RUF (Raglan Ukulele Festival) will be filling the town with ukulele players from all over the upper North Island for the first weekend of September.
RUF’s main concert at The Raglan Club on Sat Sept 5 is open to the public and features special guests The Sing’n’Uke Blues Band.
Sing’n’Uke is led by Paul Jonson, a frequent workshop presenter and performer at ukulele festivals in New Zealand, Australia and further afield, who is known for his blues and ragtime playing (and an amazing collection of resonator and custom ukes) . Paul will be joined by Jason Fell on chromoharp and blues harp, Jackie Hassall fills out the sound on cello and bass ukulele and Wayne Morris tops it off with incredible rhythms on washboard, cajon (and anything ‘hitty-bangy’). They promise a dynamic set of foot stomping blues and hopping good ragtime!
Also playing in the concert are local uke groups The Ragtimers, The Blister Sisters and The Blukes.
A new event this year will be a pub singalong at the Harbourview Hotel on Friday from 6 – 7pm to welcome festival arrivals – this is also open to the public. On Sunday 6th local and visiting ukulele acts have pop-up performances at various cafes and venues around town, finishing with a lunchtime concert at the pub.
The festival’s programme of workshops and blackboard concerts on Sat 5th Sept was well on the way to being fully booked at the time of writing, but there may still be a handful of festival passes available. For the Saturday daytime programme bookings are essential. See the website for more info.
Raglan Ukulele Festival is on Fri Sept 4 to Sun Sept 6
Full info and booking form on the RUF website: https://www.ruf.co.nz/
RUF Main Concert Sat 5th Sept, 7pm, Raglan Club, door-sales from 6.30pm, $15 full price and $10 concession.
