POLZEATH RESONANCE 2026

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Polzeath Resonance 2026

Sunday, 13th September – Sunday, 20th September 2026

"Resonance happens when one heart speaks and another heart answers at the same frequency."

Polzeath Resonance is a week-long celebration of coastal walks, live music, creative arts, and homegrown cinema. Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of everyone who supported our previous film events, we have purchased a permanent big screen and blackout setup for The Tubestation—our official festival base for the week.

Festival Schedule

Sunday, 13th September | Opening Night: All You Need is Love

18:30 | The Regal Cinema, Wadebridge (Screen 1)

An Evening with Tony Palmer: A legendary retrospective and live Q&A with BAFTA and Emmy award-winning filmmaker Tony Palmer. Featuring a curated career showreel, his iconic 52-minute Beatles documentary, and stories from 20th-century music history.

Tickets: Bookable via The Regal Cinema Box Office.

Monday, 14th September | Pilgrimage & Nurdling

10:00 | Morning Mystery Walk (Meet outside The Tubestation)

Guided Magical Mystery Polzeath ramble led by Bill but feel free to tell the group your stories along the way. 2-3 hours gentle walking.

Tuesday, 15th September | Masterclass in Endurance

10-12 am| Nurdling Championship (Cliff Bank, Daymer Bay Path)

Traditional Cornish Nurdling team event hosted by Michael Gover at Cliff Bank. Come take on the challenge to win back the Ashes! For those new to Nurdling rules and route will be explained and teams formed by Michael at the start. No previous experience in nurdling required. About 2 hours with a chance of tea and cake at the end for the winners (usually everyone). Michael will take orders for his new local joke book which will be available to preview as an early Christmas present for those who like to laugh (please let us know beforehand if you'd like to take part and/or if laughing is not for you).

20:00 | The Regal Cinema, Wadebridge (Screen 1)
Cinema Double-Bill & Director Q&A: Featuring Simon Ratigan’s acclaimed documentary Alex Lewis: Mountain (92 mins) alongside his award-winning short We Are All Artists (12 mins, filmed on Polzeath Beach). Followed by a live stage Q&A with director Simon Ratigan.

Tickets: Bookable via The Regal Cinema Box Office. Half ticket proceeds will be donated to the Alex Lewis Trust (see details further down this web page)

Wednesday, 16th September | The Zeth Gallery & Local Lens: Tubestation Open Day

All Day | The Tubestation, Polzeath
Where local art, coastlines, and starry skies collide. Pop in for a relaxed daytime showcase celebrating the spirit, shores, and creative talent of North Cornwall. Drop in, grab a coffee, browse local work, and immerse yourself in our coastline on the big screen.

Daytime Program:

All Day | Local Craft Stalls & The Zeth Gallery: Handcrafted goods from local artisans alongside a continuous gallery exhibition of daily Beach Art Mandalas.

13:00 – 15:00 | The Big Screen Showcase: A high-definition visual journey across North Cornwall featuring work by Bill Bartlett, and community contributors.

15:30 – 16:30 | Mark Yeoman’s Night-Sky Showcase & Q&A: Local astrophotographer Mark Yeoman presents his breathtaking night-sky imagery, capturing the Milky Way over the local sea, followed by a live Q&A.

Want to Set Up a Stall?

Anyone is welcome to apply! Spaces are free / pay-what-you-can (limited availability). Contact Bill to reserve a pitch or.Sign up if interested

Call for Photo Submissions!

Have up to 10 photos of local landscapes, sea life, or beach art? Email or WhatsApp Bill (07486 461998 / wnbartlett@gmail.com) to feature in the big-screen reel!

Thursday, 17th September | Soundscapes & Songsmiths

10:45 – 12:00 | Place to be confirmed depending on numbers of people signing up.

The Polzeath Sonic Sanctuary: Listening Session

Curated by Sound Editor Pete Doggart | Hosted at The Tubestation

"Even though we’re surrounded by these waves day and night, it takes a dedicated, peaceful space to appreciate the wonder of Polzeath’s sonic environment. It’s not all about what we see..."

Step out of the wind and join us for a dedicated 30-minute session to sit back, close your eyes, and experience the hidden acoustic soul of our bay—from sea-cave echoes to low-tide shingle rolls.

For those unable to attend in person the Polzeath soundtrack will be available online so you can enjoy this listening session with one of Britain's very best sound editors!

Friday, 18th September | Community Potluck & Showcase

18:00 – Late | The Tubestation, Polzeath

Potluck Community Supper & Polzeath Film Festival Showcase: Bring a dish to share followed by screenings of local entries submitted to the Polzeath Community Film Competition 2026.

