Suffolk Day will return this year and is set to be bigger and better than ever before.
That’s the message as we reveal the first details of the 2019 event, dubbed the ‘Big Weekender’.
What is Suffolk Day and when is it taking place?
This year’s Suffolk Day will again take place on the longest day of the year – June 21.
But with it falling on a Friday for the first time, organisers are encouraging people to spread their celebrations out over the weekend too.
It is hoped many organisations and attractions around the county will jump on board to take part in the event, which helps to shine the spotlight on all that is good about Suffolk.
It is backed by the East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star, BBC Radio Suffolk, Suffolk Food Hall and Suffolk County Council – and anyone can take part.
Brad Jones, editor of the EADT and Ipswich Star, said: “This may only be the third Suffolk Day, but it has really captured the imagination and the number of people taking part continues to grow.
“It keeps getting better, and we think that by making this an event which spreads over three days, it will give everyone an opportunity to play a part.
“We’re lucky to live in a fantastic part of the world, which has so much going for it.
“Suffolk Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate that.”
Mark Murphy, BBC Radio Suffolk’s breakfast show presenter, said: “Now in its third year, it’s firmly established in the Suffolk calendar.
“With it falling on a Friday this year let’s make a whole weekend of it!
“I’d love to see Suffolk businesses coming up with great deals and events for Suffolk people.
“Maybe you could get friends and family together for a Suffolk Day BBQ or just take some time out to enjoy the Suffolk countryside or coast.
“It’s a great opportunity to stop and appreciate how lucky we are to live in the best county in the country.”
How you can get involved
Businesses and individuals are encouraged to take part in any way they see fit.
In previous years, Suffolk attractions have opened their doors and offered reduced or free entry on the day, while there have been special menus put on at restaurants and pubs.
Tours and walks which take in Suffolk’s splendour have also taken place.
But people might simply want to arrange a get together with friends on the Suffolk Day weekend – or perhaps even hold a barbecue or throw a street party.
Oliver Paul, Suffolk Food Hall director, said: “2019 is going to be a year for positivity.
“To make the most of what we’ve got, to celebrate what we’re privileged to have in Suffolk and to strengthen our communities.
“Suffolk Day, and stretching over the weekend, will be a key moment for all to get together and enjoy the county.
“Plan your day out and pack a hamper with some Suffolk savouries.”
Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, Clare, Countess of Euston, has also voiced her support for this year’s event.
She said: “I have very high hopes for this wonderful, vibrant county of ours in 2019 end not withstanding the challenges we all know lie ahead.
“In the midst of a fantastic array of county events planned for the year, Suffolk Day has become the focal point of our celebrations of Suffolk’s story, and I am delighted to learn that this year we are to have a whole weekend of festivities around the 19th of June.
“We all have our own particular reasons for loving Suffolk and it is hugely important that we properly acknowledge and celebrate all the things that make this county of ours so remarkable.
“Three cheers for Suffolk Day!”
Suffolk Remembers returns
One of the more poignant events on Suffolk Day will once again be the Suffolk Remembers service.
Organised by St Elizabeth Hospice, it is the opportunity to celebrate the lives of loved ones no longer with us by dedicating a candle in their memory.
The candle will be lit on Felixstowe seafront on the evening of June 21, as Suffolk Day draws to a close.
Last years, 4,000 candles were lit.
There was a performance by Pop Chorus of the hospice charity single Always, Martlesham Brass played moving pieces, and poignant poems were read by local people, including schoolchildren.
The aim is again to light 4,000 candles, which will spell out “Suffolk Remembers” on the seafront.
Money raised through the initiative will help fund the vital work of the hospice.
If you would like to know more, visit the Suffolk Remembers website.
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