By TANIA PHILLIPS
DOZEN years on, Jazz and Jumpers reaches its crescendo this weekend with organisers pleased with the first week and looking forward to a spectacular finish.
Warwick Tourism and Events CEO Tracy Vellacott and festival co-organiser Warwick Art Gallery’s Karina Devine believe the festival got off to the best possible start.
“As organisers, Karina and I could not be more pleased with the start to the 2015 festival,” Tracy said.
“The launch party was sensational in its new home in the Warwick Town Hall and a crowd of over 150 enjoyed Dezzie D & The Stingrayz in their first (but not last) appearance at the festival.
Excited tree jumper artists gathered to cheer on the winners and celebrate the participation of professional textile artists, community groups, businesses and schools. It was a great big warm and fuzzy night.
“On Friday night, our inaugural winter dinner put the finest produce of the region on show for 90 dinner guests and chef Andrew Simpson from the Queensland College of Wine Tourism produced a meal that had all attendees raving. The evening was of course complemented by sublime jazz with Emma Pask and John Morrison Trio as part of the Qld Music Festival’s flying tour. We are looking forward to building this event into one of the must-do events on the festival calendar.
“On the first Saturday, the hub of the festival becomes Jazz @ The Gallery. It was a perfect chill zone to take in the Woollow Tree, appreciate the beautiful work of the artisans who exhibited at the boutique market, and kick back on a lounge and enjoy jazz from top-class performers.
“Sunday’s display of vintage, veteran and classic cars and bikes brought people out in their droves for a relaxed wandering of the tree jumpers. And the Denise Scott afternoon was a full house of 350+ folk in stitches.”
As to what’s coming?
“The team are taking a deep breath in readiness for a wonderful finale weekend,” she said.
“Accommodation bookings are really solid and so are bookings at a number of the evening dinner and jazz events.
“Thursday will be fun, fun, fun as we take to the green for the Silly Socks and Cool Scarves Bowls Day with other highlights including the Winter Gardening Extravaganza and the Potters Association Launch and Soup Night. The take-home bowl a bonus of rugging up and tasting all the delicious home-made soup.”
Warwick Credit Union’s Stroll ‘n’ Swing will be a festival highlight with the main stage full of classy jazz, the Suitcase Rummage, and Terry Arnold and Danny Aspinall along with folk from the Woolshed at Jondaryan demonstrating shearing, sheep dog work and wool memorabilia at the Sheep Shack.
New to the Stroll ‘n’ Swing is the Regional Harvest Produce Market.
“If you would like to know the secrets behind the famous Sutton’s Juice Factory apple pie, join QLD’s Inaugural Food Fellow Alison Alexander at the Regional Harvest Produce Market and enjoy a yarn, or two, with some of the#southerndowns finest food producers,” she said.
“We will be wrapping up the 2015 festival in style at the Ergon Energy Picnic in the Park. The Warwick Potters Association have co-ordinated a market of quality artisans to fill Leslie Park and along with a fabulous jazz line-up and food and wine, the party promises to be a wonderful way to see out the 2015 festival and acknowledge all the hard work done by tree jumper artists, volunteers and organisers. We hope to see a huge crowd there!”
