THE final preparations are being made for this weekend’s Suffolk FA Grassroots Festival 2024.

A total of 166 teams have signed up to participate in the festival at Eastward Ho! in Felixstowe this Saturday and Sunday.

The festival will feature boys’ and girls’ teams from under-7s up to under-15s plus an adult disability festival.

There will be refreshments for participants and spectators to purchase when on site.

All age groups will be fun festivals aimed at providing as much football against different teams throughout the duration of each individual festival.

Suffolk FA Football Development Officer James Morley, who is organising the festival, reminded teams to register upon arrival and to make a member of Suffolk FA staff aware if any of their players are not to be photographed.

Although teams will be responsible for supplying their own first aid, a qualified first-aider will be in attendance over the weekend.

Referees will be supplied for all 9v9 and 11v11 festivals and some referees will be U18s and therefore wearing green armbands to highlight their age.

This year’s festival is being supported by East Suffolk Councillors through their Enabling Communities Budget. They are Cllr Mark Jepson, Cllr Michael Deacon, Cllr Jan Candy (and cabinet member for Community Health), Cllr Rosie Smithson, Cllr Amanda Folley, Cllr Seamus Bennett, Cllr Lee Reeves and Cllr Mike Ninnmey. And Suffolk County Councillor Stuart Bird who is contributing through his Locality Budget. All the councillors have equally contributed to the overall costs of running this year’s festival.  

The festival is as much a celebration of this season for the referees as it is for the teams, so please respect this.

James Morley said: “This is the first Grassroots Festival we have held outside of Ipswich since its inception and will be the twelfth event we have run to close out the season.

“We are looking forward to welcoming everyone to Felixstowe. Thank you to East Suffolk Council, all the councillors and Felixstowe & Walton United for their support to get to this point.

“Either before or after your festival has finished, please head down to the seafront, we have our fingers crossed we will get some sunshine over the weekend, so please don’t forget your sunscreen.”

Action is pictured above from last year’s festival at Kesgrave High School on the outskirts of Ipswich.