Waverley set to surprise at Summer Jam festival
Summer just got a whole lot more exciting in South Taranaki.
The Waverley Summer Jam, a free community concert for all ages, will be held at Dallison Park on November 25 from 4-8pm. It will feature acclaimed singer, actor and Waverley resident Frankie Stevens, who was a judge on all three seasons of New Zealand Idol and was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to entertainment in 2005.
Event organiser Vicki Koubaridis said Stevens was a “passionate community person” and wanted to get involved in something for the area.
“Pre-Covid, we ran a little carol service in Gully Park, with kids singing. It was very low-key, but that’s where all this started,” she said.
“Frankie approached us and said we could do Christmas in the Park just like they do in Auckland.
“Maybe we can be as big as that. It started small, like [what] we are doing, and now it’s a massive beast.”
The event ran for the first time last year and attracted 500 people, Koubaridis said. She hoped to double that this time around.
“We’ve got the Diamond Divas coming from Hamilton. One of [Stevens’] daughters is part of that.
“Then there will be the three local schools, a performer from Pa¯tea and a kapa haka group.
“There is plenty of stuff on the entertainment side of things. The lineup is going to be sensational.”
The event will include facepainting, giveaways, a photo booth, a dedicated play area, a visit from Santa and “lots of food trucks”.
“People are also free to bring their own picnics,” Koubaridis said.
“This is a day for everyone — young, old, middle-aged. It’s free, so there are no limits for anybody.”
Koubaridis said she had been joined by seven others to put on the event.
“There are some great people out there, and it’s about getting likeminded people together, forming a group and being able to provide something for the community.”
Waverley population in the 2018 Census was 822, while the event was also an incentive for people from out of town to visit, Koubaridis said.
“There will be some out there who have never been here before, or haven’t been for a long time.
“It’s a bit of an untouched community, really. There is some fabulous stuff going on. They can come and see how great it is.”