Kernow King, The Cape Singers and Looe band The Changing Room are among artists billed to perform at the first Festival Kernewek - Penzance Cornish Language Festival.

The nine-day festival starts on Saturday (February 25).

Festival organiser Jane Howells said: ‘The festival has been created to celebrate the uniqueness of Cornish culture, language and heritage.

‘We want to make it really easy for people to join in. We aim to cater for a wide range of interests with low ticket prices, and many free events.  The most important thing is that people come along, enjoy great Cornish entertainment and learn something new.’

The first day of Festival Kernewek sets the scene with a conference on international recognition for Cornish culture, identity and language followed by an evening with storytellers Stephen Hall, Pauline Sheppard and Liz Harman and the best of Penwith singing with the Cape Singers and the Boilerhouse Singers.

The festival has a creative programme with more than 36 events. 

It will culminate on St Piran’s Day, March 5, with a recreation of a medieval St Piran procession with a specially commissioned statue of St Piran being carried from the ancient centre of Penzance to the original mother church at Madron where there will be a St Piran service at 11am. The festival is based at The Acorn Theatre, Penzance and is organised by the educational charity Cornish Quest.