Brighten the Corners returns for seventh year

A free stage on Ipswich's Cornhill is planned again for the 2025 festival

Brighten the Corners festival has returned to Ipswich for its seventh year.

The multi-venue event runs across Friday and Saturday and celebrates great music while bringing people together.

This year's event has tens of artists lined up to perform across five different venues, and there are also talks scheduled.

Marcus Neal, director of the festival, encouraged everyone to visit all the venues across the two days.

Which venues are participating?

The Baths has capacity for 300 people and is one of the venues for the festival

Five Ipswich venues will be holding live music across the two days.

These are:

• Corn Exchange on King Street

• The Baths on Civic Drive

• St Stephen's Church on St Stephens Church Lane

• The Smokehouse on South Street

• The Cornhill

The Cornhill is a free to attend public stage that will showcase regional artists.

Tickets are required for the other venues participating in the festival.

What music will be on?

Bob Vylan is made up of Bobby (left) and Bobbie (right) Vylan

English post-punk band Dry Cleaning is one of the headline acts and will perform at the Corn Exchange on Friday.

The Mobo award-winning two-piece known as Bob Vylan similarly headline the Corn Exchange on Saturday, just off the back of playing Coachella festival in America.

Local Ipswich band Afterdrive will perform as well as electronic duo DREGS, who similarly hail from Suffolk.

Tens of other artists can be enjoyed, which are all detailed on the festival schedule.

Mr Neal said more and more artists were approaching the festival organisers themselves, asking to perform, while more agents were "believing in Ipswich".

"A lot of our artists this year are of a higher profile and they've been doing other shows and festivals across the country," he said.

"We didn't have to look so hard for these artists, they're coming to us, which is really cool."

What industry workshops are on?

Gruff Rhys will perform at the festival as well as take part in a Q&A session

A talk programme has also been scheduled on Saturday at King Street Cinema.

"This year we've got Simon Raymonde who runs Bella Union Records, we've also got Gruff Rhys and really excited to have OneDa who is a Manchester-born MC, she'll be doing an in conversation session as well," Mr Neal explained.

Simon Raymonde will be in conversation from 12:00 BST, while there will be a Q&A with Gruff Rhys from 13:00.

There will be another in conversation session with OneDa from 14:00.

What food is there?

Elouise Lavington of Otis Breading will be at Brighten the Corners and named the business after her son Otis

There will be food vendors across the festival and at each venue.

At the Cornhill, Just A Burger, Rambling Roots, Otis Breading and Brewvan will all be in attendance.

The Smokehouse will have The Little Pizza Oven on offer and at St Stephen's Church, The Latin Table will be available.

Some local restaurants and cafes will also offer discounts to wristband holders, including Moto Pizza, Three Wise Monkeys, Honey & Harvey and others.

What else do I need to know?

Brighten the Corners Festival takes place on Friday and Saturday across Ipswich

Once you have bought a ticket for the event, you must collect your wristband from the festival box office at Ancient House in Buttermarket.

The festival warns, however, that the wristband does not guarantee entry due to small capacities at some of the venues, which could reach capacity.

Ticket holders must be above the age of 14, and those aged between 14 and 15 must be accompanied by an adult at the indoor venues.

As well as this, there is a no-entry policy for 14 to 17-year-olds in venues past midnight.

There is no age restriction, however, for those attending the free Cornhill stage.

All venues are wheelchair accessible, and it is a cashless festival.