Just ask Dean O’ Callaghan, festival director of Fest La Frog. Now in its second year, Fest La Frog is a sustainable and organic music and arts festival. Featuring a lineup of local talent, vegetarian and vegan food served on edible/compostable plates, Fest La Frog promises not just to be a memorable event, but one that actually challenges attendees to consider the impact they’re creating.
And O’Callaghan quickly concedes who’s made an impact on him, just days before the festival kicks off.
“None of this would have been possible without Alexis Marsh,” says O’Callaghan, reached on the phone from his office on a busy Friday afternoon. “She’s been an incredible event organiser and manager. She’s got attention to detail and great respect for everyone she works with. But there’ve been so many other partnerships. The Good Brew Company supplies all the beer. There are incredible artists who’ve taken the ball and run with it, like Hugo & Treats who’re running an entire DJ stage all by themselves.”
Hugo & Treats are just part of an eclectic group of local talent. From That Gold Street Sound, to Pony Face and headliners Barons Of Tang, Fest La Frog has succeeded in compiling a lineup that caters to many tastes.
“We really wanted a wide range of artists. But first things first, you had to be good,” laughs O’Callaghan, after being asked about how the lineup was compiled.
“And we’d like to use artists that we haven’t used before. We’d like to have a diverse range of artists every year that can just ‘Wow’ people. We also wanted to choose local bands for environmental reasons. We also thought it would be a good step to build a community. Hopefully all these local bands will build bigger followings. It’s not just environmental sustainability, but it’s about social sustainability as well.”
Though a festival like this is certainly rich with good intentions, there are always hurdles that stand in the way of turning a dream like the one O’Callaghan has into a reality. What’s more, contrary to powerful festivals such as Big Day Out, Fest La Frog has to work hard to ensure that every element of the festival is self-sufficient.
But O’Callaghan remains determined to turn these hurdles into opportunities. And so far, he’s succeeding.
“There are issues with health legislations, as far as the reusable cups and plates we want to serve our food on. That’s been a bit of an issue, but it’s just something we have to overcome. Councils are becoming more aware that health and safety can be married with reusability.”
“But really, there haven’t been hurdles as much as there have been opportunities,” he continues with an obvious sense of passion towards this project.
When the festival wraps on Saturday evening, O’Callaghan will likely begin work on the next installment soon afterwards. Festivals like Fest La Frog are a rarity in that they serve as an investment in the future. While the 2011 version treated a crowd of over 700 to a memorable day, he’s convinced this year’s fest will draw even larger numbers. What those attendees take away from the festival is out of O’Callaghan’s control. Yet he’s got a good idea of what it’s going to be.
“A real sense that we can do it. A sense that it’s all worthwhile. Anything’s possible. It’s possible to do the most fun and decadent of things, which is partying, without any negative environmental effects. That’d be a wonderful lesson for people to learn, that even when you’re partying, it can be sustainable. It’s going to work; I think we’re going to be able to do this.”
BY JOSHUA KLOKE
