The Cornish Fire Festival of Golowan is held on Midsummers Eve, 23rd June. This is St John's Eve thus the name Golowan (Gol feast, (J)owan John). In fact the popular 'Golowan' festival in Penzance is still celebrated today around Midsummer. Its continuation as a living tradition into the 21st Century is also thanks to the efforts of the Old Cornwall Societies who hold bonfire ceremonies on ancient hilltops the length and breadth of Cornwall on Midsummer's Eve. References to the bonfires and Midsummer celebrations such as that of Bottrel 'Traditions and Hearthside stories of West Cornwall' (1870) which frequently mentioned dancing, unfortunately gave no solid description. However, Lake's 'Parochial History of Cornwall' (Volume III) gives graphic detail of the Fire Festival in Penzance involving lightened tar barrels rolling through the streets and men swinging heavy torches overhead in a complicated circular motion. In fact Penzance had its own 'Obby Oss' which was associated with these activities. This was known as 'Pen Glas' (meaning blue or grey head) which was a horses skull on a pole draped in a cloak.