Find out about the 2025 Cultural Festival in Exeter here.
Cornwall Cultural Festival 2025
Take part in our Cultural Festival 2025
From 3-7 March we’re excited to bring you a week of events celebrating the diversity of cultures on our campuses. There will be lots of activities you can get involved with including exhibits, a cultural societies fair, a film screening, a drumming workshop, a football tournament and St Piran’s activities.
St Piran’s Day (Cornish: Gool Peran) is the national day of Cornwall held on 5 March every year. The day is named after one of the patron saints of Cornwall, Saint Piran, who is also the patron saint of tin miners.
Keep checking back for more details.
Explore the events taking place below
Cornish Language exhibit
The Library and Archives team will have a St Piran’s Day Exhibition on Cornish Language and Dialect in the Penryn Campus Library from Monday 3 March onwards.
The display will use materials from the Library & Archives Collections and highlight the role language and dialect play in Cornish identity and community and show people the joy of learning Cornish.
Accessibility information
The exhibition will be displayed in Penryn Campus Library, Level 1 in the Exchange. Level 1 of the Library can be a bit busy as it is a thoroughfare from the Exchange to the Stannary. There is lift access to all areas throughout The Exchange and Library and a disabled toilet in Penryn Campus Library Level 1, and the Exchange Building, Level 1.
The Blue Zone and Reading Room on Level 2 in the Library are Quiet Study Areas. There is also the Retreat Room within the Reading Room on Level 2.
If you have a problem, speak to the staff on the Compass Help Desk between 09:00-19:00 on weekdays. Speak to Library staff on weekends between 10:00 – 18:00.
Multi Story: A Celebration
Tuesday 4 March, 18:00-20:00, ESI Cafe
Join us for delicious food and hear from some of the artists and people involved in the project; enjoy an exclusive preview of the accompanying photography exhibition documenting the creative journey and learn about the installation and how it celebrates each person’s unique story.
Free - Book a spot here.
Cultural Societies Fair
Wednesday 5 March, 11:00-14:00, Upper Stannary
Celebrate the cultural diversity on our campuses by visiting the SU’s Societies Fair to find out about the different national and cultural societies. You can check out their national dress, try their food and learn about their language.
Free - you can find more information including on accessibility here
Social Football World Cup
Wednesday 5 March, 13:00-18:00, Penryn Campus MUGA
Celebrate diversity through football by taking part in the Social Football World Cup. This 8-team 6-a-side tournament is open to all students and staff and all backgrounds and abilities are encouraged to register. The main aim of this tournament is to recognise the diverse cultures we have on campus, by bringing people together in a celebration of sport.
There will be a get together after the tournament finishes at 18:00 in the Stannary Bar for everyone who participated to drop in for a post-tournament drink.
Accessibility Information
Download Social Football Tournament accessibility information here
St Piran’s Day Celebration at KSpa
12:00-17:00, Knowledge Spar Atrium, Truro
Join us to celebrate Cornish Heritage on St Piran’s Day with hot drinks and Cornish cake. We'd love to hear your stories on what brought you to Cornwall and how you stay connected to your culture and heritage and we’ll be displaying our giant world map. We will also be happy to chat about our new Cultural Heritage project, which aims to gather and share stories from people who work and study at Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust and the Knowledge Spar, to connect them to their heritage, Cornwall's heritage and each other.
Download KSpa St Piran's Celebration Accessibility Information here
Cultural Festival Intercultural Café
Wednesday 5 March 15:00-16:30, Fox Café, Falmouth Campus
Join us for a special art-themed edition of the intercultural café. There will be canvases and a choice of art supplies – we would love you to draw either something that represents your culture, or something that makes you think of Cornwall. Free hot drink and cake to keep you going while you work your magic!
Accessibility information
This event is in a large, open space that is accessible by ramp/lift, with an accessible toilet nearby. It is an art-themed café so will not be a noisy, crowded event. There is a quiet space however, in the multifaith chaplaincy or Students’ Union close by. It’s run by Tess Cobb from the Languages Team and she will be there to answer any questions or help with problems.
Early Easter Egg Hunt
16:00-18:00, the Walled Garden, Penryn Campus
Take part in a traditional Easter Egg hunt - a treasure hunt where you look for hidden Easter eggs! This is a great excuse to get outside, have some fun and find some chocolate eggs.
Please complete this form to let us know if you have any dietary or access requirements and give us an idea of how many people are coming.
