Head to Fat Eddie’s on Friday for pizza and a drink and to hear the incredible Ellensburg Big Band direct from the USA!

A wonderful chance to meet the players from this band ahead of their not-to-be-missed stunning and fun showcase gala concert the next evening led by Chris Bruya.

If you’re on the balcony, you might even catch the Ambush Big Band Festival Parade passing by outside on the Terrace …

About the band: Traveling from Washington State, USA the Ellensburg Big Band is super excited to return to the Christchurch Big Band Festival! Founded in 2011 the group is an overlapping Venn diagram of half music educators, half passionate amateurs, half Central Washington University Jazz alumni, and fractions of various professions all within a big happy circle of "those who just love to make music together". The group performs regularly at jazz festivals, swing dances, public concerts and private events all over our region as well as Japan in 2014 and ChChBBF in 2019. We consider ourselves so fortunate to have the opportunity to visit your beautiful country and reconnect with friends in NZ!