The Jazz Festival will be held at venues throughout Halls Gap from Friday, February 13 to Sunday, February 15.

Rain, hail and sunshine, fire, floods and drought, the Grampians region has had it all over the years, but enthusiasts are back once again for a special weekend celebration.

This year recognises the 50th birthday of Jacquie Shaw, who will come along to the Jazz Festival to celebrate. If not for Jacquie's 21st birthday party at Roses Gap in 1986 and the annual reunion each year since, there may not have been such a unique festival in the Grampians.

Residents from far and wide are urged to join in the party and enjoy the surroundings, with more than 150 bands providing great music for all tastes around town. Get in the swing - there are all forms of jazz to entertain the crowds.

Jump on the bus, meander around town and catch up with friends and why not dress up and join in for the parade. The colours this year are red, white and black. The committee will also be making use of the new Community Hub.

Registration for the 29th annual Grampians Jazz Festival will be taken on Thursday, February 11 at the Halls Gap Hall between 2pm and 4pm and again on Friday from noon.

There will be blackboarding sessions available on Thursday from 7pm for early birds at the Mountain Grand Hotel and the Halls Gap Estate Marquee, while from noon to 4pm Friday, there will be blackboarding at the Centenary Hall. Programmed sessions will then take place on Friday between 5pm and 11pm (all badge entry only) at the following venues: Halls Gap Hall, Mountain Grand Hotel, Pinnacle Lodge, Halls Gap Hub (badge/ticket not required), Parkgate Resort Big 4 Marquee, Halls Gap Estate Marquee, Pool Marquee, Golf Club Marquee, Spirit of Punjab and the Comfort Inn Country Plaza.

The traditional street parade will once again be a highlight of the weekend and will take place from 10am on Saturday, February 14. Musicians assemble at 9.45am beside the Halls Gap Visitor Information Centre and will march to Stony Creek Bridge and return to play to the massed crowd.

Programmed sessions will then commence at 11.15am and continue through to 11.15pm.

The festival continues on Sunday, February 15 from 9am with the jazz ecumenical service at the Parkgate Resort Big 4 Marquee.

Halls Gap Primary School will be conducting its craft market to add to the atmosphere in Halls Gap.

From 10.30am to 6pm, programmed sessions (all badge entry only) will then be held at the various venues throughout Halls Gap.

Grampians Road in the town centre will be closed over the weekend to all traffic from 8pm Friday night until 6.30pm Sunday. It will be opened on fire rating days of extreme and code red.

The festival will still proceed on Extreme and Code Red Fire Rating day (s) unless there is a fire that is likely to pose a threat to the town. Program sessions may be altered and Grampians Road will be re-opened to traffic.