By ALENA HIGGINS
“BLISSFULLY exhausted” is how Jumpers and Jazz organiser Tracy Vellacott describes herself and her team following another hugely successful winter festival.
Thousands flocked to the Rose City to take part in the 11th annual celebration of winter in Warwick, which delivered with bunches of fun and frivolities over 10 jam-packed days.
“I think we continue to raise the bar every year and I think 2014 was our biggest yet,” the CEO of Warwick Tourism and Events said.
“In talking with businesses, visitors – everyone – the feedback we are receiving is that there were definitely more people in town.”
The number of visitors to the art gallery also floored organisers, with a whopping 7,500 flowing through the doors.
“We saw a steady stream – queues even – to get into the Knitchen exhibition during weekends and mid-week as well,” Ms Vellacott said.
Gallery director Karina Devine described the increase, up from about 5,000 last year, as “incredible”.
She also congratulated the “exception work” of tree jumper artists and thanked them for their participation.
Rather than slowing down, the festival picked up pace as it came to a spectacular conclusion on Sunday with the Picnic in the Park.
Massive crowds were lured to Leslie Park by the mouth-watering smells of Mexican, Spanish and German cuisines, not to mention the abundance of market stallholders and live jazz on offer.
More than 170 stallholders took part this year’s event, according to market co-ordinator Sue Creed.
“I think the weather was absolutely brilliant,” she said.
“Store holders had amazing things on offer and the crowds came out in force.”
The challenge for next year’s Jumpers and Jazz was to increase midweek visitation, Ms Vellacott said.
“We are going to be looking to grant money for the next financial year to help grow midweek packaging … so we can have an equally vibrant program midweek as what we do on the weekends.”
