July events: Step into a midsummer night’s dream at Port Eliot Festival

Every July, the St Germans family open their Cornwall estate to host the Port Eliot Festival. Originally a literary event, it has grown to encompass fashion, food, flowers and music and attracts a smattering of celebrities who wander undisturbed through the crowds. The food is far from the usual ‘festival grub’ – the region’s chefs serve everything from local oysters to fresh crepes.

Start the day with a yoga class in the House, sunbathe on the manicured lawns, catch some poetry in the woods or let legendary designer Barbara Hulanicki whip up a costume for you in the Wardrobe Department, then take in the sunset down by the river, and dance the night away in the enchanted forest.

Port Eliot Festival 2019 takes place from 26 to 29 July; Aldous Harding, The Orielles, Emily Maitlis and Shappi Khorsandi will all be appearing across the weekend on various stages.