The match was preceded by tributes to Sir Bobby Robson, who managed both of these teams, with a parade of his former Ipswich players, the singing of Abide with Me and a minute's applause.
At half-time there was another tribute as Sir Bobby's widow Lady Elsie cut a ribbon to mark the renaming of the North Stand as the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.
By then, the game was as good as over with Nolan having netted twice and Ryan Taylor curling in a fine free-kick, with all the goals arriving in a four-minute burst.
Newcastle settled immediately with Richard Wright producing a fine diving save to turn away a low Nile Ranger shot, before Andy Carroll beat Wright to a Jose Enrique long ball, but shot into the side-netting from a tight angle.
Ipswich had failed to cause the visitors any trouble at all and on the half hour they fell behind as Jon Walters needlessly pushed Ryan Taylor, who punished him fully by whipping in a cross for Nolan to get ahead of Damien Delaney and glance his header home.
Four minutes later it was 3-0 as first Nolan latched onto an Enrique long ball before turning inside Pim Balkestein and firing under Wright and then Ryan Taylor despatched a superb curling 25-yard free-kick into the top corner after another silly foul, this time by Jack Colback on Carroll.
Ipswich's misery was increased as they lost skipper Alex Bruce to injury before the break and they could have gone in four down but for Wright making a fine save to turn away a Ranger header from loanee Zurab Khizanishvili's deep cross.
Town showed signs of improvement after the break as they swiftly won a corner. Tamas Priskin almost got in on an Enrique backpass before Fabricio Coloccini cleared and then Walters glanced a header from a Liam Rosenior cross onto the roof of the net.
However, they were left totally deflated on 51 minutes when Ryan Taylor swung in a deep cross from the right and a totally unmarked Ranger nodded it down and Nolan stole in to head home for his treble.
A Walters shot-cum-cross drifted across the face of goal before sub Tommy Smith got free to meet a Grant Leadbitter corner but he couldn't direct his header on target.
Sub Marlon Harewood came close to marking his Toon debut with a goal when he seized on a loose Rosenior pass, shrugged off Liam Trotter and fired in a ferocious drive which Wright did well to beat away.
Ipswich finally forced Steve Harper into a save with 88 minutes on the clock when a long throw by Carlos Edwards fell to Balkestein, but his goalbound drive was partially blocked before rolling tamely through to the visiting goalkeeper.