From tasty pies to Suffolk Punches, we take a look at how the East region of our county celebrated Suffolk Day.
The event, spearheaded by BBC Radio Suffolk and the East Anglian Daily Times, celebrated Suffolk’s history, art and culture, landscape, technology, wildlife, food and businesses.
Award-winning local food business, Truly Traceable, used iconic ingredients in the county for a special Suffolk pie, including Blythburgh free-range bacon, Baron Bigod Brie from Fen Farm Dairy and red currants from High House Fruit Farm in Sudbourne.
Owner of Truly Traceable, Lynn Tricker, said: “We thought it would be great to showcase some of the best Suffolk produce with our bacon, brie and red currant picnic pie, and, as it’s Midsummer’s Day, people could celebrate by having one of our pies at a picnic.
“The pies have been very popular; we had to get another basket full down as we had sold out of the first lot by mid day.”
“As all of our pies are made with local ingredients it was difficult to think of something new to celebrate the day. We took our most popular Blythburgh pork pie and added even more Suffolk ingredients to make it special.
“We will continue to sell the pies in upcoming events such as Snape Farmers Market, the Halesworth’s Midsummer Market and the Sotterley Country Fair.”
Staff at Pier Marketing also used food as a base for their Suffolk Day celebrations.
They marked the day by tucking into a picnic of Suffolk produced goods on Felixstowe beach in their lunchbreak, which included Aspall cyder, freshly-baked scones and traditional Suffolk lemonade.
Easton and Otley college students and staff dressed as Ed Sheeran, with a few ‘Ed’s’ spotted on the campus.
College spokesperson, John Nice, said: “Suffolk Day is a brilliant idea that has brought the community together in such a perfect way. Without doubt, this should happen every year.”
The Suffolk Punch Trust in Hollesley naturally joined in with the celebrations with a day of demonstrations and activities.
A spokesperson said: “We opened today especially for Suffolk Day so people could come along and watch a variety of fun demonstrations; from how we fit harnesses on to the horses to how we braid their tails.”
Native to the county, the Suffolk Punch breed was once used as a draft horse for farming.
Now, critically endangered, the Suffolk Punch Trust charity helps to maintain the breed through breeding programmes.
Pupils and teachers from Langer Primary Academy in Felixstowe celebrated the first Suffolk Day with a whole school visit to the beach to celebrate their affection for the county they live in.
Felixstowe also held a candlelight vigil, in association with St Elizabeth Hospice, in memory of Suffolk loved ones.
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