Gorsedh Kernow Bardic Ceremony took place in St Keverne Parish Church instead due to heavy rain

The Bardic Ceremony, the main part of the event, which this year is being hosted by St Keverne, had been due to take place on the village playing field, with a parade from the nearby school.

Up to 200 bards, from all over the world, had been expected to take part in today’s proceedings, but as the procession was due to begin at 1.30pm there were heavy downpours.

It meant that the procession itself had to be cancelled, with the bards and banner bearers instead making a quick dash from the primary school over to the parish church where the ceremony took place instead.

This included the installation of new bards as well as readings in Cornish, with Bethany Lyne, from the parish, the Lady of the Flowers and schoolchildren from St Keverne and Coverack her attendants. Youngsters from Teresa Blee Dance School also took part.

A gala concert is still due to take place this evening in the parish hall, in Well Lane, from 7pm, featuring Maen Voes Choir, The An Gov Players, The An Gof Band and St Keverne Silver Band. Compere for the night is Cornwall councillor Bert Biscoe.

Tickets cost £5 on the door and there is parking in the field next to St Keverne Band Room.

There will also be a Cornish singalong to take part in and listen to at the White Hart Hotel in the Square, led by Matthi Clarke, at 8.30pm.

The festival wraps up tomorrow with a free talk on “Boden Vean prehistoric site and fogou" at Porthallow Village Hall between 10am and 11am, by James Gossip, project officer for Cornwall Council Archaeology Unit, followed by a Cornish language taster session until 1pm.

Then at 3pm there will be Evening Prayer taken in Cornish at St Keverne Parish Church, with a retiring collection for the church.