Ipswich is set to decorate its town pink in celebration of Ed Sheeran’s return for a series of shows.
The pop megastar was raised in Framlingham, a town north of Ipswich, and is a lifelong supporter of Ipswich Town FC, in which he now owns a minority stake.
Ed Sheeran will be playing three shows at Ipswich Town Football Club’s home stadium, Portman Road, from 11 July to 13 July. Each night, he’ll be accompanied by special guest performers, such as Busted, Tori Kelly and James Blunt to name a few.
To celebrate, Ipswich Borough Council, along with Ipswich Central Business Improvement District, have announced they will decorate the town in pink bunting, the same shade of pink that features on the cover of Sheeran’s upcoming album ‘Play’.
Leo Walker, CEO of Ipswich Central, shares his enthusiasm: “When we heard that global superstar, dedicated Ipswich Town fan and local lad Ed Sheeran was coming home to perform in Ipswich this summer, and bringing 90,000 fans with him, we knew we had to celebrate.
“As we ‘Welcome Home Ed’, it is a chance for the whole town to celebrate as the eyes of the world fall on the town.
“We are the only town getting this opportunity this summer. Ipswich has a proud history of turning out and turning up to celebrate its successful sons and daughters, so let’s seize the opportunity once more as we ‘Welcome Home Ed’.”
This wouldn’t be the first time Ipswich has turned pink for Ed Sheeran. In August last year, Ipswich Town unveiled a Suffolk-inspired football kit, in a collaboration with the artist. Instead of ‘Play’ pink, the kit took inspiration from Suffolk pink, a unique shade of pink paint which covers homes all across the county. It also featured mathematical symbols, from Sheeran’s iconic albums and ‘Mathematics’ tour, and a silhouette of Framlingham Castle, a reference to his hometown, and in Sheeran’s opinion, “a huge landmark of Suffolk.”
Throughout July, Ipswich Borough Council will also provide a variety of street entertainment, such as live performances from local talent, and on concert days, there will be a fan zone in the town square, where customers can enjoy food, drink and merchandise.
As well as this, Ipswich Central is hosting a window dressing competition, challenging businesses to decorate their windows in ‘Play’ themed colours. The winner will receive a £500 cash prize.
Venues that have a connection to Sheeran will be highlighted in walking tours hosted by All About Ipswich.
Borough Councillor Neil MacDonald added: “Ipswich is really excited about the gigs coming up on Ed’s home turf and I’m sure plenty of people will be on board with painting the town pink.
“We are very happy to welcome him back, and the whole area will benefit from the boost to the local economy.”
You can get your tickets to Ed Sheeran’s Portman Road shows here.
