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-Sam-Neill.jpg "(c) Latitude Festival / Sam Neill")
THE BEST FESTIVALS IN SUFFOLK
Festivals in Suffolk are more varied than anywhere else in the country. From the UK’s leading music and arts festival to a festival celebrating Brazilian culture and another dedicated entirely to seafood, there’s a Suffolk festival for every interest. With so many festivals to choose from, we simply haven’t been able to mention them all, but here are some of the very best to get you started:
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The Snape Maltings Concert Hall is home to several Suffolk festivalsPhoto (c) Matt Jolly
MUSIC FESTIVALS IN SUFFOLK
ALDEBURGH FESTIVAL
9th – 25th JUNE
Founded by Suffolk-born composer Benjamin Britten, Peters Pears, and Eric Crozier in 1948, the Aldeburgh Festival is a bastion of classical music at home on the beautiful Suffolk Coast. Each year the 17-day festival goes from strength to strength, with a programme that presents classical music in increasingly innovative ways.
MAVERICK FESTIVAL
30th JUNE - 2ND JULY
With a programme that spans the Atlantic, Maverick Festival at Easton Farm Park brings roots and americana music to Suffolk in what’s been hailed as one of the “friendliest, most sincere festivals in England,” and the number one UK festival for any lover of Americana.
LATITUDE FESTIVAL
13TH – 16TH JULY
Twice winner of the UK Festival Award for Best Line-Up, Latitude Festival has already proved itself to be one of the best festivals in the country. Featuring an eclectic mix of literature, comedy, theatre, dance, poetry and some of the world’s greatest musicians, Latitude simply has it all, and a beautiful lakeside setting on The Suffolk Coast to boot.
BOOM BAP FESTIVAL
29TH – 31ST JULY
As the UK’s only dedicated hip hop festival, Boom Bap is truly unique. This hip hop and grime weekender is held in Mildenhall, and celebrates many aspects of hip hop culture, from rap battles to graffiti art. Acts include hip hop and grime veterans from the States and the UK.
SNAPE PROMS
AUGUST
30 summer nights, 30 concerts in the world-class Snape Maltings Concert Hall on The Suffolk Coast. The Snape Proms feature musicians from all over the world playing a spectacular mix of genres and styles, with a little bit of poetry and comedy thrown in.
FOLKEAST
18TH - 20TH AUGUST
Folk music and culture is deeply ingrained in Suffolk, and FolkEast festival celebrates this ancient link like no other. A unique combination of folk music, food and crafts, all “suffused with good vibrations” has won FolkEast it’s place among the UK’s top folk festivals, a position that’s wholeheartedly deserved.
RED ROOSTER,
1ST - 3RD JUNE
Replicating the soulful atmosphere of the American deep south, Red Rooster brings the finest rhythm and blues, americana, blues, soul, roots and country musicians to Suffolk for a weekend of nothing but great music, great food and great times.
Click here to discover more Music Festivals in Suffolk.
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Kids love Latitude Festival, and who could blame them?Photo (c) Marc Sethi
LITERARY FESTIVALS IN SUFFOLK
FELIXSTOWE BOOK FESTIVAL
1ST - 2ND JULY
Among the newest literary festivals in Suffolk, the Felixstowe Book Festival has a love for reading at its core. With talks from writers and novelists hailing from many different genres, it describes itself as a festival ‘for those who always have their head buried in a book and those who haven’t yet fully experience the wonder of reading.”
ALDEBURGH POETRY FESTIVAL
3RD – 5TH NOVEMBER
Founded in 1989, the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival is one of the oldest and most rewarding events of its kind in the country. The packed weekend programme includes not just poetry readings from some of the world’s finest poets, but discussions, close-readings, poetry workshops and more, allowing you to get closer to poetry than ever before.
WAYS WITH WORDS
9TH – 13TH NOVEMBER
This 5-day festival in Southwold, Suffolk attracts bookworms, literature lovers, writers and intellectuals with an engrossing programme of events, from discussions of art, politics and history to fiction readings and literary dinners.
