Last year I was very happy to attend The Port Eliot Festival in Cornwall as one of Lynne’s team in the Dovegreyreader tent. At the time I decided that I’d be back again this year as a visitor and see more of what was on offer. I mentioned this to three friends and we all decided to book a cottage in Cornwall for the week and spend at least one day at the Festival. Not long after, the National Trust Cottage ‘Harbour View’ at Boscastle was booked for the week 31st July to 7th August and day tickets bought for the Festival for Saturday 1st August.
Harbour View at Boscastle
The Festival is full of weird and wonderful things; literary talks and discussions; great food from Cornwall and beyond; arts and crafts; music; comedy; fashion; family activities; stuff for children and for teenagers; workshops; and a flower and produce show just like you’d find at village shows and fetes all around the country. The weather wasn’t especially good – worse than last year – but we only had one major downpour.
Here is a taster of what we did and saw and heard :
First for Breakfast in the Orangery!
Cornish Country Eggs Benedict
Martin Parr, Margaret Drabble and Susie Parr talk in the Bowling Green about Black Country Stories
Martin Parr signing in the Festival Book Shop
Festival View
Children’s T-Shirt Printing
Walled Garden Display
The Tea Ladies’ Trolley. How could we resist?
Mark Vernon talks about Carl Jung on an Idler Philosophy and Psychology ‘Walk’
Hammock of Recycled Tents left at Glastonbury!
Close-up of Recycled Tent Pom-poms
Another Festival View and Hole and Corner Crafts
Indigo Dying
Port Eliot House amidst the Festival
Simon Costin Introduces The Museum of Witchcraft
miladysboudoir 
It all looks just splendid, and seems a beautiful day at least from the pictures. I was such an admirer of Margaret Drabble, but haven’t kept up. You’ve spurred me on to look at her newer works.
Happy memories. I haven’t read much Drabble but enjoyed her Pattern in the Carpet recent memoir. The Blavk Vountry
Sorry! The Black Country project was an odd one for her but she speaks as well as she writes so makes everything sound good.
You certainly managed to see plenty in a day and the unique PE atmosphere very apparent from these photos.
But it was very special being part of the dovegreyreader team last year along with you and the others.
[…] We met up with the Barbaras during our time there and have met up over the years ever since in Boscastle, Italy, London, Grindelwald and Amsterdam. Later this year Tenerife is on the […]