NEW YEAR’S EVE IN ST IVES
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NEW YEAR’S EVE IN ST IVES
See 2024 in with a bang!
When it comes to celebrating the new year arriving, New Year’s Eve in St Ives has a reputation for being pretty spectacular. Crowds gather down at the harbour at midnight to wave goodbye to the old year and say hello to the new one. With most people wearing fancy dress costume things are a little hectic but the display is pretty extravagant, so it’s well worth jostling through the crowds.
Here are just a few reasons why you should consider spending New Year’s Eve in St Ives this year. It’s pretty magical, take it from us…
Celebrate the New Year in style at one of our luxury self catering holiday cottages in St Ives or Carbis Bay.
NEW YEAR’S EVE FIREWORKS ON ST IVES HARBOUR
As the clock approaches midnight, the crowd gathers around St Ives Harbour with anticipation. Friends and strangers join together, all united by the shared excitement of welcoming a brand new year. The atmosphere is electric as everyone eagerly awaits the grand finale. The St Ives New Year’s Eve fireworks display is nothing short of spectacular. The dark sky is suddenly illuminated with a breathtaking array of colors and patterns. The reflection of the fireworks on the water adds an extra layer of magic to the experience. So, if you’re looking for a unique way to ring in the new year, St Ives is the place to be. Come join the festivities and start your year with a bang!
FANCY DRESS IN ST IVES
Turn up in regular clothing and you’ll be the odd one out! It’s a tradition for adults and kids alike to pick (or make) a costume and join in the impromptu parade that swarms Fore Street and the St Ives harbour. People take it seriously because there is pride at stake!
In the past New Year’s fancy dress has included everything from Oompa Loompas to luminous jellyfish, over-sized (and over-fed) seagulls and large family groups dressed as The Incredibles!
FOOD AND DRINK ON NEW YEAR’S EVE
St Ives is an excellent place to grab a bite to eat and have a drink with friends and loved ones. Why? well, the food is incredible, the atmosphere is welcoming and there’s a huge range too. For seafood and shellfish the Seafood Cafe has all of your culinary needs. Or, you can opt for a hearty burger at The Hub. There are also vegetarian, vegan and classic pub lunch/dinner options. If you fancy somewhere with views, Porthmeor Beach Café, Porthminster Kitchen & Porthminster Cafe are the pick of the bunch.
Take a look at our blog Best Restaurants In St Ives With Sea Views for more suggestions.
During the New Year period local restaurants book up very fast, so you’ll need to make a reservation in advance. Don’t fret if you plan on turning up and checking out the vibe though, because there are many restaurants that don’t take bookings. Our favourite place to just turn up is Talay Thai. Positioned right on the harbour front in the heart of St Ives, this restaurant is a great place to catch all of the new year action whilst enjoying some fab Thai food.
NEW YEAR’S EVE PUB CRAWL
For a good New Year’s Eve, all you need is good company and a selection of pubs that don’t take themselves too seriously. St Ives has plenty of both the former and the latter. The majority of revellers include in their itinerary the Sloop Inn, situated right on the harbour front and one of Cornwall’s oldest and most famous inns in St Ives with a great atmosphere to boot!
For a great range of local beers and a warm welcome you should try Beer & Bird, Balcony Bar, Firehouse, Rum & Crab Shack, Castle Inn, Union Inn and Lifeboat Inn.
On New Year’s Eve children are generally allowed in bars and pubs up to 9pm.
CORNISH WEATHER
One of the fantastic things about living in Cornwall is the mild winter weather. Okay, there is nowhere in Britain that can boast mercury-busting temperatures over the winter period, but still, Cornwall enjoys a typically milder climate meaning New Year’s Eve in St Ives is usually mild enough to enjoy at least some of the evening festivities outdoors.
Even if Mother Nature doesn’t play ball, she doesn’t stop the party. Not when it’s New Year’s Eve! Locals take to the streets regardless of the conditions and soak up as much as the atmosphere as possible. Either choose a costume accordingly, bring an umbrella, or seek refuge in a pub!
Tips For New Year’s Eve in St Ives in 2024
Turning up unprepared is often a bad idea due to the crowds and the number of people on the streets. With that in mind, here are some tips on how to get organised…
Get there early: The festivities tend to start early in the evening, which means you need to arrive early if you are looking for a parking spot.
Use local shops for fancy dress: Why not be creative and buy from local charity shops? They tend to have an excellent selection, are cheap and open quite late on NYE.
Check out the Kidz R Us, St Ives fancy dress hire at St Ives Theatre, from 11-4pm on NYE with a phantasmagorical range of costumes! Go and have a rummage!
Also, Osbornes in St Ives town centre have a large range of Fancy dress costumes and thousands of accessories this year, open until 10pm on New Year’s Eve.
Give yourself plenty of time to craft or buy a costume, and make it warm – you might be outdoors for some time!
Kids: Light up your kids so you can keep an eye on them. We put flashing lights or glow bracelets on them as part of the fancy’s dress outfits.
Don’t drive after 6 pm: Roads close at this time, meaning you might get stuck and have to abandon your car until the next morning.
Find parking: If you do drive into St Ives, try and park early as car parks fill up quickly. Use car parks at St Ives’ train station, Leisure Centre, Barnoon, Rugby Club or the Stennack Surgery. However, they do fill up very early. The train station car park is ideally located for people who want to leave after midnight. Anyone who isn’t driving should book a taxi ahead of time as they are few and far between.
Map of the car parks in St Ives.
If you prefer to book a holiday cottage in St Ives with parking of its own, have a browse of what we have to offer in our Holiday Cottages with Parking.
