Just back from a family trip to the Ipswich Maritime festival, a really fantastic Sunday treat. I had made a pre festival visit to the Ipswich Beer Festival which this year had moved to the waterfront. Hundred turned up Thursday night to taste the many ales but we found ourselves under water! Not great for the first night in a new location but the blitz spirit seemed to work (with the help of a few strong bitters) and the main tent seemed packed all night.
Ipswich Beer Festival - in the rain!
Saturday had seen a couple of late showers but from those who went it seemed the whole day had been a success, with a great finale for the day with the firework display.
Ipswich Beer Festival - in the sun!
Sunday also started off sunny and though it clouded over slightly in the afternoon, it remained dry. We started and finished the day at the beer festival, and from the amount of empty barrels, the new location seems to have been a success. But it was not just beer on offer! There were plenty of food stall, historical displays from Georgian England to WW2, with the Spitfire plane being like a magnet to many young lads (and their fathers).
The atmosphere was very continental, drink, food, sun and people enjoying themselves. The large whale seemed very popular, but I did wonder what was going on onside ot as 20 children and mothers appeared from withing it's grey skin! Not many fathers seemed keen on joining in.
Complaints? Seems petty to mention anything after the hard work by our own IBC Officers, Ipswich Central and the various other organisations involved in getting the festival going. But there are always places where improvements can be made and I would like to see maybe more boats for people to visit and clamber aboard, the Orwell lady was doing a great trade as was the Thames sailing barge but maybe we could get the Royal (or Dutch/Belgian) Navy to visit with a mine sweeper on the same weekend.
But lets not take anything away from a well organised, well attended fun event.
I look forward to being involved in the wash up afterwards and lets hope this now becomes a regular Ipswich event.
Visit the Maritime festival website here, and leave your own comments.
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