Mercury Bay Music Festival Set To Go

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
25 February 2016

Mercury Bay Music Festival Set To Go

Creative Mercury Bay (CMB) is holding this year’s inaugural Mercury Bay Music Festival. The festival, a mix of musical genres and styles, is being held over Queen’s Birthday weekend and includes some of New Zealand best and brightest.

CMB’s credibility amongst musicians is such that singers like Caitlin Smith and Don McGlashan and groups such as Hamilton County Blue Grass Band and Brass in Pocket were keen to sign up.

The event will encompass a range of genres and is participatory, so there are workshops and other learning opportunities included. The eight headline acts will perform in the evenings at concerts in the Town Hall and Blue Lagoon. Some will also run workshops during the day.

The festival opens on Friday evening June 3 with performances in small, intimate venues with the major concerts on Saturday and Sunday night. “All acts will play at least twice over the weekend, so you won’t miss your favourite,” local muso Len Salt says. A total of 25 acts have been contracted and there will be up to 10 workshops over the weekend including a guitar masterclass with Richard Gilewitz and a ukulele class with The Nukes.

Salt says the festival is Whitianga oriented and all venues can be reached on foot. “This is a great way to wander through the town on a vibrant, musical weekend. Everywhere you turn there will be musicians entertaining you”.

The festival is supported by Thames Coromandel District Council, which awarded a $30,000 grant for this first year and a total of $30,000 for the following two years. Other major sponsors include: The Informer, Peninsular Scaffolding and Roofing, Richardson’s Real Estate, New World, All About Whitianga and Salt Restaurant and Bar.

A full list of musicians appearing at the festival will be released nearer the date as well as details of venues and performance times.

ENDS.

© Scoop Media