Find out how to organise an event of your own as we continue the countdown to Suffolk Day on June 21.
The countdown to Suffolk Day is well and truly underway – with just 50 days left until we come together to celebrate our wonderful county.
Communities across Suffolk are preparing a host of events and festivities to mark the special day on June 21 – and applications are now open for more grassroots suggestions.
Plans range from a farmer’s menagerie at Suffolk Food Hall in Wherstead, to an exclusive tour of Suffolk’s only cathedral in Bury St Edmunds.
At the food hall, pupils from Birchwood Primary School will come face-to face with the ‘Suffolk Sextuple’ – a collection of Suffolk’s native breeds.
The walk and talk tour of St Edmundsbury Cathedral will be run by the man responsible for its iconic Millennium Tower, Horry Parsons.
Hannah Ratcliffe, visits and communications manager, said: “We are delighted to welcome back former Millennium Construction Project Manager, Horry Parsons, for three exclusive walk and talks on the iconic Millennium Tower and Vaulted Ceiling.
“Horry had a key role in these two major works which are now the crowning glory for Suffolk’s only cathedral here in Bury St Edmunds. We are proud to be a beacon of faith, hope and love in Suffolk and would love for our visitors to join in with this special series on Suffolk Day.”
Just down the road in Horringer, Ickworth House, Park and Gardens will be offering free house entry throughout the day, with a full range of free tours on offer to visitors.
Teams across the county will also be offering free health checks to those at risk of heart disease, in an effort to highlight health concerns before they have an impact on people’s quality of life.
The health checks, run by lifestyle service OneLife Suffolk, will be offered at events in Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket and Ipswich.
One particuarly touching event in the diary this year is a candlelit vigil run by St Elizabeth Hospice. ‘Suffolk Remembers’ will offer locals the chance to dedicate a candle to a lost loved one in Felixstowe seafront gardens.
Pauline Donkin, the charity’s individual support manager, said: “Suffolk Remembers gives local people the opportunity to remember and celebrate the lives of loved ones no longer with us.
“In doing so, they will support our vital work across east Suffolk so we can continue to help people living with a progressive or terminal illness, and their families, in our local community.
“Each dedicated candle will bear the name of the person being remembered and these will join 4,000 others to spell out the words Suffolk Remembers on giant boards which will be placed in the gardens as part of the event.
“Once these are in place there will be a time for quiet reflection as we remember those no longer with us.”
Nick Barber, Mayor of Felixstowe, added: “While everyone will be celebrating the wonderful county of Suffolk, this event allows us to celebrate what truly makes this country great; our people.”
A host of guided walks will be on offer throughout the county, from a two-hour stroll around Hadleigh and Aldham, to a true country trek in Stowmarket. Fans of Arthur Ransome’s can also follow in the footsteps of the famous children’s author, starting at Pin Mill.
For those keen to learn about Suffolk’s dedicated police force, the Constabulary Museum will be open to the public – with opening times due to be released soon.
The East of England Co-operative will also be getting involved, with in-store tastings featuring Suffolk’s finest flavours throughout the day.
Many pubs are running events – including treasure hunts at the Westleton Crown and Dunwich Ship. The village-owned Case is Altered in Bentley and The Arbor House in Ipswich are also holding celebrations.
Meanwhile, the next High Sheriff of Suffolk, George Vestey, will travel the county with Tim Holder, of the Suffolk Community Foundation, to attend all of BBC Radio Suffolk’s outside broadcasts and to shine a light on the great work of charities and community groups in Suffolk.
Suffolk Day is backed by the East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star, along with BBC Radio Suffolk and the county council.
For those who have ideas of their own, Suffolk County Council (SCC) has set up a dedicated website to promote the day and encourage locals to get involved.
Andrew St Ledger, head of communications at SCC, said: “We’ve created a special Suffolk Day website because we wanted a simple, one stop shop where people can advertise their events, see what other exciting things are going on and get swept up in the Suffolk Day celebrations.
“It only takes a few minutes to register an event so if you’re doing something special to celebrate our fantastic county, please let us know and we’ll tell the rest of Suffolk for you.”
The website can be found at: https://suffolkday.co.uk/whats-on
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