Events in the Civic Year of St Ives

The new Mayor of St. Ives, Cllr. Jason Ablewhite, and the new Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Douglas Dew, photographed at the Free Church on 18th May 2005 just after the Mayor Making Ceremony.

St Ives is one of the few towns in the area to retain its Civic Dignities, that is the Town Council conducts its business in the traditional manner. At formal council meetings the Mayor and Councillors wear the vestments and chains of office that date back over 100 years and on numerous occasions throughout the year do so at civic events held within and without the town.

Whenever the Town Council meets it does so in the presence of the Town Mace and when the Councillors appear in public it is the Mace that leads the way on the shoulders of the Mace Bearer, Mr. John Smoothy. In years gone by it was the Mace Bearer's role to protect the officials that followed and clear a passage through the crowd thankfully now this has become a ceremonial activity.

The Mace Bearer, Mr. John Smoothy, and the 2003 Mayor of St. Ives, Cllr. Kevin Reynolds at the Michaelmas Fair

Maintaining this tradition is considered an important part of maintaining the spirit of community and the sense of belonging. It is traditions that join all aspects of a community together;

Council and Carnival

The 2005 Mayor of St Ives, Cllr Jason Ablewhite (centre), accompanied by the 2004 Mayor, Cllr Brian Luter (left) and his wife Paula (right), the 2004 Mayoress, choosing the Queen and Princesses of the 2005 St Ives Carnival

More information about the St Ives Carnival

Council and the Cadets

The 2003 Mayor of St Ives, Cllr Kevin Reynolds, reviewing the Cadets of the Air Training Corps

Town Council and the Twirlers

This picture just goes to prove that one does not need military aspirations to be smart

and part of the community

More information about the Youth Groups in St Ives

It is by maintaining our traditions, and indeed developing new ones, that gives us all a sense of being part of something bigger and although the Town Council is hardly responsible for the defence and health of the nation it is responsible for the defence of our town and the health of our community.

The other sections available from the menu of the left describe, in detail with photographs some of the other annual civic events held within St. Ives