A week of carnival fun begins in Looe on July 29.

The annual Lion’s Club event kicks off on Monday with the 100-year old tradition of the Furry dance. Dancers will make their way from quayside centre West Looe to the East Looe fish market to music from St Pinnock and Liskeard Silver bands. The event is free for all to enter and fancy dress is very welcome. 

Running shoes are the order of the day on Tuesday as the charity Summer run and Children’s fun run start at the Millpool Centre at 7pm and 7.05pm respectively.

The 5.75 mile multi-terrain Summer run follows the West Looe riverside through the Kilminorth Woods and along a bridle path to Trelawne Woods and back to the finish, with a slight twist promised by the organisers for this year’s event which they promise won’t get competitor’s feet wet. The children’s run is just under one mile along the riverside with medals for all runners. 

Trophies will be awarded to the first male and female runners and first Looe male and female runners across the line in the Summer run, with the perpetual Challenge Cup for the first club with 4 runners to finish. Each runner will receive a memento for finishing the race.

Entry for the Summer run is £10 via SiEntries or registration on the day from 5pm, and £3 for the children’s run payable on the day. All proceeds from the race will go to Looe Lions local charities.

Plenty of fancy dress fun in the sun at Looe's week-long carnival
Looe Pioneer’s on their rollercoaster as part of the procession in 2023. (Lions Club of Looe)

It’s buckets and spades at the ready on Wednesday with the children’s sand modelling competition on East Looe beach. Entry for the event is £1 with registration commencing at 1pm. The fun begins at 2pm. 

Polperro Fisherman’s Choir and Looe’s Ukulele Band will be performing on Thursday from 6.30pm at the RNLI boat house in East Looe, while the Jubilee Centre in Duloe is the setting for three nights of dance on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7.30pm as Sheila’s School of Dance perform ‘Princess of the Moors’.

Carnival royalty at Looe Lions Club carnival.
(Lions Club of Looe)

The week culminates with the grand procession on Saturday Aug 3 led by this year’s carnival royalty princesses. Gathering at Marine Drive, Hannafore West Looe from 5.30pm, the St Pinnock band will lead the procession from 6.30pm along the quayside to the finish outside the East Looe fish market. There will be a rolling road closure in place. All are welcome to participate with fancy dress very welcome. 

All proceeds from the Carnival are used for charitable causes, said newly elected Lion’s Club of Looe President Nigel White, who added: “Looe Carnival is a celebration of the fabulous community in Looe, supported by the Town Trusts, Harbour Commissioners and local businesses and enjoyed by locals and visitors alike”.