Ipswich is preparing to pop the cork on a bumper bank holiday weekend for beer, spirits and music lovers as two festival firsts are due to get underway.
On Friday, the town’s first ever Saints Beer and Folk Festival gets underway at St Peter’s by the Waterfront, before the town’s first ever gin festival – the Twists and Turns Gin Festival takes place at Christchurch Mansion on Saturday.
The two-day Saints event, organised by local firm Beer&Co, will feature a host of real ales and ciders, beer tasting with local brewers, Friday night live music, and a pop-up record shop.
The event has been backed by local brewers and the Ipswich and east Suffolk branch of CAMRA.
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Beer&Co founder Greg Cooper said: “We are really excited to be launching this new festival for Ipswich and Suffolk in partnership with so many great people and organisations.
“This is probably our most intimate yet – you could call it a micro-festival – but the atmosphere will be special and we know that the beer and cider will go down well!”
On Saturday, Christchurch Mansion and lawn will host the gin festival organised by Hadleigh-based expert Neil Farrow’s Gin Punch firm.
The evening features gin tasting workshops, DJ, botanicals classes and other entertainment, with independent distillers being celebrated throughout the night.
Organiser Neil Farrow said the event marked a “perfect marriage” of the spirit with the venue and Gainsborough art display, and added: “It’s all about education because people are more open to new types of gin now. People are testing their palette which is great.
“They want to know where the gins come from, what botanicals are used – you try and give as much education as you can when you are serving the drinks.”
A spokesman from Ipswich Borough Council added: “These events, which should attract thousands of visitors to the town, will provide a boost to the local economy and complement the exciting entertainment programme we are putting together.”
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