Excitement builds for the Christmas Ipswich Weekender

Not long to go until the Christmas Ipswich Weekender takes over the town centre from Thursday 7 – Sunday 10 December!  The final weekend of entertainment for 2023 is set to be filled with festive fun, with stacks of activities for Ipswich residents and visitors to enjoy.

Get into the festive spirit at the Christmas Creatives Market on Thursday 7 December from 5 – 8pm where the Cornhill will host local businesses selling handmade treasures, helping shoppers find the perfect Christmas gift, with food and drink stalls available. The event will also feature the Busketeers Choir, who will be singing their favourite Christmas tunes, and street performer – Icycle King Juggler.

The public will have a chance to display festive messages on a pixel wall, thanks to Handsome Made who will be on the Cornhill Thursday 7 and Saturday 9 December from 2pm – 8.30pm. To send in your one sentence festive message, fill out the form at: www.handsomemade.co.uk/form

Christmas shopping will also be available at Ancient House throughout the weekend as this iconic building opens its doors to local independent makers, artists, and traders. They are open from 4:30pm – 8pm on Thursday 7 December, 10am – 5pm on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 December and 10am – 4pm on Sunday 10 December.

The Saints will be joining in the fun with their Saints Festive Weekender on Saturday 9 December from 11am to 3pm, with Christmas stalls, mulled wine, and a sea shanty singsong by the Wolsey statue on St Peter’s Street.

Brighten the Corners will be bringing the Christmas cheer to St Stephen’s Church on Thursday 7 December, where from 5pm until late the church will host a DJ night, with a licensed bar serving mulled wine – as well as opening their Hex Record Shop.

Children can enjoy plenty of creative activities over the weekend, with opportunities to paint ceramics at Pennikkity Pots Ceramics Café on Thursday 7 December, bubble tea making at TeaMix on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 December, and arts and crafts activities open to all the family at Rock Paper Scissors’ studio on Sunday 10 December.

On Saturday 9 December, Suffolk Libraries will be holding a Christmas party in the children’s area at Ipswich County Library from 1 – 4pm where children can visit the Christmas grotto and get stuck into arts and crafts.

Ipswich School of Dancing will perform A Penguin’s Dream on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 December with shows at 1pm and 3.30pm, and dance activities continuing on the Cornhill until 6pm. Don’t forget the pixel wall will be available to display your messages! You will also be able to sample some great craft beers as Three Wise Monkeys help to spread the Christmas cheer with a pop-up bar on Saturday 9 December on the Cornhill from 1pm to 6pm.

Pop Chorus will also be spreading some seasonal cheer on the Cornhill on Sunday 10 December, with performances at 11am and 12 noon.

Storyteller enthusiasts can learn about the families who once lived in Christchurch Mansion as told by guides dressed in period costume on Saturday 9 December from 10am to 12 noon and 1pm – 3pm.

Step into the enchanting world of Charles Dickens at the community run pub, the Black Horse Inn on Sunday 10 December from 12 noon – 10pm to experience a timeless Dickensian Christmas by candlelight, where the past comes to life in a night of festive wonder, delicious feasts, and heart-warming carols.

If that’s not enough, people of all ages can take part in two reindeer activities in the town centre. Can you spot Sammy the Reindeer in the fun, interactive Augmented Reality (AR) projection on the Cornhill and Lloyds Avenue? To take part, simply scan the QR code on a smart phone.

People can also take part in Sammy’s on foot shop trail to hunt for the letters displayed in shop windows. Take part by scanning the QR code on the Cornhill to access the map. The first 50 people to complete the trail by finding the festive message will receive a free hot chocolate from Ancient House.

Councillor Neil MacDonald, Ipswich Borough Council Leader, says: “Our Christmas Ipswich Weekender is packed with entertainment – lots of which is free, for people of all ages to enjoy.

As the fourth and final Weekender of 2023, this series of events have proven to be successful in enhancing the experiences of our businesses, visitors, and communities and highlighting all the fantastic amenities the town centre has to offer.

We’d like to thank all the local businesses and organisations who have been involved and we’re pleased to have been able to support so many through funding delivered by our Economic Development team. We hope we can build on this momentum in the years to come.”

For full details, including booking information on all events happening during the Christmas Ipswich Weekender from 7 – 10 December, visit: www.ipswichentertains.co.uk/ipswich-weekender

Image credit – Pop Chorus