By JONATHON HOWARD
CAPTIONS: Great South East presenter Jess Skarrat works out some of the best ways to preview Jumpers and Jazz with Warwick Art Gallery director, Karina Devine.
WHAT started as a quirky idea to dress up Warwick’s main street during the winter of 2004, has exploded into a nationally recognised event with local artists at its core.
Jumpers and Jazz in July (18-28 July) will again return to the streets of Warwick next month for the 10th anniversary – with several new surprises in store.
The event was the brainchild of former Warwick Art Gallery director Audrey Hoffman who approached the now Southern Downs Regional Council with the idea.
The event has since grown into such a success that on Tuesday, 11 June, presenters from Channel 7’s popular travel and lifestyle show “The Great South East”, converged on Warwick’s CBD for an exclusive shoot.
Presenter Jess Skarrat helped Warwick Art Gallery director, Karina Devine, and Warwick Tourism and Events CEO, Travy Vellacott, hang some early tree scarfs for the cameras.
Mrs Vellcott said the Jumpers and Jazz event had made an impressive mark of the Australia Tourism circuit.
“It really has become an iconic national event,” she said.
“We’re again expecting thousands to converge on Warwick with an influx of tourism dollars into the local economies, as well as a celebration of our region.”
Mrs Devine said The Great South East special preview of the event was a welcome booster.
“It’s already such an amazing and iconic event, and the extra coverage from the Great South East was really welcome,” she said.
Among the new surprises will be a “big ball of yarn” with a knitted trail from the Warwick Art Gallery to the main street.
The big ball, and 200-metre trail, was knitted by Warwick artists and married couple Kate and Alain Colfs.
Mr Colfs said he spent countless hours in front of the television knitting the yarn trail.
The big ball has not yet been seen publicly and will be revealed on 18 July.
It was unknown when the Great South East episode, featuring Jumpers and Jazz, was likely to be screened.
The show can be seen on Channel 7, 5.30pm on Sundays.
