Summer hums, but swing?s no sure thing

WAIRARAPA is ready to hum again this summer with Masterton District Council willing to half-fund another Summer Hummer rock concert, but support for Summer Swing is more lukewarm.
Although councillors agreed to allocate $10,000 to a Summer Swing ? "or similar" concert ? when this year's events budget came up for discussion at a meeting yesterday, it was not without some murmurings of discontent.
Councillor Brent Goodwin questioned whether money should again be allocated to Summer Swing on the grounds it had only succeeded in attracting relatively small audiences and hadn't grown over the years.
Gate takings at $5 a head had fallen short of expectations and Mr Goodwin said because the Summer Swing audience was generally "older and wealthier" than those who attended the Hummer concert it may be time to put the gate charge up to $10.
Councillors Owen Perry and Judith Callaghan also questioned the popularity of Summer Swing in relation to the cost of staging it but Masterton Mayor Bob Francis said the attendance last year had suffered severely because of wet weather.
Younger people going to Summer Hummer were more likely to shrug off bad weather and go anyway, whereas the Summer Swing audience was more likely to gibe at the prospect of a rainy concert.
Summer Hummer will be held on February 8 and is being planned by Avenues Events Management, who are now negotiating on the council's behalf with several top New Zealand musicians.
The concert is likely to be run in conjunction with others around the country with a separate entity ? the Summer Hummer Society ? putting together a package that includes the stage, sound system, security and the artists.
Final costs for Masterton have yet to be finalised but last year's Summer Hummer in Queen Elizabeth Park cost $30,000.
The council has allocated $15,000 and an application has been made to Trust House Charitable Trust to pick up the other half-share of the costs.
Summer Swing, as usual, is set down for the next night and outside funding will be needed to supplement the $10,000 the council has put aside for it.
Finance manager David Paris said the all-up costs of Summer Swing would be around $35,000.
l Included in this year's events budget is $20,000 to support the Women's World Cup of Cycling.
This is a world cycling body-accredited race that will be televised throughout the world and will be staged through Wairarapa, Hutt Valley and Wellington.
Race director George Sandoval has told councillors the event has been secured for three years and is now the biggest road cycle race in the country.
Wellington City Council and Hutt City are each contributing $50,000 towards the expected $300,000 cost.
Trust House has naming-rights sponsorship.
Mr Francis said the cycling extravaganza would bring "significant exposure" of Masterton and Wairarapa to a worldwide audience.
Other events to qualify for council sponsorship include Wings over Wairarapa airshow, $10,000, Christmas Carols in the Park, $6000, Wairarapa Balloon Fiesta, $8000, and the costs associated with the official opening of the recreation centre, $6500.