall for your favourite festivals, why not make a week or two of it? We’ve curated a wonderful collection of luxury glamping hideaways in Cornwall, set in breathtaking wildflower meadows, dramatic clifftops and unspoilt countryside. Take your pick from our hideaways in Cornwall.