The feast is one of the largest celebrations of its kind left in Cornwall and attracts people from all over west Cornwall and well beyond. In years past, it was incredibly popular with the residents of St Just, who held large feasts and a host of sports and competitions. These included wrestling, ninepin bowling and a game called kook, which involves throwing a ring of iron as near to a goal as possible.
St Just Feast was also famous for bad behaviour, with local men often fighting on the streets as the celebrations continued into the evening. Today the feast starts on the Sunday with a procession led by the Mayor of St Just and visiting mayors from nearby towns, ending with a special feast service in the local church. The Monday of the feast is a day for celebration, with the pubs of the town being exceptionally busy. The feast day also includes special football and rugby matches. St Just Feast is sometimes called Allantide: the same name given to the Cornish version of Halloween.
