Hawke's Bay Festival of Bands set to be biggest yet

Lindisfarne College Symphonic Band performing in 2020. Photo / Supplied

This year's Hawke's Bay Festival of Bands will be "the biggest ever" as bands from around the North Island will come to Hawke's Bay to perform.

Held at Lindisfarne College, the festival started 15 years ago when previous school director of music John Snowling realised there was a need for more performance opportunities for wind bands in the North Island, current director of music and performing arts Dr Flemming Kristensen says.

"The festival has since continued and flourished".

This year will be the biggest ever, Flemming says, with 18 bands playing throughout the day.

Bands playing include school bands, youth bands and community bands from Hawke's Bay, Waikato, Manawatu and the Central North Island.

"It's exciting that so many community bands are so keen to perform at Lindisfarne College," Flemming says.

Flemming says attendees can expect "great music" by groups performing a variety of jazz, funk, symphonic, classical and rock music in the "fantastic" Lowe Performing Arts Centre.

Each band performs for 20 minutes with the performances starting at 9am and ending at 4pm.

People can come and go as they please and there is also food available onsite.

In addition to the bands, there will also be soloists competing for prizes in the solo section, which is also open to the public.

This year's adjudicator is Mike Ashton, a trombonist in the Royal NZ Airforce Band and ex-Coldstream Guards musician.

The details

What: Hawke's Bay Festival of Bands

When: Sunday May 30, 9am

Where: Lindisfarne College

Entry: $5 on the door