Cool Place of the Day: Obby Oss, Padstow

Every day, a new place to discover or explore, from coolplaces.co.uk

The Obby Oss: What does it all mean?

Not so much a Cool Place as a Cool Event, Padstow is famous for Obby Oss, a May Day festival steeped in tradition and thought to be of Celtic origin. It happens on Monday May 2 this year, and is maybe the biggest day in Padstow’s year, with tens of thousands of people crammed into the town’s narrow streets and harbour, which are decorated with bunting and flags.

Starting promptly at 10am, the day unfolds with flowers, drums and singing, and a procession winds around Padstow following first the blue oss and then later the red oss – both startling-looking ribboned, vaguely horselike effigies wearing costumes built around enormous wooden hoops, which are strapped to the wearer’s shoulders and draped with sailcloths. They prance through the streets entertaining the crowds, who follow on singing traditional Mayday songs to massed accordions and generally having a ball until the poor old Osses are killed off at midnight at the maypole.

What does it all mean? No one really knows, or maybe even cares, it seems. But it’s one of Cornwall’s most historic and unique festivals, a rousing ritual, and exiled Padstow folk are said to return in droves to take part. Why not grab a pasty, a pint and a songsheet, and join them?

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