The organisers of Masterton’s Summer Hummer have locked in pop and RnB sensation Drax Project to headline the free music festival that’s returning to the Queen Elizabeth Sportsground in March.
Drax Project shot to national and global fame in 2017 with their hit single ‘Woke Up Late’, and have since opened for Ed Sheeran, Lorde, Six60, and Christina Aguilera, along with recording and releasing collaborative hits.
The group’s Summer Hummer spot will come at the tail end of a sellout summer tour across New Zealand to promote the release of their new album ‘Upside’.
The music event was launched by former Masterton mayor and arts advocate Bob Francis in 1997 and, for the next 13 years, featured prominent New Zealand acts like The Feelers, Dave Dobbyn, Scribe, and The Mutton Birds.
“Like anything, I think people ran out of energy,” said Masterton councillor and event coordinator Stella Lennox, who helped ensure the festival was “resurrected from the dead” last year.
“We figured we’d get it back up and running again with a whole load of new people behind us, which is cool,” said Lennox – and the aim is to keep Summer Hummer going for at least the next five years.
“Last year, we had about 2000 people, so I’m thinking this time we’d love to double it this time around.”
With the support of Francis, Lennox said she is leading a new community entity called Elevate Wairarapa Charitable Trust.
“It’s really community-focused and all about organising community backing through sponsorships and businesses.”
Trust House is the naming sponsor for next year’s Summer Hummer, and Lennox said she and the trust are working on other funding avenues.
In “true Summer Hummer style”, entry to the event will only cost a gold coin koha at the gates.
Other acts playing will be announced closer to the event’s March 9 date.
Any businesses or sponsors keen to get involved can contact Lennox via [email protected].
