Live, music, photography, art and theatre, dance, and pirates are among the activities as a fishing hamlet stages one of its biggest ever events.
The exciting four-day Ferry Fest at Felixstowe Ferry takes place over the Bank Holiday weekend – with a huge crowd of performers and revellers set to descend on the tiny community.
It gets under way on Friday, August 24 and runs through to Monday, August 27.
A spokesman for the organisers said: “Ferry Fest Felixstowe is an exciting new event in Felixstowe’s community and cultural calendar – a celebration of arts and community in the wonderful setting of Felixstowe Ferry.
“Over four fabulous days, Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club, St Nicholas Church and the Millennium Green will host live music, art, craft, dance, photography, theatre, a ceilidh, beachcombing, a beer and cider festival, hog roasts, picnics, a pirate themed family day and more.”
There will be a free shuttle bus from Felixstowe town centre to the Ferry between noon and 6pm.
Tickets now available for the following. Book online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/ferryfestfelixstowe
Friday, August 24, 7.30pm
Launch Night – Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club
Two local rock and roll bands – J.S. and the Lockerbillies and The Craze. Great 50s and 60s music and dancing. Tickets: £6
Saturday, August 25, 1.30pm and 4pm
Horizon Theatre: ‘Surge’ – St Nicholas Church
A play inspired by the 1953 East Coast Floods by Jayne Lindill. Tickets: £5
Saturday, August 25, 7.30pm
Ceilidh – Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club
Get your dancing shoes on for a rip-roaring evening with the Harbour Lights Dance Band. Tickets: £8
Sunday, August 26, 10am to 1pm
Musical in a Morning – Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club
A workshop for young people to write, stage and perform a brand new musical. Run by Helen Clarke and Wade Ablitt. For ages 8-18 years. Performance for family and friends at 1230. Tickets: £10
Sunday, August 26, 11am
I Must Go Down to the Sea Again – St. Nicholas Church
Words and music on a maritime theme with Emily Bennett and Brian Theodore Ralph. Tickets: £10
Sunday, August 26, 2pm-2.45pm; 3.30pm-4.15pm; 4.30pm-5.15pm
Language of Flamenco - Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club
Get ready to dance, with a taste of flamenco dance. Tickets: Adults £5.00. children £2.50.
Sunday, August 26, 7.30pm
Back in Business – Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club
Conceived by Wade Ablitt, this revue show looks at the past, present and future of musical theatre. Featuring a cast of young Suffolk talent and a live band. Tickets: £5
Other events include a
Photography workshop and walk with Justin Minns. £15. Book: 07734 068605 or email info@justinminns.co.uk on Saturday.
Nature Walk with Tim Kenny on Sunday
Quartetto Familia (Music in Felixstowe) on Sunday.
Fun family pirate activities on Monday.
Live music and pop up stories on Monday.
‘Captain Fanplastic’. Help create an enormous plastic pirate on Monday.
Push the Boat Out. Try sailing for free on Monday.
Also throughout weekend there will be a beer and cider festival, hog roast, treasure hunt (from Clifflands car park to the Ferry), Floods and Photography exhibitions, art and craft stalls.
East Coast by Jayne Lindill and Horizon Theatre
East Coast, January 31, 2018. A huge storm is brewing.
Forecasters are predicting conditions not seen since the catastrophic night of January 31, 1953, when a storm surge and floods killed more than 300 people and made thousands homeless.
Steve Drury, born in the middle of that tempestuous night 65 years ago, is facing his own crisis. As his wife, Annie, organises a party to celebrate his milestone birthday and his retirement, he’s trying to come to terms with a future without the job that he loves and which has defined his very existence.
But the real cause of his anxiety is his older sister, Maggie. Rendered mute by the trauma of that terrible night in 1953, she’s deeply disturbed by the arrival of this new storm. It arouses memories and emotions that have been submerged for a life time, and threatens to split open the past, revealing long held secrets and unleashing feelings of guilt, grief and loss with devastating consequences.
Cast: Steve Drury - Philip Steward; Annie Drury - Heather Prince; Jackie - Alison Miller; Paul - Steve Roche; Maggie - Jayne Lindill; George - Dennis Bowron; Jess - Petra Risbridger
Captain Fanplastic
He’s big, he’s bad . . . and he’s made of rubbish. He’s Captain Fanplastic, the creation of children at Kingsfleet Primary School in Felixstowe, and a star attraction at Ferry Fest
Felixstowe 2018.
The pupils have been collecting non-recyclable items to build the plastic pirate, which will go on show at the event over the bank holiday weekend August 24-27.
They’ve been inspired to create the decidedly unfriendly environmental villain by eco-warrior Jason Alexander, also known as The Wildlife Gadget Man, who is waging war on plastic and other environmentally damaging rubbish that ends up on Suffolk’s beaches.
Jason recently created Scruff the Plastic Dragon to draw attention to the massive problem, and also visited Kingsfleet to talk to pupils about how they can help keep plastic out of seas, where it endangers marine life.
At Ferry Fest Felixstowe families will have an opportunity to join in a pirate themed day (August 27), when they can meet Jason and help to finish building Captain Fanplastic by donating any non-recyclable items they have on the day.
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