LAVENHAM LITERARY FESTIVAL
17TH - 19TH NOVEMBER
Britain’s Best-Preserved Medieval Village provides a magical backdrop for this literary festival, which features readings and discussions from a wide range of authors, and across a broad range of genres. History meets crime writing, biography meets fiction, writers meet readers, and all are left inspired.
ALDEBURGH LITERARY FESTIVAL,
2ND - 5TH MARCH
The Aldeburgh Literary Festival takes place across three days in a small hall in Aldeburgh, an intimate setting that allows for intellectual discussion and thoughtful conversation to arise from talks and readings by a range of top writers. Combine inspiring literature with sharp thought and fresh sea air, and you see why the Aldeburgh Literary Festival is so popular.
FLIPSIDE FESTIVAL
2017 DATES T.B.C.
A festival like no other, FlipSide makes Brazilian and British culture collide in an explosive 3-day party on The Suffolk Coast. Alongside talks and readings from the best Brazilian and British novelists, festival-goers can dance to Samba, taste Brazilian food, admire art and take part in various workshops.
It's no surprise Aldeburgh is the spiritual home of poetry in Suffolk
VISUAL ARTS FESTIVALS IN SUFFOLK
SOUTHWOLD ARTS FESTIVAL
24TH JUNE – 1ST JULY
Every summer, Southwold plays host to artists, poets, writers, actors and musicians for a week-long showcase of the arts that fills the streets and venues of this seaside town.
ART ON THE PROM
3RD SEPTEMBER
Felixstowe’s annual art festival takes place on the town’s seafront promenade, where over a hundred artists display and sell their original artwork for over 20,000 visitors.
ALDEBURGH DOCFEST
3RD – 5TH NOVEMBER
This rich documentary festival has been running for over twenty years, and is a must-visit for anyone interested in documentaries and filmmaking. Documentary films from all over the world and covering a range of illuminating topics are screened at Aldeburgh Cinema, each followed by an in-depth discussion with the filmmaker.
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"Cutting edge, crackpot theatre" – The Guardian review of SPILL FestivalPhoto (c) Luca Del Pia
PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVALS IN SUFFOLK
SPILL FESTIVAL OF PERFORMANCE
2017 DATES TBC
Curated by the visionary Pacitti Company, SPILL is a bi-annual festival of experimental theatre taking place in Ipswich, Suffolk’s county town, and in London. It brings daring new works of performance by new and established artists to the fore – at times challenging, and always thought-provoking.
HIGHTIDE FESTIVAL
SEPTEMBER
Every year, HighTide brings stunning works of new theatre to Suffolk over the course of a 10-day festival on The Suffolk Coast, including world premieres of plays by hand-picked playwrights. It’s billed as “adventurous theatre for adventurous people,” and doesn’t disappoint.
BURY ST EDMUNDS FESTIVAL
19TH - 29TH MAY
The Bury St Edmunds Festival offers 10 days of music, theatre, film and exhibitions in the heart of one of Suffolk’s most historic towns. With concerts and performances happening in various locations around Bury St Edmunds, festival goers have a chance to see internationally renowned artists and local talent, and do some sightseeing!
PULSE FESTIVAL
1ST - 10TH JUNE
Curated by the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich, Pulse Festival offers up a delectable selection of new plays, including a “Scratch Day” of works in progress, during which plays at various stages of composition are performed before the audience, who can then give the artists feedback.
INK FESTIVAL
22ND - 23RD APRIL
This springboard festival taking place at the New Cut Theatre in Halesworth champions new writing. Over the course of an unmissable weekend, you’ll get to see brand new works of theatre performed live and back-to-back, as well as films and live music.
FOOD FESTIVALS IN SUFFOLK
BURY ST EDMUNDS FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL
27TH - 28TH AUGUST
At this free food and drink festival in Bury St Edmunds, foodies can sample some of the delicious treats Suffolk has to offer, meet and buy from local producers, and watch live cookery demonstrations by Michelin-starred and critically-acclaimed chefs.
