That is the view of Des Collins, of Invercargill ukulele group Pic'n'Mix, which performed at the three-day Lauder Ukulele Festival over the weekend.
‘‘I've been to lots of ukulele festivals in New Zealand and this is by far the biggest - a much bigger event than the Auckland ones.
''Lauder should be declared the ukulele capital of the country and maybe the locals would like to put up a giant ukulele at the entrance to the town, similar to Gore's giant guitar,'' Mr Collins said yesterday.
Spectators enjoyed a six-hour concert at the festival yesterday which featured 14 different ukulele groups from all around the South Island.
Organised by Barry and Diane Bemrose, of Alexandra, and Bruce and Esme Macdonald, of Lauder, the event attracted 200 to 300 ukulele players and a similar number of spectators.
The festival began on Saturday with workshops and a ‘‘Big Sing'' on the village green, and will finish this morning with a jam session.
Festival and workshop participants ranged in age from a woman in her 80s through to a 9-year-old child.
‘‘There's people here of all ages, all walks of life.''
Hawaiian shirts were the order of the day and the songs performed covered all genres.
