The weather was not very copperative for the annual celebration of St. Pirans Day in Grass Valley Saturday morning. Even though there was wind rain and a bit of hail, about 20 people gathered to honor the Patron Saint of Cornish Tin Miners, and celebrate Grass Valley’s rich Cornish heritage. Each year, local historian, and Cornish Bard, Gage McKinney lists a number of reasons Grass Valley is the most Cornish Place in America. The list includes the location of City Hall on the fromer site of the Washington Hotel, which housed hundreds of Cornish immigrants during the Gold Rush.

The abbreviated event included the Grass Valley All Male Voice Choir under the direction of Grass Valley’s other Cornish Bard, Eleanor Kenitzer.

The main event, The Pasty Olymipics and Mayors Cup Competition, was won by Nevada City Mayor Reinette Senum just as a brief hail shower broke out. Senum landing two pasties on the St. Piran Flag while Grass Valley Mayor Lisa Swarthout’s tosses were just off the flag. Grass Valey Police Chief Alex Gammelgard out-tossed Nevada City Lieutenant Paul Rhode and Madelyn Helling Librarian Cindy Palowski defeated Grass Valley Librarian Rachel Tucker in the first ever Librarian toss-off. Emily Pascoe, a native of Cornwall, England, and a current Davis resident, landed a pasty almost dead center for her toss. Carol Kinyon and the United Methodist women, along with Emily Pascoe, were winners in the Pasty Cooking Contest. Kinyon also acknowledged for taking the time to prepare all of the “offical tossing- pasties” that were filled with dog food. She assured us that the eating pasties were a different recipe.