ALDEBURGH FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL
23RD – 24TH SEPTEMBER
Recognised as one of the top food festivals in the country, Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival attracts foodies from far and wide to Suffolk for a hedonistic weekend of tasting, talking about and discovering the rich variety of East Anglian produce. Following the main festival weekend are three weeks of fringe events, ranging from chocolate-making workshops to pop-up restaurants.
THE WOODBRIDGE SHUCK
2017 DATES TBC
Lovers of seafood should not miss out on the annual Woodbridge Shuck, a shellfish festival that takes place in Woodbridge by the beautiful River Deben. Expect fresh Suffolk seafood in various international dishes, safari suppers, seasonal markets and more.
FRAMLINGHAM SAUSAGEFEST
8TH OCTOBER
This autumnal festival in Framlingham takes the humble sausage to all new heights. Alongside numerous workshops, activities and entertainment is the all important sausage trail, on which festival goers can hunt out delicious sausage samples from competing local producers, and vote which sizzler should be crowned the winner.
LAVENHAM FOOD & ARTS FESTIVAL
2017 DATES T.B.C.
Lavenham is a foodie town through and through, boasting some of Suffolk’s best restaurants, a produce-filled farmers’ market, and year-round food and foraging workshops. As you would expect, its food festival is a sumptuous event, incorporating cookery demonstrations, producer stalls, art exhibitions and art trail, and live music.
TASTE OF SUDBURY FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL
11TH JUNE
At this charming food festival in the historic town of Sudbury, the food stalls range from a mouth-watering champagne and salmon bar to a stalls chock-full of handmade ice-creams. A Taste of Sudbury also boasts a fun programme of events, often including Guinness World Record attempts and demonstrations by much-loved local chefs.
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Alde Valley Spring Festival celebrates food, farming and the landscapePhoto (c) Rob Howarth
CRAFT FESTIVALS IN SUFFOLK
BRECKS FEST
2017 DATES T.B.C.
Set in West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village, a working replica of a 1,600-year-old settlement in The Brecks, Brecks Fest is an annual celebration of all things Anglo-Saxon. Expect historical re-enactments, a Saxon Bake-Off, Saxon tools demonstrations, archery, hands-on crafts activities, and lots of fun for little ones.
WEIRD & WONDERFUL WOOD
13TH - 14TH MAY
Festivals in Suffolk don’t come more extraordinary that Weird & Wonderful Wood, a two-day event that brings together anyone and everyone with a passion for woodwork. You’ll be able to meet over one hundred artists and craftspeople, and watch them as they work their magic, shaping wood into extraordinary creations. And of course, there’ll be workshops for you to have a go yourself!
SPORTING FESTIVALS IN SUFFOLK
THE MÖET & CHANDON JULY FESTIVAL
13TH - 15TH JULY
Newmarket’s July Festival is one of the most prestigious and thrilling sporting events in the country. Over an adrenaline-fuelled weekend in which punters, bookies, fashionistas and the hierarchs of the horse racing world all rub shoulders together, you can watch the world’s greatest jockeys and racehorses thunder round the July Course in a series of season-defining races.
THE EAST ANGLIAN DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL
14TH MAY
The ancient Chinese tradition of Dragon Boat racing has boomed in popularity over recent years, and at this festival in Oulton Broad, you can join several thousand other spectators to watch around 40 crews battle it out on the water in an attempt to become Suffolk’s Dragon Boat champions.
THE SUFFOLK WALKING FESTIVAL
13TH MAY - 4TH JUNE
What better way to get to know Suffolk than exploring its loveliest landscapes on foot? Taking place over three weeks every spring, the Suffolk Walking Festival offers thousands of walkers the chance to join guided walks across the county, through countryside, forests, heaths, towns and villages, and along 50 miles of coast.
Dress for the occasion at Newmarket's July Festival
