Countdown to epic festival finale
TOURISTS are pouring into town for the final weekend of Jumpers and Jazz.
With a mammoth line-up of events today and tomorrow, the 14th festival is set to go out with a bang.
The Saturday Jazz Lounge is making its calendar debut, along with the festival favourite suitcase rummage and Seasonal Feast markets returning today.
Tomorrow Leslie Park will be taken over by the Picnic in the Park and Winter Craft Market, plus myriad other events that are sure to have the town swinging.
Warwick Art Gallery yarn-bombing team coordinator Loretta Grayson said the reception at this year's festival had been especially positive.
"One of the things we always hear from people is that they love the tree jumpers and that they just keep getting better and better every year,” Ms Grayson said.
Belle Vue Cafe owner Mark Favero said his business, along with many other retailers and restaurants, had been doing a roaring trade.
"We're booked out both nights this weekend after selling out last weekend and have had a constant stream of people through the week,” Mr Favero said.
"For us, we've always liked to capitalise on that boost Jumpers and Jazz brings and it also gives us an opportunity to be a bit more experimental with menu and event ideas.”
The festival has also made its mark on visitors to the event.
On Thursday, Kyogle day-trippers Elsie Rose Mudflap, Blanche Worsnop and Mary Perkins were dressed in colourful costumes of their own creation, evoking the spirit of Jumpers and Jazz.
"We're bringing the Yarn Spinning Phenomena to Kyogle on August 12,” Ms Perkins said.
"We absolutely love Jumpers and Jazz and we've been a few times before, including last year.”
Warwick Chamber of Commerce president JuliaKeogh said while dollarfigures from the festival would not come in until next week, the anecdotal evidence of the festival's success was plain to see.
"One lady from Brisbane had been for a day last year and has come back to stay for the 10 days and has brought a lot of friends and family with her to celebrate her birthday,” Ms Keogh said.
"She's been able to enjoy the array of events and is talking about bringing her friends back again next year and even doing a tree.”
Turn the page for more details of what's on this weekend.