Your guide to Ipswich's Windrush celebrations this June
From a street parade and steel band at Landseer Park to live music and Caribbean food on the Cornhill, here is everything you need to know about Ipswich's Windrush 78 celebrations this June.
Why it matters: Caribbean people have been part of Ipswich's story since the Windrush era in 1948, and as a port town with a long history of welcoming people from around the world, these annual celebrations hold special significance for the local community.
Landseer Park: Saturday, 20 June 2026: The Ipswich Windrush Society will host the fourth edition of its Heritage & Legacy Music Festival at Landseer Park, building on record attendance in 2025.
The day begins at 11:00 with a parade from the Clapgate Lane entrance, travelling via Landseer Road, Rands Way, Queens Way and Nacton Road, featuring a steel band and performances from local dance group MRD Dance. From 12:00 to 17:00, the festival offers live music from across the UK, authentic Caribbean food, local makers' stalls, family-friendly activities, and special guest speakers and Windrush elders. An after party follows from 17:30 at The Golden Hind.
Max Thomas, founder of the Ipswich Windrush Society, said: "In 2026, we're building on that momentum to make it even bigger, better and more impactful — celebrating the legacy of the Windrush generation in a way that brings people together and keeps these stories alive."
The Cornhill: Monday, 22 June 2026: Two days later, a free-to-attend celebration comes to the Cornhill from 12:00 to 16:30, delivered in partnership with the Suffolk Windrush Select Committee. Now in its seventh year, the event features a full stage programme including a live steel band, and DJ sets from Skippa J, alongside a marketplace of local stallholders and vendors selling Caribbean food.
Councillor Jane Riley, portfolio holder for culture and customers, said: "The Windrush celebration on the Cornhill will be a wonderful way to celebrate the cultural richness of the Windrush generation and will bring everyone together to brighten the weekend, whatever the British weather."
The bottom line: Free to attend and open to all, Ipswich's Windrush 78 celebrations promise music, food and community spirit across two days in June - a fitting tribute to a generation that helped shape the town we live in today.
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