The first Sunday of July has been home to Ipswich Music Day for the last 30-odd years and IMD 2026 was one to be remembered. After the last few years which have included the typical inclement weather which has kept a few of the crowds back, this year the weather was perfect and the people came.
The buzz this year was brilliant, was it because there was zero chance of rain, or was it because England were playing the next round of the World Cup and IMD was being used as a pre-game party, or was it because there were over 50 fantastic music acts over 5 stages?
Of course, it was the musical line-up! It was a complete festival vibe with people either discussing which acts to watch and how to be in two places at once or just going with the flow wanting to spontaneously discover their new favourite regional band. Some families came early, found their spot and made camp, where others were travelling light in order to see as much as possible and have time to look at the stalls, enjoy the funfair, learn circus skills, and savour all the food & drink which was on offer.
True to the core values of IMD, the mix of acts was varied from solo acts, duos, trios and bands with up to 11 members whom happen to be the Brawlers who opened the day on the green in front of the Grapevine Mansion Stage – they were too many of them to go on the stage.
The radio stations were in their full capacity: BBC Radio Suffolk, Suffolk Sound and ICR were there broadcasting live, chatting to punters and interviewing the acts – a busy day for all the crew.
Including the Indian Summer Mela Stage and the Ipswich Arts Association run indoor venues, there was almost every genre covered by regional acts. We had rock, ska, jazz, choirs, bhangra, pop, folk, hip hop, rap, country, indie and more…. a range that emphasises the community Ipswich Music Day is hoping to serve.
Line up (at time of print)
The crowds came out and all the stages had lots of people enjoying themselves, dancing, cheering and smiling. It was a fantastic day from start to finish – well done to all the tech staff, volunteers, stage managers, catering staff, everyone involved who make this day come together, and a special mention to Ipswich Borough Council and their Events Team.
Ipswich Music Day 2026 was a complete success and 2027 has big shoes to fill!
See you next year!