The smooth sounds of jazz from Lukas Wharekura are sure to woo the crowds taking in the inaugural Glo Festival in Rotorua in the lead-up to New Year celebrations.
The 17-year-old Western Heights High School student is one of 15 buskers playing on Tutanekai St as part of the festival on Sunday in the hope of winning themselves a spot on stage at next year's Glo Festival and $1500 cash.
Lukas is excited about the propect of performing to shoppers and visitors to the city during the competition.
"I'm just looking forward to getting out there and playing. It's such a great experience.''
Music speaks many languages, Lukas says: "It's the biggest communication breaker in the world. It's the universal language,'' he says.
He's not fazed about busking either _ Lukas can often be heard strumming out a tune or two outside the $2 Shop on Tutanekai St. He can make up to $60 in just a few hours of music-making for shoppers.
"I love the expression of the crowd when I play.''
Lukas hopes to be a big-time musician in the future.
"It brings in the women ... Otherwise I'll have to become a plumber ... I'm not much without my guitar,'' he says jokingly.
This teenager has been performing since he was a 10-year-old and is pretty good at it too. As a member of Rotorua band Pirates of the Nile, they won Rotorua Has Talent and another band he was in, Aftershock, went on to win the second Rotorua Regional Rock Quest and with Strangely Arousing went on to win the regional Pacifica Beats.
"Music is my life.''
He plans on covering a range of music genres on Sunday but will mainly be strumming smooth jazz and a bit of rock and pop, along with a few of his own songs.
"I'm sure people will enjoy it.''
Three blocks of Tutanekai St from Eruera St north to outside The Lucky Lotto Shop, will be closed including the City Focus during the competition.
Other buskers include Jun Lee, Luke Upton, Adrienne and Claire, Martyn, Kepa Whakatau, Jerome and Kelsey along with Ngaome and Bayley.
Rotorua Events and venues major events co-ordinator Kyle Lang says Rotorua city will turn into a family celebration featuring lots of Rotorua's talent.
There will be heaps going on throughout the three-day Glo Festival, from a street party to the buskers performing, a bazaar market along Tutanekai St, a family night of entertainment on the Village Green, a day of family-friendly activities and a fireworks display on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day at the Lakefront.
The party starts on Sunday with the buskers taking to the street between 11am and 2pm, and dozens of stallholders selling their wares in a street fair _ including Maori kai, ethnic food, crafts and lots of entertainment, Kylie says.
"It's going to be one big street party. There will be a huge range of of entertainers with a range of different genres.''
Then on New Year's Eve, Monday, the Village Green will come alive with a Party in the Park for the entire family to enjoy. Titanium, Rotorua's Kelly Makiha, Roger Cunningham, the James Webster band and Haylee Nitschke will be playing to the crowd.
"It's family-focused with lots of family entertainment and things going on,'' Kylie says.
At 9pm on Monday night the "biggest fireworks display Rotorua has ever seen'' will light up the night sky with a colourful display before the R18 Heart of Tutanekai Street Party gets under way, running from 8pm to 1am.
Then at 11am on New Year's Day, the Village Green will start buzzing again with entertainment for the First Big Brunch party day between 11am and 2pm.
A stage will be set up, with local band Count Me In and the group Four 2 One also playing.
Kylie says there will be plenty of room for people to set up picnics and make a day of it.
"Bring down the whole whanau. It's going to be a day packed with family fun and free entertainment.''