Summer festival to bring carnival buzz back to Riverton.

Read the full article by The Press here.

The Soundshell might be gone, but Taramea Bay in Riverton will be singing again this summer for the first Blues and Jazz by the Sea festival.

The idea is to bring back the carnival atmosphere that once had this slice of Southland buzzing with live music, food and activities for little ones.

The festival will take place on February 22 with performances by the Whirling Eddys, Lachie Hayes, the Diagonals, and Tahu and the Takahēs, along with Invercargill dance studio The Creative and Ollie McLean, a blues-rap musician from Arrowtown.

For Ray White salesperson Jaimee McCabe, it’s a chance to restore Riverton to the vibrant town it once was.

McCabe was taking a stroll along Taramea Bay one morning when the idea for the festival started bubbling.

“I was reminiscing about my childhood, especially the carnivals at the Soundshell that used to draw lots of crowds.”

Cars used to be parked from Mitchells Bay to Pilot Reserve, she said.

“I think the community really misses the vibrant days of the Soundshell.”

The stage was pulled down in 2016 after it fell into disrepair, and the cost of fixing it climbed to $400,000.