GRAMPIANS Jazz Festival organisers are excited about the atmosphere in Halls Gap in the lead-up the 30th annual event in the town at the weekend.
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Festival co-ordinator Peter Milburn said preparations for the event had gone to plan, with accommodation in Halls Gap and surrounding towns heavily booked.
“Everything is pointing towards a massive weekend,” he said.
”Preparations are going well, accommodation is booked acoss the region and we think the festival will be as good as ever.”
Mr Milburn said there would be more than 150 bands performing throughout the three-day festival.
“We will have more than 400 musicians in attendance and as many people as we can fit in,” he said.
“Everyone is looking forward to it. There is a lot of excitement around the place.
“The weather forecast is great, all the preparations have been finalised and everything will be just right for the festival.”
The Grampians Jazz Festival will celebrate 30 golden years of jazz between 5pm on Friday and 6pm on Sunday.
Streets, organised venues and any patch of bare ground will ring to the sounds of saxophones, trombones, banjos, trumpets and more throughout the weekend.
Mr Milburn said highlights would include a street parade at 10am on Saturday and a jazz gospel service at 9am on Sunday.
He said badge passes for the weekend and single session tickets were available.
Badge passes give people entry to all sessions and venues and cost $70 for adults and $10 for people under 18.
Saturday passes are $40 for adults and $5 for people under 18.
Single session tickets for Friday night, Saturday afternoon, Saturday night and Sunday performances are $25 for adults and $5 for people under 18.
Mr Milburn said registration and tickets would be available at the Halls Gap Centenary Hall from 2pm on Thursday.
All badge event venues offer disabled access with seating provided.
Grampians Road in the town centre will be closed at the weekend to all traffic from 8pm on Friday until 6.30pm on Sunday.
The Grampians Jazz Festival was established in 1986 at Roses Gap, and moved to Halls Gap in 1991. The event will relocate from to Port Fairy from next year.
Festival organisers made the decision after musicians – many of whom had relocated to the coast – decided to play in Port Fairy rather than travel to Halls Gap.
