Category: 2019 News

Amazing Mandolin Raffle 2019

Our goal with Kiwigrass is to create a sustainable, ongoing festival for all of bluegrass-loving New Zealand. Part of that means raising money for future festivals.  Our primary fundraiser this year is our amazing raffle.

First prize is a custom made van der Gaag mandolin,  worth $2,500  and made from all New Zealand native timbers. Johan has been hard at work creating a special masterpiece just for Kiwigrass.

Lucky Paul Trenwith tries out the beautiful instrument.

Second prize is a Trenwith practice banjo, also known as a quiet banjo.  Made of all timber, this little banjo allows you to practice your mad bluegrass licks without driving your neighbours, partner, kids, or flatmates crazy.  A must-have for all keen banjo players!  Paul says he will have a variety of the little chaps for sale at Kiwigrass. They range in price from $250 for the plywood ones to $400 if it’s made of nice wood. 

“They’re all different,” he says. 

You’ll be able to buy tickets for the amazing raffle at the festival. $5 each, or 5 for $20.

Take me back, take me back

Take me back to Narrow’s Park one week ago! It feels a little bit like a dream. All I remember is a sea of smiles all around me, and the sound of beautiful bluegrass music!

I want to send out special thanks and love to everyone who contributed to making Kiwigrass the marvellous weekend that it was. Thank you to our brilliant performers, lovely vendors, all the volunteers who kept things running so smoothly, the Narrows Park staff, and of course each and every attendee. Together, we made New Zealand’s first bluegrass festival in 40 years a raging success!

Thank you to everyone who has sent in their feedback and suggestions. I’ve received some excellent ideas already for making Kiwigrass 2020 even better. You can still e-mail me with your specific recommendations, or if you want something more structured, you can fill out this handy dandy feedback form:
Give Feedback

Video and Photos

We’ve got a Youtube channel where we will upload videos when they are ready, and we’re building a playlist of other people’s videos. If you have video you’d like to share, send us a link!

Watch Kiwigrass 2019 Video Playlist

Same goes for photos. Right now Ian Fisk’s fantastic photos are available on our website, and we will add more as we unload the cameras. If you have some photos to share, get in touch!

See Ian Fisk’s Photos and More

I’m also sharing photos to the Kiwigrass Facebook Page. Simon Travaglia has uploaded some real beauties in an album on Facebook.

See Simon’s Photos

T-Shirts

We ran out of shirts at the festival, and 15 people signed up to get one if we made more. That isn’t quite enough to do another run. If you missed out on a Kiwigrass t-shirt and really really want one, e-mail to request and if I get up to about 30 I’ll do another print run.

Thank you for being a part of our first Kiwigrass, and I look forward to seeing you all again next year, if not sooner. Keep in touch, you know how to find me.