Earlier, rain clouds cleared to reveal warm sunshine for hundreds of residents and visitors as they enjoyed performances by Master Blasters and Best Served Chilled for Jazz On The Green.
Master Blasters played a 20-strong set of melodies, including Getaway by Earth Wind And Fire, More Tea Vicar by Buckshot LeFonque and Black Horse And The Cherry Tree by KT Tunstall.
Wakatipu High School's band Best Served Chilled, alternating between the core combo group and the full ensemble of 14, dazzled with renditions including Fever and Woke Up This Morning, the theme song from the television series The Sopranos.
Festival director and jazz pianist Harvey Maguire said the launch had been "absolutely brilliant".
"The opening event on the Village Green went far better than we expected. We hadn't used that venue before."
Mr Maguire said the cabaret on Saturday night was "fabulous" and organisers had received excellent feedback.
