18-20 march 2022
Every Otago Anniversary weekend in Oamaru, a talented lineup of musicians gather to perform and entertain!
With a fantastic variation of gigs and performances throughout town of the course of the weekend, there’s something in the mix for everyone – jazz aficionados and amateurs alike!
The festival is rapidly expanding and has become a centrepiece event on the District events calendar. Be sure to book your accommodation in advance!
Background
In the 1980s Oamaru held an annual jazz festival at the Brydone Hotel over Labour Weekend. It was a big event on jazz musicians’ calendars and they came from all over New Zealand to enjoy the music, camaraderie and opportunities to share their creative talents with other like-minded people and enthusiastic audiences.
In 2012, various jazz musicians were contacting people in Oamaru asking if the town could again host a jazz festival - a festival where the enjoyment of jazz and the spontaneity of musicians jamming together comes first.
Oamaru & Oamaru’s Victorian Precinct is fortunate in that it has a number of venues, as well as Harbour Street itself, which are ideally suited to hosting a weekend festival. The Criterion Hotel, Loan and Mercantile Function Centre, The Penguin Club, Harbour Street Collective Cafe, Star & Garter Restaurant, The Brydone Hotel, and Scotts Brewery all create a fantastic and diverse setting for a jam packed jazz performance timetable over the weekend.
With a huge and talented line up playing each year makes this event destined to be spectacular.