Oamaru could have its jazz festival back, 27 years after the last one was held.
The Harbour Street Jazz Festival in Oamaru's historic precinct was a three-day, low-budget affair from Friday to yesterday, but organisers hope it will set the ground work for an annual event.
It was organised by a committee of seven volunteers with an interest in jazz, some of whom recalled the earlier festivals, which ended in 1986, after which they went to Queenstown.
One of those organisers, Maxine Rakiraki, said the idea to revive the festival arose from a casual conversation last year about the earlier events.
''We decided to give it a go [this year] again to see if it would work,'' she said at the festival's street parade and New Orleans-style street party in Harbour St on Saturday.
Within the next two months, the committee would get together, review the festival, see if any changes were needed and then decide whether to run it again next year.
Fine weather on Saturday certainly brought the fans out in to Harbour St to hear jazz musicians busking and visit stalls and shops.
Some were there early before the event officially started at 11am with a street parade down lower Thames St, which also drew in visitors to Harbour St.
Two American tourists on a bus tour who wandered among the musicians wondered what was going on and were told jokingly the event was just for their benefit.
On Saturday night, jazz musicians performed at four venues around Oamaru where people could go and listen.
Yesterday, jazz workshops were held after busking in Harbour St and at the weekly Oamaru Farmers Market.
Last night, about 60 people attended the grand finale jazz cabaret and dinner, dancing to the Southern Dixie band.
