ACCOMMODATION is filling up, artists are on their way, and even the weather is in tune with an event weekend's needs, as the Wangaratta district prepares for an influx of visitors and a significant boost to the local economy over coming days.
The four-day Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues kicks off tonight, while Tarrawingee's Plough Inn will host its second annual Tarra Blues Fest over Saturday and Sunday, and a host of other complementary events are set to lend a real festival feel to the Rural City of Wangaratta's pre-Melbourne Cup weekend.
Street performers and buskers will help build the atmosphere around the city during the jazz and blues festival, while a free community stage on the bowling green at the Wangaratta Club on Saturday will give locals a chance to gather and soak up the music and sunshine.
Add to that the free-entry Wang's Big Record Fair at The Centre in Chisholm Street across Saturday and Sunday, the traditional Oxley Bush Market at Oxley Hall on Saturday, the King Valley Art Show at King River Brewing from Friday to Monday, light installations including Saturday night tours in Wangaratta's CBD, and a Jazz Riverside Market in Apex Park on Sunday, for a wide-ranging weekend of entertainment.
The staging of the 34th jazz and blues festival is a story in itself, coming 12 months after the event's 'Last Hurrah'.
Latest Stories
This time last year, it appeared financial constraints, an uncertain landscape for music festivals, and diminished resources for the volunteer board had combined to sound the death knell for the Wangaratta institution.
It had returned to a live format in 2022 after two years of COVID-enforced online festivals and a cancellation in 2019 aimed at ensuring its future, but last November's event ran with a reduced program.
However, community passion for the festival meant there was an almost immediate groundswell of support for moves to reboot the event.
Following a series of meetings held in the wake of the 2023 event, a new board was elected in February and set about attracting donations and grants, and developing a new-look venue-based model which could carry the festival forward.
The result will be seen this weekend in a program of concerts in Wangaratta hospitality venues The Railyard, Wangaratta Club, Pinsent Hotel, Dock 5, Bulls Head, The Vine and Old Faithfulls, as well as a 'Milawa Monday' series of events at Milawa Cheese, Henley's, Lancemore and Brown Brothers, and performances at Holy Trinity Cathedral (which will again host the popular jazz mass on Sunday morning), the Old Baptist Church on the corner of Docker and Baker Streets (hosting the Tiny Jazz Series), and the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre (which, among other shows, provides the backdrop for the prestigious National Jazz Award held annually in conjunction with the festival since its inception).
Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues chair Andrew Nunn said an estimated 2300 tickets had been sold for the festival, with four shows already sold out.
With a financial influx estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars expected over the weekend, Mr Nunn said much of Wangaratta's accommodation was booked, and artists would begin arriving on Friday to be part of the event.
"Everyone coming is rapt that we've kept it going," he said.
A committed group of about 40 volunteers will support the event, and Mr Nunn encouraged other members of the Wangaratta community to get out and experience the rejuvenated festival over what looks set to be a weekend of warm, fine spring weather.
"I think there are still a lot of people sitting on the fence to see what we're up to this year," he said.
"The majority of ticket-buyers are from out of town, so we are still building that relationship between the community and the festival.
"I'd encourage people to give it a chance, experience it and have a good time.
"It's been great to be able to support local hospitality businesses, many of which were affected by COVID restrictions; there are so many cool people out there having a crack, and the festival is another way of backing them."
Mr Nunn said the new volunteer board, assisted by artistic director Serge Carnovale (the founder and owner of Melbourne's Paris Cat Jazz Club), was enjoying the steep learning curve of organising this year's festival.
"We've learnt a lot this year, and we're about to learn a lot more in the next few days," he said.
Phil Lithgow from the Plough Inn said the historic Tarrawingee hotel, which last weekend hosted 100 people and their treasured cars as part of the Monaro Nationals, would again be busy with its blues festival extended from last year's one-day offering.
"Ticket sales are strong," he said.
"Last year, the people who attended were nearly all from out of the region, and they loved the fact that the North East has so much to offer and that music gives them another reason to come to the area.
"We ran just on the Sunday of the weekend last year, and moving to two days this year has allowed us to put a couple more acts in and to have the Saturday night program running.
"With all that's happening here, I think if you can't find some live music you enjoy in Wangaratta and district this weekend, you must be pretty fussy."
