Whilst wandering round the town this afternoon I came across an artist working out in the street! Not unusual, you'd think, for a place like St. Ives - famous for its artistry - but, in fact, it's a fairly rare event (perhaps they're normally shut in their studios producing material for the gallery shops).

Then I remembered it's St. Ives September Festival - "A Festival of Music & The Arts...". There's a programme stuffed with live music, exhibitions and workshops. "Great" I think, "I'll get myself a culture top-up" but my word what prices they're charging for everything. I was once told by a real local that St Ives folk would rather die of thirst than buy a bottle of water at shop prices and I wonder how many local people will attend these events.

So there you are ... St. Ives September Festival - a local festival for the well-off tourist.

[EDIT : significant passages of unnecessary sarcasm in earlier versions of the above text have been removed (though one or two minor bits may have slipped through the net)].

PS Thanks awfully for all that positive stuff that went on yesterday!