Grampians Jazz Festival, Halls Gap

When – annually each February, over weekend incorporating 2nd Saturday
Where – Halls Gap
Website – www.grampiansjazzfestival.com.au

Contact – Halls Gap Visitor Information Centre – ph 1800 065 599 for accommodation bookings & general information

Peter Milburn – ph 55722116 BH, musician and early bird registration

Jazz lovers are encouraged to come and experience this fantastic event – warm and friendly atmosphere, with musicians and their instruments buzzing between venues and locals welcoming the “crowd” back to town. Enjoy the fun and variety of great jazz music and laughter associated with this special weekend.

The annual Grampians Jazz Festival is held each February in Halls Gap. The sleepy hollow between the magnificent mountain ranges will swell from 300 to around 5,000 over the weekend as musicians and lovers of jazz flock into town for this yearly event that is being described as Australia’s “most popular festival”.  Streets, organised venues and any patch of bare ground will ring to the sounds of saxophones, trombones, banjos, trumpets and more as around 130 bands perform over the weekend.

The Grampians Jazz Festival was first established in 1986 by a group of keen jazz enthusiasts.  The event started as a 21st birthday party at Roses Gap and has since continued as an annual event. By the end of the 5th Grampians Jazz Reunion in 1991, the number of those attending had outgrown Roses Gap, so it was decided to bring the Festival to Halls Gap in 1992. Since then, the Festival has grown from having 14 bands performing in one venue to over 130 bands today performing across eight venues.

Registrations forms are available for the early birds in September/October, or you can just arrive and register on the weekend.  Badge passes (whole weekend) and single session tickets ensure you entry to all venues. The weekend officially commences at 12 noon on Friday and continues all weekend until 6.00pm Sunday. Highlights include a street parade on the Saturday morning and a “jazz mass” Sunday morning.