The Flora Day stewards have announced a slight change to the route of the Midday Dance this year, with less than two weeks to go until the big day.

While most of the dances will following the same format as previous years, this year the Midday will be unable to enter the Old Vicarage as usual, due to continued renovations in the garden. As such, after the break at Lismore the dancers will continue through Penhellis Gardens and then head via Tanyard Lane into Leslie House Gardens.

Alterations made to the Children’s Dance a few years ago are now a firm fixture, with the second band standing and playing at the junction of Wendron Street and Meneage Street, by Lloyds Bank, to ensure that the music can be heard by all children. Spectators are therefore asked to leave space for them.

The stewards have also decided to continue with the variation for the dance at Lismore, with owner Michael Jay agreeing that the children may enter the property by the small gate in Cross Street and then proceed immediately around to the driveway of the house, to exit onto Cross Street again without going into the gardens.

At the end, the second band will remain outside the Grylls Monument while the children dance around the Bowling Green and then follow the dancers up Coinagehall Street.

Parents are reminded that the Children’s Dance will finish at approximately 10.50am and that they should be in the appropriate location to collect their children from that time.

Access to the Lismore gardens will be available to spectators for the Midday Dance after the Children’s Dance has passed and later in the day for the Evening Dance, with the stewards saying: “Entry into properties and gardens on the route of the dances is a great privilege to us and we would remind the public that it is by courtesy of the owners who retain the right to close their gates/doors if they so wish. We ask you to respect their properties.”

With Flora Day taking place on Saturday, May 6 this year, rather than the traditional May 8, due to that date falling on what was traditionally market day, large crowds are expected to visit the town to enjoy the spectacle.

The stewards said: “We are pleased that Cornwall Council have promised to attend to the road surfaces in the town, but the stewards of the dance would still remind the participants in the dances and the viewing public to be aware that there may still be some uneven surfaces under foot.”

They added that they were “delighted” Helston Town Band would be playing as always and thanked the band for encouraging so many young musicians to join with the older members to ensure its future in years to come.

“We would ask the public to support the band by giving generously to the collectors who will be following the dances. The cost of buying instruments and supporting our band is ever increasing,” said the stewards.

Cornwall Council has asked anyone decorating their homes and businesses to take down any greenery before 8.30am on Sunday, May so that the collection teams can remove it from the streets. Any greenery left out after that time may not be collected.

Road closures and parking restrictions will be in force on Flora Day from 6.30am and cars are asked not parked in the streets overnight on May 5 so as not to cause an obstruction early in the morning of Flora Day.

The stewards concluded: “As with any event of this size, there is a considerable financial commitment to cover the cost of health and safety issues, insurances and for example purchasing of new flags. If you are able to help us by contributing to our funds to maintain our unique event, please contact us by email on helstonfloraday@yahoo.co.uk.”