By Ross Brewster

Last updated 11:50, Monday, 12 May 2008

NEW Orleans came to the sun drenched streets of Keswick on Saturday as the town’s Jennings Jazz Festival reached a crescendo.

On the march: The Keswick Jazz Festival parade makes its way through the town in a blaze of colour and foot-tapping music

Hundreds of jazz fans, many of them sporting multi-coloured, decorated umbrellas, marched through the town centre to Derwentwater, taking part in one of the great traditions of the event.

Thousands of enthusiasts from all over the world have been in the Lake District town for a week of non-stop jazz and sunshine. They were joined on the parade by civic leaders including the Mayor of Allerdale, Ron Munby and the Mayor of Keswick, Roger Purkiss.

And one of the organisers, John Minnion, said the event had truly developed an international reputation.

The parade was led by the New Orleans Parade Band.

This year’s festival brought together local talents and some of the world’s best jazz musicians, names like Keith Nichols, Alan Barnes, Randy Sandke and Jeff Barnhart.

Local bands, including the Keswick School Jazz Orchestra and Cockermouth based Caroline Sweeney and the Brian Melville Band, were given their chance to perform alongside the stars.

Keswick is acquiring a reputation as a festival town and on Wednesday the Keswick Mountain Festival which starts.