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WC041124

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Monday, November 4, 2024

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Sport

All set for the races Sport

Drivers urged to maintain safe and uneventful behaviour on roads

ENTERTAINING: Three-time Aria award recipient Vince Jones, with his quintet, were indeed a highlight of the weekend’s festival. PHOTO: Marc Bongers

By JEFF ZEUSCHNER

BLOWN AWAY Wangaratta Jazz and Blues Festival rebirth exceeds expectations, setting a solid financial footing to build on event into the future

EXPECTATIONS were exceeded, as thousands of people soaked up the superb offering of music at various venues in the latest reincarnation of the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues over the weekend. Festival committee chair Andrew Nunn said more than 2800 tickets had been sold up until Sunday morning, with further expected into the day of what had been a very successful re-

BY JEFF ZEUSCHNER

jzeuschner@ nemedia.com.au

birth of the festival, which in its 34 annual hosting was revived by a new board and band of volunteers keen to ensure last year’s festival was indeed not a ‘last hurrah’. “We budgeted for venues to be half full and well and truly surpassed that

comfortably,” he told the Wangaratta Chronicle, noting a number of venues had been sold out over the weekend, including headliner Vince Jones, whose quintet - of Matt McMahon (piano), Felix Bloxsom (drums), John Mackey (tenor sax) and Ben Robertson (double bass) - thrilled the packed Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre on Saturday night.

g n i r p S

“Financially it allows us a good start for next year’s event. “We also set ourselves objectives around the festival experience and community ownership. “We have encouraged community feedback and are asking more people to put some skin in the game as we’re a volunteer board and can only do so much. “We had around 40 volunteers who did a fantastic

e r e h s i 23 Baker Street, Wangaratta garrynash.com.au

job but we could do with more.” Volunteers, like talented artists drawn from across the country, were kept busy at concerts at a host of venues including the The Railyard, Wangaratta Club, Pinsent Hotel, Dock 5, Bulls Head, The Vine and Old Faithfulls, Old Baptist Church and Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sunday morning jazz mass). ■ Continued page 2

AN influx of thousands of visitors to the North East over the long weekend has been welcomed by police and businesses alike. Wangaratta and other towns have been buoyed by the tourism boost. Sergeant Cam Miller of Wangaratta police said that behaviour of the roads up until midday Sunday had been pleasantly “uneventful”. “From the police perspective we haven’t had any significant incidents in the local area and we’re hoping that remains the case throughout the remainder of Operation Furlong, which ends at 11.59pm tomorrow evening,” he said. “We will have an increased police presence on the roads on Tuesday, particularly in an around the Wangaratta races. “We ask racegoers to plan their day...how they are getting there and getting home safely. “Go and enjoy the races but also keep road safety front of mind.” Tomorrow’s Melbourne Cup public holiday in Wangaratta will be the first time in five years the city will have a race day. Wangaratta Turf Club is hoping to see thousands of people back on course for the Ovens Ford Melbourne Cup Race Day. ■ Further stories, including race fields and previews, fashions on field in SPORT.

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