St Columb Major’s Silver Ball hurls are provisionally dated for Tuesday 9 and Saturday 20 February 2027. The first match traditionally takes place on Shrove Tuesday and the second on the Saturday 11 days later, but no local 2027 event notice has yet confirmed the times.
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
Provisional dates: Tuesday 9 and Saturday 20 February 2027. These replace the former 16 and 27 February dates, which were a week late and did not match Shrove Tuesday in 2027.
Venue: Market Square, streets and countryside around St Columb Major. There is no enclosed pitch, and play can move 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: Visit Newquay’s official destination listing for 2026 confirms the Shrove Tuesday and second-Saturday pattern, Town and Country sides, the market-square start and evening sharing of “silver beer” after the winner calls up the ball.
Exact 2027 throw-up times should not be copied from 2026. This listing remains provisional until the local event page or organiser publishes the new arrangements.
