Oliver Kinsley has just experienced his first scallop week at the Grapevine and is looking forward to relaxing.
On Monday, February 27, once he could find a moment, he commented “What a week! From electrifying piano performances to soothing sax, time to look back on what was one of the most intensely jazzy few days The Grapevine has ever witnessed.
“Dom Pipkin’s buzzing end-of-night blues solo, listening to Lex Cameron’s vast vocal range, smelling the scent of seared scallops being served to tables, Earl Okin’s unique charm, Ian Shaw’s fun humour, and so much more. It’s been a blast and we can’t wait for next year!”
He continued, “We are now proud to announce that after what was something of ‘trial run’, we will be hosting an annual winter JazzFest every year, in an attempt to promote our name and ultimately boost consumer spend in Rye during the quiet period of the year. Our great friends from the Rye International Jazz & Blues Festival have provided us with their full support for this. We can’t imagine that we will ever match the capacity Ian and his team achieve every August but if our winter JazzFest is able to make any significant impact on Rye tourism, then we will be extremely proud!”
Considering that this was The Grapevine’s first JazzFest, and having been a main sponsor of Rye Bay Scallop Week, some useful lessons have certainly been learnt. Evaluating and implementing these lessons will be key to the intended growth of the winter-based festival. Furthermore, if all of this can benefit the town, contributing to the promotion of Rye as a tourist destination, then Oliver and his team will have achieved their overall objective.
“It’s very much in our best interest for Rye’s tourism to continue growing, and we believe the best way our resources allow us to do this is by hosting daily live music with well-known musicians within our theme, always having our door open, sponsoring and encouraging local events, and working with other proprietors.”
However, after all the entertainment and enjoyment – this is ultimately a story of collaboration.
“None of this would’ve been possible if we had not had the support and encouragement of experienced chef, Kyle Tatner, who designed our scallop special dish, and helped us set up our light bites food menu. The director of The Rye International Jazz & Blues Festival, Ian Bowden, provided us with his full support and assistance with the live music side of things, alongside his fabulous co-directors joining us at the Grapevine for some of the performances. All the wonderful staff at the Grapevine worked additional hours throughout the week, and never dropped their smile.
“Of course the twenty-seven individual musicians put on fabulous shows, entertaining the audience and helping to advertise the festival. But most of all, Oliver Campion, founder of the Rye Bay Scallop Festival in the first place, worked tirelessly to bring the best out of Rye’s winter, and advertised all the Grapevine’s events. The more establishments hosting events during this week – the bigger Rye Bay Scallop Week will be. Lastly, Rye News has continued its support, encouragement and social-media promoting.”
Make sure you look out for the next winter JazzFest updates and don’t miss the main Rye International Jazz & Blues Festival on the August bank holiday which is always such an amazing event, promoting the town of Rye internationally.
Image Credits: The Grapevine , Kt bruce , The Grapevine .