Jazz Festival In The Red

The 50th National Jazz Festival in Tauranga, New Zealand, posted a deficit for the second year in a row.

The event, which costs $1.5 million to run over the Easter long weekend, last year was affected by bad weather and drew only 30,000.

This year organisers claimed they’d doubled that number. But the event faces a $100,000 to $200,000 deficit, according to published reports.

It is believed that international headliners Earth Wind & Fire were paid, but other acts were informed they would have to wait until May 30.

Talent manager Derrin Richards called organisers “irresponsible.”