Here are all the events and activities for the 2026 edition of the Esedhvos Kernow Festival of Cornish Culture.
Programme Bodmin 2026
Tuesday 1st September
20:00 – 22:30 The Old Library Cornish Music Session with Cornish Tunes Club *
Wednesday 2nd September
09:30 – 16:30 The Old Library Intensive Cornish Language School
14:00 – 15:00 The New Library Meet the Author with Kerensa Warleggen
17:15 – 19:10 Merlin Cinema Rose of Nevada by Mark Jenkin
19:00 – 22:30 The Old Library Ymprovisa
Thursday 3rd September
09:30 – 16:30 The Old Library Intensive Cornish Language School
10:30 – 12:00 The New Library Bardhonieth / Poetry with Sam Ruane-Brown
14:30 – 16:00 The Old Library “I Wrote a Book in Cornish!” by Delia Brotherton, Myrghwyn Melynor
17:00 – 19:00 The Mason’s Arms Boos hag Yeth an Werin / Food and Conversation in Cornish
19:30 – 21:30 The Mason’s Arms Shout *
Friday 4th September
09:30 – 22:30 Shire House Suite Gorsedh Awards Exhibition
10:30 – 12:30 Shire House Suite Gorsedh Seminar
14:00 – 15:00 Kerdroya Bardic tour of Kerdroya labrynth
17:30 – 18:30 Merlin Cinema Media in Kernewek
19:00 – 21:30 Shire House Suite Gorsedh Awards Ceremony followed by Nos Lowen
Concert with Salt & Sky
20:00 – 22:30 St Petroc’s Parish Bodmin Folk Club presents Mike O’Connor &
Centre Barbara Griggs
Saturday 5th September
10:30 – 16:30 Priory Car Park Stalls
11:00 – 13:30 Narissa Lawn Entertainment with Gwerin, The Horners, Berrycombe
School, Bodmin Town Band, Mazed Tales, Cornish Wrestlers
14:00 – 15:00 Priory Park Bardic Ceremony
16:30 – 18:00 Shire House Suite Bardic Tea
19:30 – 22:30 Shire House Suite Gorsedh Concert with Hireth, Jen & Toby Kessell,
and Ralph Nel
Sunday 6th September
10:30 – 12:00 The Keep Heritage Walk
15:00 – 16:00 St Petroc’s Church Gorsedh Service led by Jane Kneebone
19:30 Blisland Village Hall Nos Lowen with Bagas Fellyon
* to be confirmed
Dee Brotherton
“I wrote a book in Cornish! Why, you might ask? Well, why not or as they say in Kernewek “Prag na”? I love our indigenous tongue which is a Celtic language, sister to Welsh and Breton and distant cousin to Scots Gaelic, Irish Gaelic and Manowek (from the Isle of Man). I delighted in the discovery of my Cornish family history and I will share with my audience highlights of my Cornish journey and the important cultural milestones along the way which includes my 2026 Holyer an Gof Award winning dual-language story-book ‘Maysi ha’n Tros Kevrinek’ or ‘Maisie and the Mysterious Noise.'”
Dee Brotherton, Myrghwyn Melynor, is a musician, writer and speaker of the Cornish language, Kernewek. With husband Dave she is one half of the popular duo Tir ha Tavas. She was made a bard of the Cornish Gorsedh in 2013 for her success in Cornish language examinations and has continued to promote Kernewek through song (mostly self-penned), by leading conversation groups and producing two books, one concerning Cornish grammar and the other a dual-language storybook written originally for her two great nieces.
Copies of the book will be available for purchase on the day or from the Kowethas an Yeth stall at the Gorsedh Kernow marketplace on Saturday 5th in Priory carpark.