IPSWICH – The Town and people of Ipswich, Massachusetts are proud to present Ipswich Illumination 2023, a celebration of beauty & community. Now in its 14th year, Ipswich Illumination features a collection of interactive art installations, live music, poetry, projection, bonfires, and more along the Ipswich River.
The greater Ipswich Illumination Arts and Culture Weekend includes the Ipswich Cultural Council Art Show & Sale and the Language Lives Festival, offering programming from Thurs. Oct. 5 through Mon., Oct.9. See details below.
Illumination Bonfires
At the center of it all, Bonfires will blaze Friday & Saturday evenings on the Ipswich River, which runs through the heart of our downtown & community. Bonfires will be lit at the moment of evening by flaming arrow from the bow of internationally celebrated archer Carlos Segura. Enjoy installations and performances along the way from the Ipswich Riverwalk Mural to Water Street. Food, & drink are available for purchase on both nights.
Important note: Friday bonfires will be on the River between the dam and the Choate Bridge. Saturday evening bonfires will relocate to the open waters at County Street, along the Sidney Shurcliff Path, and under the Green Street Bridge along Water Street.
Parking: Residents are encouraged to arrive on foot, bike, kayak, or canoe. Parking is available at the Hammatt Street Lot, MBTA Lot, and EBSCO Lot at Saltonstall St.
Music Schedule
A sampling of 2023 Ipswich Illumination Installations
• Flashlight Story Walk by Lizi Boyd at the Sidney Shurcliff Riverwalk
• Banners at shops on Market St.
• Art fixtures at the Take-Out Terrace
• IRWA‘s banners and buntings at the dam patio
• Shadow dancing, laser hall, Library Craft at the Middle Green
• Ipswich Now and Then, and 3D Ipswich by Dan Lovy at the Middle Green (moving to Water Street on Saturday).
• Mandarin paper lanterns by Winthrop students at the Hall Haskell Visitor Center
• Ipswich Human Rights Commission table at the Jenny Slew Park
Thursday, October 5
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Language Lives Festival: Verse, Spoken Word and Lyric Poetry. Location: Ebsco Hall, 5 Peatfield Street.
Friday, October 6
Bonfires will blaze on the Ipswich River between the dam & the Choate Bridge.
Art Programming from the Hall Haskell House Gallery on the Middle Green to the Take-Out Terrace Truss & Stage at the Downtown Riverwalk. Food and drink will be available for purchase at the Take-Out Terrace.
• 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Ipswich Arts Council Art Exhibit opens at the Ipswich Town Hall.
• 5:30 pm: Ipswich Community Band at the Ipswich History Mural
• 5:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Language Lives Stories of Illumination for Families, Ebsco Hall
• 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Programs & attractions, Hall Haskell House Gallery, Middle Green
• 6:14 pm: Chris Blagg acoustic solo at the Dam Footbridge
• 6:17 pm: Bonfire lighting by archer Carlos Segura at the Dam Footbridge
• 6:20 pm: Music by Bottles & Cans at the Take-Out Terrace Truss & Stage
• 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Language Lives Stories of Illumination for Teens, Ebsco Hall
• 8:00 pm: Mamadu at the Take-Out Terrace Truss & Stage, Downtown Riverwalk
• 8:00 pm -9:00 pm: Language Lives Stories of Illumination for Adults, Ebsco Hall
Saturday, October 7
Bonfires blaze on the Ipswich River from the County Street Bridge to beyond the Green Street Bridge. Art Programming: From the Middle Green to Water Street. Food and drink at the Fundamental Soul Food Corral at the Ipswich Town Hall on Green Street. Music at the Green Street Bridge, Jenny Slew Park, and Sawmill Point Park. Don’t miss the Ipswich Cultural Council Art Show & Sale at the Town Hall Gym & Stage.
• 11:00 am – 6:00 pm: Language Lives Festival, Ebsco Hall.
• 12:00 noon: Ipswich Cultural Council Art Exhibit opens at Ipswich Town Hall.
• 5:45 pm: OmDrum arrives on the River at Water Street.
• 6:13 pm: Orville Giddings acoustic solo at the Green St. Bridge
• 6:16 pm: Bonfire lighting by archer Carlos Segura at the Green St. Bridge
• 6:20pm: Orville Giddings Band at the Green Street Bridge
• 6:30 pm: Sweet Soul Sounds at the Jenny Slew Park (County St. at Elm St.)
• 7:00 pm -9:00 pm: Silent Disco with Harrison Bouvé at the Hall Haskell House Gallery
• 7:45 pm: Labor-in-Vain at Sawmill Point Park
• 7:45 pm: Sound Bath with Tony Manati at the IPD Laser Hall, Elm Street.
• 8:00 pm: Jambalaya Horns Brass Band at the Green Street Bridge
Sunday, October 8
• 11:00 am – 6:00 pm: Language Lives Festival, Ebsco Hall.
• Noon – 4:00 pm: Ipswich Cultural Council Art Exhibit at the Ipswich Town Hall
• 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Marsh Hoppers Little Big Band and poetry at the Take-Out Terrace Truss and Stage
Monday, Oct. 9, 6:30 p.m.
DAWNLAND: A Documentary About Cultural Survival and Stolen Children – Observing Indigenous Peoples’ Day: A free documentary film with post-film discussion
An outdoor film screening and community conversation at the Take-Out Terrace , 4 Union St., Ipswich. Free parking; chairs are provided, and blankets are encouraged. In case of bad weather, the event will be moved to Boone Hall at Ascension Church, 31 County St.
From the first-ever Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Native Americans, this documentary deals with cultural survival and stolen children, and the Commission’s attempts to heal the wounds of a foster care system devastating Native American families. Winner of the 2018 Emmy Award for Outstanding Research and the 2020 American Library Association for Notable Videos for Adults.
Food, Beer & Wine Vendors
• Riverview Pizza (Friday only)
• Good Dogs
• Downriver Ice Cream
• Beefie Boys (roast beef truck)
• Boston Bubbly
• True North Ale
• Ipswich Ale
Cultural Events during the Illumination Weekend
Ipswich Cultural Council Art Show – The 37th Ipswich Cultural Council’s Annual Art Show and Sale will be held in the gymnasium at Ipswich Town Hall at 25 Green Street from October 6 – 8. Paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs, fabric art, etc. This is a non-juried show open to all Ipswich residents and employees 17 and older. Go to ipswichculturalcouncil.org for registration, etc.
• Fri, Oct 6th Art Exhibit open, 5:00 –900 pm. Opening Reception 6:00 pm
• Sat, Oct 7th Art Exhibit open, noon–5:00 pm.
• Sun, Oct. 8th: Art Exhibit and Vendors, noon – 5:00 pm.
The Language Lives Festival
The Language Lives Festival dovetails with Ipswich Illumination. The festival will be in 3 parts
• Poetry Showcase on Thursday, Oct. 5 from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Live Storytelling on Friday, Oct. 6 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Weekend Festival Expo, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 7 and 8, from 11:00 am – 6:00 pm.
For more information, visit: https://historicipswich.net/2023/09/21/ipswich-illumination/
