When?
Friday December 27 – Wednesday January 1
Where?
You’ll be driving about 70km north of Brisbane for this one, to a site just outside of Woodford called Woodfordia.
Who?
This year’s festival boasts a huge lineup, with Australian powerhouses Kate Miller-Heidke, Kasey Chambers and Emma Louise all scoring slots on the bill. Other home-grown talents include hip hip duo Horrorshow, The Herd, Tia Gostelow, Lime Cordiale and Archie Roach playing alongside Paul Grabrowsky. Then there’s the international artists, like England’s Lucy Farrell, The Kimono Band from Japan, Nepal’s Monks of Tibet, and the formidable Amanda Palmer, performing her powerful new work, There Will Be No Intermission.
Accommodation
Woodford Folk Festival has you sorted when it comes to accommodation. With the beautiful Woodfordia parklands around you, camping is the top choice and will give you the full festival experience but there are also glamping options courtesy of Pitch Luxury and other more comfortable camping options through Tent City. You can also stay off site if you choose but you’ll have to book your room well in advance as things book out quick fast come Woodfork Folk time. Find out more on accom via the festival website.
The vibe
Woodford Folk Festival is a family-friendly event, that focuses on fostering an inclusive and creative community. During the course of December, the space is transformed into a festival paradise; complete with cafes, stalls, bars, restaurants and an array of arts and performance spaces, plus workshops, kids’ zones, stages and more. It’s a space for anyone and everyone to come and get involved in, to become more than just a festival goer – to actually immerse themselves fully in the Woodfordia community.
History
The festival is pretty longstanding, with this year’s event being its 25th at the Woodfordia site. It was initially held at the Maleny showgrounds from 1987 until 1994, when the current location was secured and turned into the space that festivalgoers enjoy today. Since its beginning, Woodfordia has had more than $14 million invested into the site and its facilities, with the building of 57 amenities blocks, a visual arts studio, amphitheatre, onsite water filtration and waste treatment plants, major electrical infrastructure, and the planting of 100,000 trees.
Arts lineup
With a massive 145-page programme, it’s no surprise that there’s a plethora of interesting arts events to catch, too. Listen to a reading from multi-award-winning novelist Neil Gaiman, laugh along to some comedy courtesy of witty women Nina Oyama and Nikki Britton, or divulge in some circus and cabaret with performers such as Woodfordia regular Mario Queen of the Circus. That’s just the beginning.
Sustainability
The team at Woodfordia are super environmentally conscious, and it’s reflected in the way they put the event together. Festival-goers will be able to see first-hand how the team’s tree planting and wildlife restoration efforts have paid off and have the option to get involved with projects themselves. You can also support their efforts by bringing a reusable water bottle, being conscious of your water wastage when showering, taking your rubbish with you when you leave and respecting the land you’re on.
Tickets
Ticket prices vary quite a bit depending on what you’re after. There’s a range of daily tickets, season passes, camping passes, tickets for teens and kids, which all differ in price. There’s also a payment plan option if you don’t have your funds together right now.
Find the full rundown and grab your tickets at woodfordfolkfestival.com.
