St Columb Major’s Silver Ball hurls are expected on Tuesday 9 and Saturday 20 February 2027. The first match always falls on Shrove Tuesday and the second on the Saturday 11 days later, so the dates follow from the calendar; the town publishes its own notice with throw-up times nearer February.
The event is a participatory Cornish ball game between Townsmen and Countrymen. Play begins with a throw-up in Market Square before moving through the streets and surrounding countryside. The aim is to carry the silver ball to a team goal or across the parish boundary.
Visitor information
Dates: Tuesday 9 and Saturday 20 February 2027, following the Shrove Tuesday and second-Saturday pattern. In 2026 the two hurls fell on Tuesday 17 and Saturday 28 February.
Venue: Market Square, streets and countryside around St Columb Major. There is no enclosed pitch, and play can move well beyond the town centre.
Admission: Free to watch. It is an active contact game rather than a staged demonstration, so spectators should keep doorways, roads and the path of play clear.
Format: Town and Country sides contest the hurl from a market-square start, with the winning side sharing “silver beer” once they call up the ball in the evening.
Check the parish noticeboard or Visit Newquay’s listing closer to February 2027 for confirmed throw-up times.
