The event has been a stunning success since its inception three decades ago, routinely attracting large numbers to lap-up its stellar line-up of performers.

Many of these have been luminaries of the jazz scene of the US, though 2018 was more of a showcase of acts from Asia and Europe such as Dutch saxophonist Yuri Honing and Germany's Trio Elf, while Australia's best return year-after-year.

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Another highlight of the program has been the National Jazz Awards.

Suffice to say, it therefore is no great mystery why the festival has been such an outstanding critical success and so popular with the punters.

It has meant Wangaratta moteliers and the retail community have been able to comfortably rely on penciling in the weekend for a decent cash injection.

Above all else though, the festival has been just that - something to add so much colour and life to the town.

It then came as a shock - but also no real great surprise given revelations about financial issues - that the festival had been cancelled for 2019.

Wangaratta Council had made a $100,000 contribution to keep the festival going on top of another annual hit to ratepayers of $55,000, which it said in early February would now go towards operating another festival in the November time-slot.

 It also didn't help that the festival had lost its artistic director, Adam Simmons.

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What though has always been the real strength of the festival has been community involvement.

And now it is thanks to that support that the festival might not disappear after all.

The some 180 people who turned out to a recent public meeting to ensure there is a 2019 Wangaratta Jazz Festival was just what was needed.

While the real economic benefit to Wangaratta was recently queried by one councillor, there nevertheless can be no doubt about the signficant profile the festival creates.