Editorial: Swinging into summer

OPINION: Though there might have been muted mutterings about the $10 charge for a previously free event, Port Nelson Jazz and Blues in the Park was yet again a deserved success.

It is the opening act of an annual festival that has come to epitomise summer in Nelson almost as much as sparkling waters and jampacked beaches. That 4000 people were happy to ignore damp conditions and buy their tickets says much about the calibre of the talent involved. At less than the cost of a ticket to the movies, the event still represents true value for money.

Jazz festivals have been part of the Nelson summer for 19 years now. This year, with 60 events across eight days, the Woollaston Jazz and Blues Festival has taken another step towards achieving its goal of being recognised as the premier event of its type in New Zealand.

This worthy ambition deserves wide local support. The festival helps ensure Nelson continues to be seen as a primary summer tourism spot, far more than simply a destination for the young hoons of Canterbury. Equally, it is an annual highlight for many local people.

- © Fairfax NZ News