Accessibility Information
Download Early Easter Egg Hunt 2025 accessibility information here
International Languages Celebration
Thursday 6 March, 18:00-20:00, Stannary Bar
Celebrate the linguistic and cultural diversity of our international student community at a get-together where you will have a chance to meet other students from around the world. You’ll be able to donate a phrase in your first language, take the language quiz, do some Karaoke and enjoy a free drink and pizza.
Accessibility Information
This event is being held in the Stannary Bar and involves Karaoke and about 100 attendees so it will be reasonably noisy. However, we encourage the singers to be on one side of the bar so that the other side is quieter and better for conversation. There are also quiet booths just outside the bar. You can access the bar via a ramp and there is an accessible toilet nearby. It is run by Isabel, Tess and Richard from the Languages Team who will be there to answer any questions or help with problems.
Film Screening: Taking Root – The Vision of Wangari Maathai.
Friday 7 March, 13:00-15:00, DDM Lecture Theatre A
Come and join us for pizza and a soft drink while watching Taking Root - a powerful film that showcases the story of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai whose simple act of planting trees grew into a nationwide movement to safeguard the environment, protect human rights and ultimately, restore democracy.
Accessibility information
There will be a member of staff present to support the event and answer your questions. If you need to find a quiet space away from the event, the nearest space would be the Students’ Union or the Library Retreat Room.
There will potentially be a large number of people at the event (the capacity of the room is 189) and loud noise during the film screening.
The event is taking place in the Daphne Du Maurier Building, Lecture Theatre A on Penryn Campus. Please take a look at our campus map to help navigate your way to the venue.
There are steps and staggered seating within the lecture theatre, but there is step free access into it – more information about the accessibility can be found in the accessibility guide for the room.
If you have any questions ahead of the event or need a buddy to support you with arriving at the event, please email studentexperience@exeter.ac.uk and we will work out what we can arrange to help. This might be someone meeting you before the event start time or simply talking you through more details of what to expect.
St Piran’s Celebration: an evening of Cornish stories, food and dance
Friday 7 March, 16:30-18:30, Upper Stannary, Penryn Campus
As part of our Cultural Festival and St Piran’s Day celebrations the Institute of Cornish Studies invites you to An Evening of Cornish Stories, Food & Dance to honour Cornwall’s rich cultural heritage through storytelling, traditional food, and music.
The programme:
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Storytelling Workshop (16:30, Sustainability Café)
Graduate students Grace and Jowan will lead an engaging discussion on the role of storytelling in Cornish culture and how the tale of St Piran can be reimagined for contemporary Cornwall.
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Refreshments & Community Stalls (17:30)
Enjoy a traditional Cornish pasty and sweet treats while exploring stalls hosted by community organisations dedicated to Cornish heritage. The bar will also be open.
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Traditional Cornish Dancing (18:00)
The evening will conclude with Nos Lowen dancing to Cornish music. No prior experience is required—just follow along and enjoy!
Free to attend book a spot here
Accessibility Information
Our St Piran’s Celebration will be run by The Institute of Cornish Studies and is taking place in the Upper Stannary on Penryn Campus. Take a look at this Penryn Campus Map to help figure out how to navigate your way to the venue.
At times the event may be busy with crowds of people, loud music and general noise.
There are disabled toilets by the stairs next to the lift.
Use the lift from the lower Stannary to avoid the steps into the Upper Stannary.
West African Drumming Workshop
Friday 7 March, 18:00-19:30, AMATA, Penryn Campus
Ever wanted to learn to play the Djembe drum? This workshop is a great opportunity to discover the wonderful world of West African drumming. In this session, hosted by James Carr, you will learn to play authentic West African rhythm complete with polyrhythmic djembe patterns, dun dun bass drums and an array of percussion.
You can find tickets and accessibility information here.
Extra Events Around Cornwall
You might find the following events, around the same time as the festival, of interest if you want to learn more about Cornwall's history and culture.
Geevor Mine Trip
Sunday 2 March,10:00-17:00, coach from Falmouth Moor and Penryn Campus, £7.50
Join the SU for a journey into Cornwall's industrial past with a visit to Geevor Mine, where you'll explore one of Cornwall's most iconic mining sites.
You can find tickets and accessibility information here.
Falmouth Uncovered Walking Tour
Sunday 9 March 11:00-12:30, Meet at Killigrew Monument, Falmouth, £3.50
Explore Falmouth's streets, quays and alleys and connect with the colourful characters and dramatic events that occurred here. With a mixture of humour, passion and storytelling, the tour will change how you see this town forever.
You can find tickets and accessibility information here.
Please note
There will be photography and videography at some of these events that will be used in marketing and communications by Falmouth University, the University of Exeter, the SU and FX Plus, please speak to a staff member if you don’t want to be filmed or have your photo taken.