Fifty years of Christmas lights in Mousehole

Mousehole will come alive with festive spirit from 7.30pm tomorrow when thousands of lights are lit on the harbour walls, on the water itself and along the narrow streets. You’ll see a fantastic display of sea serpents, fishing boats and whales colourfully lighting up one of Cornwall’s most welcoming harbours. Centrepiece is the millennium Celtic cross on St Clement Island, powered ever so greenly by a wind generator.

An open-air Carolaire service will be held at the entrance to the North Quay with singers from the Mousehole Male Voice Choir, Mousehole Methodist Church and the Pendeen Silver Band. This year the lights will be switched on by Mr Dudley Penrose (President & former Chairman), Mr Stuart Purnell (Chief Lights Designer & Founder Member) & Mrs Diana Burroughs (Retiring Secretary). If wet weather, the Carolaire service will be held in Mousehole Methodist Church. The lights will then be on each evening between 5pm and 11pm (approximately) until Saturday 4 January 2014 (with the exception of 19th Dec, when the lights will be dimmed between 8-9pm). This year marks the 50th anniversary of Christmas lights in Mousehole. They began in 1963 when artist Joan Gillchrest strug up some coloured bulbs along both quays to make the village a bit brighter. Nowadays, the largest piece is the 'Merry Christmas/Happy New Year' which is approximately 160ft (50m) long x 20ft (6m) high and contains nearly 1000 bulbs! Wow! If you are heading down to see the lights, be aware that parking is limited and you may need to park a long way out of the village