This Friday Helston’s Guildhall clock will chime 7am and residents throughout the town will wait with anticipation for the first beat of a bass drum that shall not fall.

For while the official celebrations of 2020 may have been cancelled, in the hearts of Helstonians May 8 shall forever be Flora Day. 

Celebrations can still take place at home however - and the Packet will be helping those along, with a series of photos and videos throughout the day. Keep reading to find out more. 

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Normally the bells of St Michael’s Church would begin ringing out from 6.30am, when the town would already have started filling with people ready to watch the Morning Dance.

As the seventh hour approaches the town always falls silent, waiting for the boom of the Helston Town Band drum and the Morning Dance leaders to leave the Corn Exchange.

This year that honour was to have fallen to Mark Skewes, Michelle Skewes, Ross Yelland and Hayley Goodchild, while Giles Clotworthy, Eileen McLoughlin, Christian Johns and Kristine Furneaux were to have led the Midday Dance.

White shirts and dresses shall remain on hangers ready for a Children’s Dance that will not be held and the Hal-an-Tow revellers will stay silent this year.

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The coronavirus lockdown has meant none of this will happen – although all dancers invited to take part in this year’s event have been promised a repeat invitation for 2021.

However, just because the official event is no longer taking place does not mean celebrations cannot continue at home.

For those still wanting to hear the sound of the bass drum at 7am, the Packet will be showing last year’s Morning Dance leaving the Guildhall on its Packet Newspapers Facebook page – and will do the same for every dance at the correct time.

We will also be running a series of picture galleries on the website throughout the day, showing photos from years gone by, and be posting a special compilation video featuring dances and interviews with some of the key people involved in the event.

Links to these can also be found on Facebook. 

  • Are you having your own celebrations at home this Friday? Will you be decorating your house, or dressing up in a past outfit? We'd love to see your pictures! Email them to emma.ferguson@packetseries.co.uk or post them to our Facebook page.