Find a babysitter: Local pubs allow children until 9pm. If all the family wish to stay out beyond this time then you should consider booking a restaurant, ideally with a table over-looking the harbour. The fireworks kick off at midnight but it could be a long evening for younger children, particularly if it is cold and wet. A babysitter, if available, is a wise move for parents who wish to enjoy the revelries until the early hours!
STAY IN ONE OF OUR HOLIDAY COTTAGES THIS NEW YEAR
Celebrate the New Year in style at one of our luxury self catering holiday cottages in St Ives or Carbis Bay. Whether you’re looking for a large holiday house with sea views or a cosy hideaway just paces from St Ives harbour, discover our collection of holiday cottages for a memorable Christmas with your family and friends and make this festive period extra special!
32 Comments
Natalie
Hi,
Please can you provide information about whether your fireworks are eco-friendly? I.e. will plastic cartridges and debris end up polluting local beaches and the ocean?
Thanks,
Natalie
admin
Hi Natalie
We don’t organise the fireworks, we have merely written a blog about new year’s eve in St Ives!
Alan
Susan Bland
Hi, we are looking to visit St Ives for a few nights over new year this year in our small campervan and wondered if it was suitable for dogs or whether it would be too busy?
admin
With the exception of last new year St Ives is very busy over new year, but there are still lovely coastal and beach walks so good for your doggy so long as you are not too close to the harbour fireworks on NYE!
Pamela Macfarlane
Is it worth trying to find a hotel with an organised New Year’s Eve party? If so, which hotels have NYE packages.
admin
Definitely not! You should book a property in the heart of old St Ives and fully immerse yourself in the carnival that is new year. If you were to stay in a hotel with an organised party you could do that anywhere!
If the crowds are too much then perhaps a property overlooking the harbour would be perfect for you?
Sophie
We are traveling over 6 hours to be In St.ives for new years eve this year. Will celebrations still be going ahead? London celebrations have been cancelled.
admin
It has been confirmed that fireworks will go ahead on new year’s eve in St Ives. The evening is an unofficial street party with fancy dress compulsory!
Judith Kaye
I have just seen on facebook that ‘the Hub’ have published fireworks are not happening in St Ives this year??
admin
Hi Judith. The Hub have stated that there will be no Bonfire Night fireworks this year, whereas our blog refers to New Year’s Eve in St Ives when it has been confirmed the fireworks will be happening at midnight!
Lianna
Where is this held exactly? Looking to come and find somewhere to stay for New Years.
Any suggestions?
admin
There’s a general fancy dress street party around St Ives, mostly on the harbour front and Fore Street.
We have a few properties still available… Beach Vista (over-looking the harbour) or 28 Piazza (in Downalong) perhaps?
Kerry
Hi how long do the fireworks last for
admin
I don’t know if anyone knows that yet, but I imagine 10-15 minutes
Are any New Year’s Eve fireworks displays happening this year? Hear First, here
[…] can also see fireworks displays at other locations in England, such as St Ives in Cornwall, Knole Park in Kent, the Lake District in Cumbria, and Allendale in […]
admin
As things stand the fireworks are scheduled for New Year’s Eve, but a lot can change in the next couple of weeks…
Kim
Is it all still going ahead? We are travelling down from essex.
admin
The fireworks have unfortunately now been cancelled so this year will be a little more low key than usual, although hopefully not as low key as last year!
Emma
Is it worth booking tables for drinks NYE? We have always just turned up at Queens, Balcony, Lifeboat, Sloop, Upper Deck etc – will this be possible this year?
Thanks
admin
Yes, many bars & restaurants are operating a reservation only policy so worth checking individual establishments. We would recommend a new bar/restaurant in St Ives town centre called Host where, as far as we are aware, will be open for walk-in guests.
Emma
Oh is that the new one where the bank used to be? We thought it was just a hotel!
Luke
might be a stupid question due to Covid, Even with the fireworks cancelled this year, will there still be a street party with fancy dress?
admin
The town will still busy and, whilst there is no official arrangements, there will be plenty of people out and about along the harbour and town centre in fancy dress!
Lizzie Kies
Great site with loads of good information Thank you! Do you know if trains will run later that evening?
admin
Looking at the GWR website it looks like the last train departing St Ives is at 21.31 so you might have to rely on local taxis.
Luckily we have some great local taxi companies, including Ace Cars and A1 Cars.
Marki
Looking forward to visiting this year, was just wondering is there a map available of which roads will be closed so I can book a car park accordingly? Wouldnt want to book at a car park and then not be able to get out of St ives that night as im staying in Penzance. Thanks
admin
Unfortunately it isn’t possible to book a car parking space in the public car parks in St Ives, but we would suggest parking in the leisure centre car park (Trenwith) approx 10 minutes walk away from the harbour.
Marki
Will the roads around the leisure centre car park be open shortly after the fireworks so I can head back to where I am staying? I still haven’t been able to find any information as to which roads will be closed. Thank you
Amanda
Hoping this blog is still open for the distant NYE. How far in advance do we need to book taxis please? We are planning on staying at St.Ives Bay Resort. Can you see fireworks from there or is it better to stay at the harbour? Paranoid about not being about to get back to accommodation if we drive. Thank you
admin
You might see the fireworks from the other side of the bay but this is some distance away so I wouldn’t recommend it, so you really need to be on the harbour to enjoy the atmosphere.
Re taxis, you should check with one of the local taxi companies – Ace Cars on 01736 797799.
Cullen
Where do you purchase tickets for nye firework event.
admin
There are no tickets for this, the NYE fireworks are viewed from anywhere along the harbour.