The popular Ipswich Music Day has been cancelled for a second year running due to complications caused by coronavirus.
The one-day event at Christchurch Park – the largest free one-day music festival in the UK – will not go ahead this year, despite the Government's roadmap allowing for festivals and concerts to potentially return in the summer.
Large-scale events will be allowed to go ahead nationwide from June 21, should the country move to "Step 4" in the Government's roadmap.
A spokesman for Ipswich Borough Council said the significant planning that goes into the event – tied in with organisers being redeployed to help vulnerable people during the pandemic – means the event cannot go forward.
In an announcement, the council said: "An event such as Music Day takes about four months to plan – as artists and traders need to be sourced and booked, infrastructure such as stages, fencing etc need to be ordered and paid for and other essentials such as medical provision need to be booked.
"The costs involved in putting it on are considerable and significant funds need to be spent months before the event happens.
"Many of the staff who would need to be involved in planning the event have been redeployed to manage Ipswich’s Home, But Not Alone service which is still needed to provide help for vulnerable people while lockdown and shielding continues.
"There will simply not be sufficient time after the decision to move to Step 4 has been taken to organise the event for this year."
The spokesman added it is the council's "firm intention" to bring the event back in 2022.
The annual event continuously proves incredibly popular for people across the county and gives young and up-and-coming musicians the chance to further their music careers. Among previous artists to perform include global superstar and Suffolk local Ed Sheeran.
Other big calendar events in the town could still go ahead this year however, with the council spokesman adding events are hoped to be held in parks, at the Waterfront and on the Cornhill.
That could mean the return of popular events such as the Indian Summer Mela and Maritime Ipswich, as well as the One Big Multicultural Festival.
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