Between Friday 11th to Sunday 13th March 2022, local residents and businesses can look forward to an exciting and impressive list of activities as part of Ipswich Borough Council’s Welcome Back Ipswich Weekend!
The weekend will kick off with a very special reunion, thanks to St Elizabeth Hospice. The Suffolk charity is reuniting familiar faces from past hospice art trails, with a number of sculptures from Pigs Gone Wild 2016 and Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk 2019. Plus the reunion will also be the setting to unveil some of the upcoming Big Hoot sculptures, due later this summer.
Other events include street performers and street art throughout the town centre, a spectacular Light Projection Show at the Town Hall, a pop-up marketplace at Ancient House, and much, much more!
Musical activities include an Open Mic Night and the Brighten The Corners music event at St Stephen’s Church will help showcase new and upcoming talent. Arlingtons will open its doors for a very special Back To The Africa Centre music event, which will include a line-up of soul, funk, house and disco music. Art exhibitions will shine the light on local talent, including the Black Cowboys Exhibition by John Ferguson, an art installation from Gillian Allard, and the Fierce Colour art exhibition that features 10 local female artists at Ronin Body Arts.
Other events include a networking evening to help local businesses get back on their feet after the pandemic, and an Eco Exhibition to educate and inspire change in the community.
The Hive, a new social and creative venue and workshop space, will be hosting various events throughout the weekend, such as live music and workshops. Plus Kings Street Cinema is screening movies over the Welcome Back Weekend, and Suffolk Science Festival will have some hands-on exhibits, experiments, and workshops to get involved in.
Councillor Sarah Barber comments: “We are thrilled to have received support from the European Regional Development Fund’s Welcome Back scheme to provide Ipswich with this amazing opportunity. The weekend includes events for everyone; our community can unite through art, photography, music, science and eco events. There is something for everyone, young and old, and with many of these events free-to-enter, it will be well worth a visit into Ipswich’s town centre over the weekend.”
Celia Joseph, Community Relationships Fundraising Manager at St Elizabeth Hospice, adds: “It is great to have the opportunity to reunite with some familiar faces from past Art Trails over the Welcome Back Ipswich Weekend.
“Anyone who comes to the reunion, at the Town Hall, will also get a sneaky peek of one of the new faces that will be released in and around Ipswich later this summer during the Big Hoot! It’s going to be a fun weekend for all the family and one not to be missed.”
For more information on each event, please visit welcomebackipswich.co.uk
