The main focus of the festival is a celebration of all things literary, although there is also a variety of other entertainment. The very large programme boasts over 20 venues, all with their own events.
Port Eliot Festival was founded in 2001 by Jago Eliot, 10th Earl of St Germans. It is a successor to the famous Elephant Fayre event, which was held at Port Eliot in the 1980s.