By Lucy Waldron
The Jumpers and Jazz in July festival launched in style on a fittingly chilly evening, unveiling its program and honouring partners and event hosts at a celebratory award ceremony.
Opened by a performance from the Melomaniacs and a poem by Marco Gliori – providing a preview of what the 10-day festival will hold – the night was filled with charcuterie delights put on by One Table Cafe.
Pam Burley, president and event coordinator of Jumpers and Jazz in July, expressed her gratitude towards the partners and hosts, emphasising their crucial role in the festival’s success.
“This year we have 53 event hosts in our program, up from 43 last year, which is very exciting,“ Ms Burley said.
“We have over 160 experiences and activities throughout the 10 days, and there are 26 pages of events in the program to choose from.”
The festival, renowned for its unique blend of art and music, has introduced several new events to keep the experience fresh while maintaining its core attractions.
“The heart of Jumpers and Jazz is in the CBD of Warwick with the trees and the music, where it all began in 2004,“ Ms Burley said.
“Looking back at the first programs, we marvel at how much the festival has grown in various ways.”
One notable change highlighted by Ms Burley was how the festival has extended beyond the Warwick CBD to small towns like Goomburra, Freestone, Swan Creek, Allora, Mt Colliery, Tannymorel, Killarney and Severnlea.
“We are all about being proud of the Southern Downs, and we want to be able to give our small communities the opportunity to shine,” she said.
The evening concluded with an awards ceremony where each partner and event host received a certificate and an exclusive first look at the 20th-anniversary program. Given the extensive lineup and the commemorative nature of this year’s festival, the program will be available for purchase at $5.
For all festival-related information and activities, attendees can visit the Jumper and Jazz Hub in partnership with the Criterion Hotel, located at 82 Palmerin Street.
