First Light Festival puts Lowestoft on people's lips - Wayne Hemingway

It is estimated 50,000 people attended the First Light Festival event in Lowestoft over the weekend

The founder of a 24-hour beach festival said it had helped put a Suffolk town "on people's lips".

It is estimated 50,000 people attended the First Light Festival in Lowestoft over the weekend.

The free event took place from midday on Saturday to midday on Sunday.

It is held on the weekend closest to the summer solstice, as Lowestoft is the most easterly point in the United Kingdom.

The event is held on the weekend closest to the summer solstice as Lowestoft is the most easterly point in the United Kingdom

Designer Wayne Hemingway, the event's founder, said this year's event had been "amazing".

He said: "We've been building it now since 2019 and it feels like the whole of Lowestoft is coming here plus Suffolk, plus Norfolk, and further afield, we have people coming from all over the world.

"It's so important doing these things, especially in a town like Lowestoft, that has had a bad rap and difficult times.

"Culture can mean so much, it can bring hope and creates jobs, and I'm just proud."

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He added: "Lowestoft is not on people's lips, it's not on the tip of their tongue, and this is starting to do that."

A giant bronze head, embedded in the sand, became visible at low tide and was submerged under the waves when the water was high

International soul stars, folk musicians, DJs and acts from across the region took centre stage as part of the event.

One of the features of this year's festival included a giant bronze head by Laurence Edwards that emerged from the sea.

The 1.8m-tall (6ft) sculpture, embedded in the sand, became visible at low tide and was submerged under the waves when at high tide.

Farrah, a 5m-tall (16ft) mechanical fox puppet on a scooter, formed part of the festival's opening parade

Another feature was a 5m-tall (16ft) mechanical fox puppet on a scooter, called Farrah, which formed part of the opening parade.

It was the first outing for the Historic England-commissioned artwork, created in partnership with Emergency Exit Arts, as part of its tour of seven locations "celebrating high streets, as well as the people who love and look after them".

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