Celebrating live music, literary, arts and dance in a summer of Suffolk festivals

Up close and personal: Four Actors from Look Left Look Right present The Caravan to an audience of just eight in a tiny caravan outside the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich as part of the Pulse Fringe Festival (Image: Archant)

A whole calendar of festivals, each highlighting a different genre of music, dance or theatre, is scheduled in for 2015, reaffirming Suffolk’s position as a cultural county.

Where will the summer take you? To the poetry tent at Latitude, to the big top erected in Ipswich during the Ip-Art festival or to Snape Maltings for a rousing evening of orchestral music?

Here we have a guide to the arts festivals taking place in Suffolk this year, with further details on each to follow.

Ballet Revolucion performing on the Lakefront Stage at the Latitude Festival 2014 (Image: (c) copyright citizenside.com)

Bury Festival, Bury St Edmunds - May 16 to 19

One of East England’s premier arts events,this is a two-week arts extravaganza, offering indoor and open air performances

Pulse Festival, Ipswich - May 28 to June 6

Ballet Revolucion performing on the Lakefront Stage at the Latitude Festival 2014 (Image: (c) copyright citizenside.com)

10 day festival of contemporary theatre and performance, based around Wolsey Theatre

Aldeburgh Festival, Aldeburgh - June 12 to 28

World’s leading musicians arrive in Suffolk for celebration of orchestral and chamber music, opera, a contemporary art show, walks and talks and a vibrant fringe festival

The Launch of 2013 Pulse Festival at The New Wolsey, Ipswich (Image: Archant)

Southwold Arts Festival, Southwold- June 27 to July 4

Local and national artists perform at this eight-day event involving music, theatre, poetry, visual arts, photography, film, family events, talks, discussions and literature.

Indian Mela (Image: Archant)

Felixstowe Book Festival, Felixstowe - June 27 to 28

A weekend of events aimed at celebrating both fiction and non fiction, encompassing events for children, families and adult book lovers

Ip-Art, Ipswich - June 19 to July 12

Pop-princess Rita Ora at last year's V Festival (Image: Archant)

A month-long celebration of summer arts in Ipswich, offering visual arts, performing arts, literature, film and music

Maverick, Ipswich - July 3 to 5

Three days of country music

Ipswich Music Day (Image: (c) copyright citizenside.com)

Latitude, Henham Park, Southwold - July 16 to 19

This is a music festival with a twist, bringing together top-name bands and artists, poets, literary acts and more. What’s more, this is a festival where the whole family is encouraged to attend, with designated zones for kids and teenagers

V Festival, Chelmsford - August 21 to 24

Not strictly a Suffolk festival, but this is the highlight of the Essex music calendar. The event attracts thousands to the city and is the place to see the biggest bands and artists of the summer perform live across a series of stages

Snape Proms, Snape - August 1 to 31

30 events over 31 days - ranging from folk and jazz to world music, classical, folk, comedy and poetry, Aldeburgh Music’s Snape Proms offer an array of fantastic nights out in one of the world’s best-loved concert halls.

FolkEast, Glemham - August 21 to 23

Three glorious days of music, food, heritage and arts on the Glemham Hall Estate.

Maritime Ipswich, Ipswich Waterfront - August 15 to 16

For three days, the Waterfront comes alive with traditional maritime festivities, the air is filled with the smell of fresh, local flavours and the annual beer festival is also a draw

HighTide Festival, Aldeburgh - September 10 to 20

This year the festival is moving from Halesworth to a new home in Aldeburgh. HighTide aims to champion new playwrights as well as celebrating theatre. This year the EADT will be media partner once again.

FlipSide, Snape Maltings- October 2 to 4

The third offering of this family festival will bring together literature, art, music, food and drink, children’s events, dance, cooking demonstrations and capoeira - all with a Brazilian beat.

Halesworth Arts Festival, Halesworth - October 10 to 25

Now in its 15th year, the Halesworth Arts Festival sees first-class acts perform in intimate surrounding each October, drawing capacity crowds. HAF is a non-profit making charity run entirely by volunteers.

Spill, Ipswich - October

Established in 2007, SPILL first came to Ipswich in 2012 and is now held in both London and Suffolk’s county town. It blends formal disciplines and techniques with social sciences and personal politic.