Glasses of fizz in hand, fireworks lighting up the sky and sea, New Year’s Eve is the final hoorah of 2023 so why not make sure your night is the best it can be. We certainly will be!
With waterside towns adding a sparkly addition to the fireworks displays and local businesses going all out with their celebrations, New Year’s Eve in Cornwall is always a spectacular affair.
In this list, we’ve got some cosy corners where you can have an intimate celebration with loved ones, as well as massive town-wide festivities that really close the year in style (and by style, we mean full and fantastic fancy dress). This is our rundown of the best places to countdown to 2024 in Cornwall.
St Ives
A beautiful waterside location, a carnival level of fancy dress, and an incredible fireworks display make St Ives one of the best places to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Cornwall. With so many people dressing up, it’s actually thought to be the third-largest fancy dress party in the UK after London and Edinburgh. So, if you’re going to attend, make sure you dress to excess! Check out our perfectly placed webcam at Hub St Ives to see just how big St Ives goes on New Year.
Restaurants fill up quickly, so if you want to prelude your evening with dinner out, we recommend reserving a table.
Falmouth
New Year’s Eve is all about making your last day of 2023 count and what better place to do this than the vibrant seaside town of Falmouth. With a slew of events and live music happening throughout the town, there’s something for everyone whether you want a little bit of glamour or a whole lot of bubbly before ending the night with a dazzling fireworks show. Don’t forget to look down as well as up as the reflections in the sea are just as mesmerising as they are in the sky.
The Greenbank has everyone covered with year-defining cocktails and a view, a beautiful gala dinner, and a fabulous house party that will see you boogying your way into the new year.
Newquay
Every year, Newquay is a hive of exciting activity and crazy costumes, giving it a top spot on our list of ways to countdown to 2024. The numerous bars and restaurants make this seaside favourite a fantastic place to dine and dance the night away.
Fistral Beach Hotel is holding a spellbinding NYE party to really finish 2023 off right, complete with glitz, glamour and gin… yes, please! Perfect your moves as you dance the night away to a six-piece rock, pop and soul band, and feast away on the mouth-watering menu served in the Dune restaurant. Oh, and did we mention there will be midnight snacks? Sign us up!
Alternatively, you can dress up in any style or theme you like in favour of the town’s annual celebration, which sees locals and visitors dressing to the nines (and beyond). This famed fancy dress tradition culminates at Central Square where everyone joins together to watch the final countdown, seeing the new year in with a heart-warming sense of community.
Mousehole
With their famous Christmas lights still decorating the harbour, Mousehole offers a quiet corner where you can toast the new year in a more relaxed and ambient setting. Gather the people you love most and settle down in one of Mousehole’s charming restaurants or pubs for a cosy evening by the fire reminiscing about 2023 and dreaming of the year to come. Top the evening off with a jovial stroll around the harbour to marvel at the renowned lights and the quintessential Cornish charm of Mousehole.
Whether it’s a proper Cornish pint, a drop of fizz, or a full festive meal, we love the Ship Inn for that extra special atmosphere that wraps around you like a Christmas jumper.
Truro
Fireworks, cobbled streets, and the impressive outline of the cathedral standing over you, Cornwall’s city is a spectacular place to raise a glass to 2024. The Alverton’s annual ball is always a firm favourite, with champagne on arrival (and a Bellini bar for good measure), a mouth-watering six course tasting menu and a fabulous resident DJ, all culminating in a superb send-off for the year.
This year, you can completely shed the skin of 2023 at The Cathedral Masquerade ball. Forget the jeans and glittery tops, this event is strictly black tie and ball gowns with Venetian masks adding even more grandeur to the evening. Throughout the ball you’ll be entertained with theatrical performances, street food, and a champagne bar as well as a Gin Garden adding a uniquely Cornish flare to this extravagant event.
Looe
You know when you go out for an evening and there’s only one fireworks display? The people of Looe don’t as they set the sky alight with two incredible shows: one at 6pm that the whole family can enjoy and one at midnight to really kick the new year off with a bang.
You don’t want to turn up underdressed though as the crowds that flock to Looe love to dress to impress in their very best fancy dress attire. So, whether you become your favourite character or you transform into a creature of the deep, get sewing so you can join the throng of wonderful and weird costumes.
Padstow
We really do love a waterside location for a fireworks display as the rippling reflections add a whole new layer to the experience. It’s so easy to get lost in the swaying bursts of colour and nowhere is this more true than in Padstow where fireworks erupt and fill the sky with dazzling displays that stretch across the harbour.
One of our favourite ways to hit the refresh button for the new year is to take a revitalising dip in the Cornish sea, which can be done at any one of the nearby beaches and coves throughout the day. There really is no better way to shake off 2023 while getting amped for a fabulous New Year’s Eve filled with fun, fancy dress, and festivities.
Explore our collection of holiday cottages in Cornwall and enjoy the best possible start to 2024.
