When?
Friday November 29 – Sunday December 1.
Where?
Strawberry Fields takes place just across the Victorian border in New South Wales’ Tocumwal, approximately three hours from Melbourne by car.
Who?
Strawberry Fields boasts an eclectic lineup of electronic, dance, and alternative artists featuring the likes of Adriana, Bob Moses, Briggs, CC:DISCO!, DRMNGNOW, Emma Donovan & the Putbacks, Gordon Koang, Mildlife, Milan Ring, Animals Dancing, Amadou Suso, Interstellar Fugitives, Millú, Wax’o Paradiso, Saoirse, The Merindas, Helena Hauff, Squid Nebula, Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange, Animals Dancing, Ausecuma Beats, Barney McAll, Cinta T, Claps, Derrick May, Details, Elle Shimada, Karate Boogaloo, Katie Drover, Moxie, Young Marco, and loads more.
In addition to a mouth-watering music program, Strawberry Fields will also showcase visual arts and immersive installations by Blackstone Builds, Fulcrum Designs, General Zod, John Fish, Margaux Carpentier, Maximillian Malone, Marc Pascal, Minna Leunig, Mirage Motel, Nikita Shtepa & Karri McPherson, R Type L, Within_Space, and xxflos.
Across the festival, you’ll also find an array of comedy and cabaret performances, including a special Saturday night comedy showcase with Blake Freeman, Felix Castaner and Nina Oyama, as well as dance, circus, poetry and just about everything else you could possibly imagine.
There truly is something for everyone.
The vibe
The Strawberry Fields website says it all: “The smiles, the sunburn, the sky and the clouds. The strangers, the friends – both newfound and old. That long drive into the unknown, followed by dancing and inevitable laughter. Embarking on adventures through ghost gums, discovering an oriental tea lounge, a jazz quintet improvising on the beach or a disco legend unleashing funk and soul from a treehouse. Long days of wild river swimming and those quiet moments of reflection.
“These are the things that will define the greatest weekend of your life. Welcome to the wild world of Strawberry Fields.”
Parking, camping and accommodation
Camping is included in your ticket and RVs, caravans, tents and tepees are all welcome.
BYO?
Strawberry is fully BYO with a strict no glass policy. If you bring glass, it will be confiscated and not returned.
Sustainability
Unlike some venues who claim to be environmentally sustainable, Strawberry is 100 per cent committed to the cause, in all aspects of the festival, and it’s bloody fantastic to see.
Not only are they offering subsidised Strawberry shuttle buses from Melbourne and Sydney, they also have a courtesy bus running from Tocumwal to the festival site for those opting for public transport. For those wanting a more bougie alternative, Strawberry Fields has also made it possible to get private bus passes so you can charter a private bus for you and your mates.
Along with environmentally friendly transport options, Strawberry is going to ‘wash against waste’. This means that single-use plastics are banned and every plate, cup, bowl used will be made from 100 per cent reusable crockery – meaning it can be washed and re-used. Why haven’t other festivals thought of this?
In place of single-use plastics, biodegradable materials will also be used. Bottled drinks are not available for sale, but free water will be available from taps around the venue (say goodbye to $10 festival bottles of water). All rubbish onsite will be sorted into recycling, landfill and donation.
The festival will also offer a permaculture course with world class facilitators, which you can buy as a package with the ticket (these are still for sale). Earth Warriors, a peer based environmental group, will also be roaming the campgrounds, encouraging people to clean up their act. They even have the authority to kick people out if they refuse to do so.
Electricity at the festival is fuelled by biodiesel/sustainable power and all toilets are composting.
One must-see performer
Bob Moses. The Vancouver-bred duo consisting of Tom Howie and Jimmy Vallance will be meshing guitar licks, a moody smoulder and a dash of dance floor ambience with lyrical depth. The duo have dominated Glastonbury, Coachella, Ellen, and now Strawberry.
Tickets
Tickets for this year’s festival have sold out, but there’s still hope. Sign up to Strawberry Fields’ official resale waitlist at strawberry-fields.com.au for a chance to nab tix.
For more about Strawberry Fields, head to strawberry-fields.com.au.
