The Jazz festival hurricane parties that were to be held in a large marquee on the Tauranga waterfront on Saturday and Sunday nights, will now be held at the Totara Street indoor venue.

The marquee covers were removed on Thursday morning due to safety concerns surrounding the landfall of cyclone Cook.

'We have been planning the Hurricane Parties for more than a year, and it was awful to think all the hard work would go to waste. All four bands are from out of town too, including the Cactus Channel who are from Melbourne. It's a relief that it can go ahead at the Mount, and it'll be the place to be on Saturday and Sunday nights” says festival director Becks Chambers.

The Saturday Hurricane Party features powerhouse blues bands Swamp Thing and Brilleaux. The Sunday Hurricane line-up includes New Zealand's most loved funk band Hipstamatics and The Cactus Channel.

All other Festival events are still scheduled to go ahead as per the programme, however Thursday's Youth Competition was postponed until this morning due to concerns about students and their families travelling in the cyclonic weather.

The Hurricane Parties will now be held at the Totara Street - indoor venue, 11 Totora Street, Mt Maunganui. Further details and ticketing information can be found on www.jazz.org.nz