Grass Valley Hosts 9th Annual St. Piran’s Celebration- Saturday, March 9, 2013
Grass Valley invites everyone to become Cornish for a day at its ninth annual celebration recognizing the patron saint of Cornish miners and the heritage of the Cornish in America.
The celebration begins Friday evening, March 8, with a pub night sing-along, beginning at 6:30 pm, at Gold Rush Burgers on Mill Street, across from Grass Valley City Hall. Gather around with a pasty and a pint and join the Grass Valley Male Voice Choir in singing popular songs of Cornwall and America. Everyone is welcome to this no host event.
St Pirans flag raising in Grass Valley, California, USA
Saturday morning the jollifications begin at 10:00 am with Town Crier Robert Russell ringing his bell and making his proclamation. After the raising of the U.S. and Cornish flags, contestants will vie in the annual pasty tossing contest.
The mayors of Grass Valley and Nevada City will contend for the Mayors Award. So will members of various service clubs, Cornish descendants and curious on-lookers. Come along, become a contestant and get a St. Piran’s Day pin.
Bring a home-baked pasty to enter the best pasty baker contest. Coffee and snacks will be available for purchase at a Cornish gift fair.
The flag-raising and Pasty Toss take place in the City Hall parking lot at Main and South Auburn streets, known as the most Cornish spot in America.
As the tossing pasties are filled with organic dog kibble, bring your leased dog along to share the celebration by helping the clean up.
At noon the celebration continues with a Cornish Cream Tea in Wesley Hall at the Grass Valley United Methodist Church—“the church that pasties built.” Admission is $15 at the door.
St. Piran, patron saint of hard-rock miners, is to Cornwall what St. Patrick is to Ireland. He was in fact a 5th century missionary who brought Christianity to the Celtic land in the south-west corner of Britain. In legend he outwitted menacing giants and taught the Cornish to refine tin.
The Cornish flag, which often flies at Grass Valley’s City Hall, is called St. Piran’s flag.
St. Piran’s Day sponsors include the Grass Valley Downtown Association; City of Grass Valley; GV Male Voice Choir; GV United Methodist Church; GV-Bodmin Sister Cities; and California Co.
Friday, March 8, 6:30 – 9:00 pm
Pub Night sing-along with no host bar, pasties and food at Gold Rush Burgers, Mill Street (across from City Hall), Grass Valley. Featuring the Grass Valley Male Voice Choir. Free admission. No host food and drinks.
Saturday, 10:00 am
St. Piran’s Day flag raising, Pasty tossing contest at City Hall parking lot, Main & Auburn streets, Grass Valley. Featuring town crier Robert Russell with the GV Male Voice Choir. Mayoral Pasty Tossing Contest. No host coffee and snacks. Cornish gift fair. This is a dog-friendly event. Free admission.
Bring a home-baked pasty Saturday morning for the Pasty Baking Contest.
Saturday, 12:00 noon
Cornish Cream Tea at Grass Valley United Methodist Church. Everyone welcome. Admission $15 donation at the door.
http://www.califcornishcousins.org/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/California-Cornish-Cousins/189038067798500?fref=ts
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