Suffolk Day will celebrate music, food and history

A programme of community and cultural events for this year's Suffolk Day has been revealed.

The annual county celebration, on 21 June, will be held in Bury St Edmunds.

Alongside a civic ceremony and declaration, written by local schoolchildren, the town will host a food market on Angel Hill, family activities and music in the Abbey Gardens, with a concert inside the cathedral in the evening.

Mayor of Bury St Edmunds Donna Higgins said: "Our celebration will focus on music, food and history."

The free-of-charge events will run from 1000-1800 BST, with a ticketed "cultural crescendo" in the evening, billed as "a uniquely Suffolk musical and literary anthology" in the Cathedral.

The performance has been put together by theatre director Nick Hutchison, and will bring together music, spoken word, dance and contributions from young people and local community groups, celebrating the county's creativity and generosity.

The day will also see Suffolk medals given out, designed by Suffolk artist Maggi Hambling.

These recognise and champion the exceptional contributions of people who have made a "fundamental and lasting difference" to the county and its people.

Suffolk day was first celebrated in 2016, as a partnership with the East Anglian Daily Times newspaper and BBC Radio Suffolk, supported by the Suffolk Community Foundation, the county's mayors and council leaders.

Each year has been hosted by a different town, with local schools helping devise a specific declaration to be read out.

In recent year's this has also been delivered by young people on the steps of Westminster Hall.

BBC Radio Suffolk will broadcast a special programme live from the Abbey Gardens from 1200-1400 BST as part of the celebrations.

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