Tauranga’s 47th National Jazz Festival saw a doubling of attendance numbers at this years’ Festival over Easter. With tickets sold as far as Australia and the United States the many venues around town, on water and rail were running at capacity.
“The response to the new format of the Festival was truly overwhelming” explains Festival Director Arne Herrmann, “we saw a significant increase in visitor numbers to the region and an amazing surge in locals coming out to sample the new additions to the Festival.”
Nearly 20,000 people celebrated the new TV3 Jazz Village at the Historic Village where more than 20 bands entertained all day on more than 7 stages. The City of Tauranga Steamtrain was sold out on many trips and an extra sailing had to be put on for The Sebel Trinity Wharf Jazz Riverboat.
Many of the ticketed concerts sold out including 5 times Grammy award winning The Blind Boys of Alabama, Hollie Smith, the Big Band Night, Phil Broadhurst’s Chick Corea tribute and The Wellington Bone Company.
Record crowds were also observed at the Downtown Tauranga Carnival with 35,000 people sampling the jazz music on the four downtown stages including the first ever and very popular Maori Jazz Stage.
“The Maori Jazz Stage was a resounding success, the atmosphere, the theme, the occasion, awesome!” says local jazz musician Peri Kohu.
The total attendance number of around 61,000 people makes the National Jazz Festival the largest in the country. With its 47 year long history it is also the third oldest Jazz Festival in the world.
“This weekend was a proud moment for the Bay and we applaud Tauranga and Bay of Plenty people to come out in those large numbers. We also want to thank our sponsors and funders for getting behind our Festival.” says Arne Herrmann.
While final financial statements will not be available until later this year, the Festival organizers are confident to have achieved a break-even result and will now start the planning for the 2010 Festival.