Saturday, 19th September | Song lines

9.30 am meet for a bus to Port Isaac (10 am) and walk back via the inland routes to Polzeath. 6 miles (Moderate / Less strenuous than the main coast path)

Evening (time and place to be confirmed)

Join Lucy Gray and friends Euan Millington and Chris Bourne (Busted Buskers) for an informal evening of songs. Come sing a song with Lucy, London's favourite busker, whose heart is truly in Polzeath. Or come just to listen to two of Cornwall's most talented singer songwriters.

Cinema Giants on the Cornish Coast: Tony Palmer & Simon Ratigan

This year, the Polzeath Resonance Festival welcomes two powerhouse documentary filmmakers: Tony Palmer and Simon Ratigan.

Having iconic directors of their status present their work—and take the stage for live Q&As—is very special for our community. Their presence proudly anchors Polzeath’s new role as an official regional hub for the upcoming Cornwall Film Festival this autumn, proving that our shores are not just a haven for surf and sea, but a premier destination for world-class visual storytelling.

Sunday 13th September: An Evening with Tony Palmer

The Regal Cinema, Wadebridge | evening

We open our festival cinema strand with a rare appearance by BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Tony Palmer. With a staggering career spanning over 100 films, Palmer is widely regarded as one of the world's foremost directors of music documentaries and arts cinema. From directing legendary portraits of Frank Zappa, Leonard Cohen, Jimi Hendrix, and Maria Callas, to capturing classical masters like Benjamin Britten and Wagner, his lens has documented the true icons of 20th-century culture.

Palmer brings a specially curated career showreel alongside his remastered 1977 masterpiece, All You Need Is Love: The Beatles. The screening offers a nod to the Fab Four’s famous September 1967 road trip down to Newquay, followed by an extended, live stage Q&A

Supporting a Cause: A portion of the proceeds from Sunday’s screening will be donated directly to the Young & Talented Cornwall (The Lord Lieutenant's Fund), which provides grants to Cornish young people aged 13–23 facing financial hardship, geographical barriers, or disabilities.

Tuesday 15th September: The Return of Simon Ratigan

The Regal Cinema, Wadebridge | 20:00

On Tuesday evening, we welcome back acclaimed director Simon Ratigan for the special feature presentation of his multi-award-winning documentary, Alex Lewis: Mountain (92 mins).

Six years in the making, Ratigan’s deeply moving film captures one of the most inspirational feats in modern documentary cinema. Following the catastrophic loss of all four limbs and part of his face to Strep A and Septicemia, the film follows Alex Lewis and Ethiopian double-amputee Emebet Ale Dires as they attempt to scale Ethiopia’s highest peak, Ras Dashen (4,550m), using a custom, solar-powered hand-cycle.

Winner of Best Documentary at the London Independent Film Festival, Mountain is a breathtaking testament to human endurance, engineering, and spirit. The feature will be paired with Ratigan’s atmospheric short We Are All Artists (12 mins)—a striking black-and-white visual homage to North Cornwall’s beach art—and followed by a live stage Q&A with Simon.

Supporting a Cause: A portion of the proceeds from Tuesday’s screening will be donated directly to the Alex Lewis Trust, funding life-changing, affordable assistive technology and engineering for amputees.

Friday Morning Program | The Polzeath Sonic Sanctuary

Location: The Tubestation, Polzeath

Curated by: Acclaimed Sound Editor Pete Doggart

Schedule & Overview

10:45 AM — Doors Open: Welcome & Coffee
Grab a warm drink, and settle into a comfortable seat before the session begins.
10:55 AM — Introduction: The Art of Attuned Listening
A short opening introduction to set the space. While we naturally experience North Cornwall through its stunning visual landscapes, the subtle acoustic world around us often fades into background noise.
Using specialized field-recording equipment, professional sound editor Pete Doggart captures the hidden micro-soundscapes of our coastline—from the resonant thrum of low-tide sea caves to the delicate crunch of gravel under receding waves and the whistle of wind through marram grass. Masterfully woven together, this soundscape invites us to slow down, attune our ears, and experience Nroth Cornwall from a completely fresh perspective.
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM — Feature Session: The Sonic Sanctuary (30 Mins)
The 30 minute immersive composition will be played in Tubestation. Accompanied by gentle, low-light coastal imagery on the big screen, this dedicated half-hour offers a rare moment to sit back, close your eyes, and listen to the hidden soul of Polzeath.
11:30 AM — Reflection & Coffee Chat
Stay for a relaxed conversation over tea or coffee to share what you noticed in the audio mix.

(Note: For those unable to join us in person at The Tubestation, a digital master of the Polzeath Soundscape will be made available online following the event).

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