Ipswich Town bus parade livepage on Bank holiday Monday

'There must be 300 people here already!'

Jack Maclean

BBC News, at Christchurch Park

I'm at Christchurch Park, where the bus will finish the parade.

It's a sea of blue, red and pink here. There's a mix of people having coffee or an early beer.

Everyone's really happy

Alice Cunningham

BBC News, at Portman Road

Someone's playing Ed Sheeran on speakers down here, and people are kicking footballs about.

It's filling up at Portman Road, lots of chanting, laughing, everyone's really happy. It's a really good vibe and feels like two years ago.

Are Ipswich better equipped for Premier League this time?

BBC Sport

It's been just over a year since Ipswich were relegated from the Premier League after a pretty deflating 2024-25 campaign.

After back-to-back promotions from League One and then the Championship, Kieran McKenna's side finished in 19th on their top-flight return.

To bounce back with a promotion is no small feat, but will things be different for the Tractor Boys in 2026-27?

BBC Sport's Paul Grunill has taken a closer look.

'People have written us off - but we've done it'

Outside Crown Pools, drummer Nathan Parris is ready to help liven up the crowds, before hopefully making his way to Portman Road later on.

The 26-year-old said: "I wish I could put into words, it's been incredible. A lot of teams, a lot of people have written us off this season, but we've done it. It's been a hard-fought season, the emotion is just incredible.

"Seeing the joy in everyone's faces, seeing the celebrations after the game on Saturday ...Today we've got the parade, hopefully it should be another good day - it's just been incredible."

We've been here before...

If you have a sense of deja vu, it might be because it's almost exactly two years to the day since the Tractor Boys last celebrated promotion to the big time.

Indeed, the route being taken today is the same one used for the parade that followed promotion to the Premier League on 6 May 2024.

That day saw the jubilant players downing beers as they were joined on a double-decker bus by Ipswich boxer Fabio Wardley.

Overjoyed fans packed pavements and followed the bus as it made its way slowly through the town.

More of the same today please!

'The moment I walked into the stadium I felt at home'

Nancy Hall De Vuyst has travelled all the way from Lyndhurst in Hampshire to celebrate the promotion.

The 47-year-old said: "I came to a pre-season friendly when I was on holiday here with my husband [in 2022] and the moment I walked into the stadium I just felt at home - it reminded me of my club that I support in Belgium.

"I have been a supporter ever since."

While she missed the parade last year, she thinks that if the club can keep boss Kieran McKenna, they could finish mid-table.

Other ways to follow the parade

BBC Sounds

We will be here, of course, bringing you all the latest from the frontline, but you can also listen in.

BBC Radio Suffolk have followed every step of Ipswich's season, and the team will have full coverage of today's celebrations.

Johnnie Wright will build up to and follow the start of the parade from 10:00 until 12:00, with reports from Brenner Woolley on the bus.

From midday until 14:00, Graeme Mac presents a promotion party special with live inserts from our team of reporters across the parade route.

Lou Hulland's afternoon programme will bring you more from the celebrations between 14:00 and 18:00, before a special edition of Blue Hour with Brenner Woolley from 18:00 until 19:00.

Click here to listen live on BBC Sounds.

Sheeran's 'A-Team'

You can take Ed Sheeran out of Ipswich, but you can't take Ipswich out of Ed Sheeran.

The singer-songwriter who grew up in Framlingham, Suffolk, came out to support The Blues on Saturday at Portman Road. Last year, he performed at the stadium to packed-out crowds as part of his homecoming gig.

Speaking after the match, Sheeran said: "Obviously, I'm super happy for the football club, but I'm really happy for the county. It lifts the county, it lifts the spirits of people who live here.

"Ipswich and Suffolk doesn't have a lot of stuff like this happen. So when it happens, it's amazing for the county. So I'm just happy for everything it will do for everything local - it's just really good for the county."

How promotion was sealed

In case you missed it (of course you didn't, but wouldn't you like a reminder!?)

The Blues bounced straight back to the top flight following a 3-0 win against QPR on Saturday in the final game of the Championship season.

Goals inside the first nine minutes from George Hirst and Jaden Philogene set them on their way before substitute Kasey McAteer added a late third.

It meant the Tractor Boys enjoyed a third promotion in four seasons under boss Kieran McKenna in what has been a special period for the Suffolk club.

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