The Porthleven Mermaid hosts a day of art and performance around the theme of mermaids, culminating in a swim at high tide featuring her merfolk friends from across Cornwall and beyond!
Perfect for kids, the day will feature workshops, performances, readings of mermaid stories and more.
Drawing on the powerful myth and magic of Cornish mermaids, the event brings them right up to date to meet children and play in Porthleven’s iconic harbour.
The day will also be a celebration of outdoor swimming in all its forms and holds a serious reminder about the importance of protecting the ocean from plastic waste at its heart.
All our mermaid day events are free, however if you are able we would be very grateful for a donation – this will ensure that we can run the Festival again in future years. Please remember to bring cash if you would like to donate as we cannot accept card payments. Thank you.
PROGRAMME
10:00, 11:00, midday and 13:00
Meet a mermaid storytelling – Breageside Net Loft
The young and young at heart will love these meet and greet mermaid sessions in our own under-the-sea grotto. There’s storytelling, crafting and conversations about how to protect our seas with different mermaids joining us every hour. Everyone’s welcome and we’ll even have the UK’s first signing mermaid, the BSL Siren, on hand providing British Sign Language interpretations for those who have difficulty hearing.
11:00
Writing about the sea workshop for ages 11+ – Shipyard Market
Join author Elspeth Stephenson for a practical creative writing workshop that draws on the environment, the sea and mythology. This hour and a half-long workshop includes exercise to jump-start your creativity using found objects and the opportunity to write and receive feedback on a piece of short, flash fiction.
14:45
Random act of art – Swim hat parade
Inner harbour
Pineapples, horses heads, boats, engine houses – these are no ordinary swim hats! Originally created as part of Kneehigh Theatre’s Random Acts of Art during lockdown, the hats were designed by Meier Wiliams and Sue Hill. Gorran Haven Cold Water Crew will parade them around the harbour.
FREE
15:00
Mermaid swim
Inner harbour
Watch a gossip of mermaids and a merman as they swim and tail flip their way around Porthleven harbour. There will be meet and greets on the slipway as well as lots of colourful photo opportunities. This and the previous event can be viewed from all around the inner harbour.
FREE
