Thanks to the generosity of our friends at Woodford Folk Festival, 3rd prize in our Folkworld Fairbridge fundraising raffle is tickets for two adults on every day of their festival being held from 27th December 2023 to 1st January 2024.
This annual music and cultural festival is held near the semi-rural town of Woodford, 72km north of Brisbane. The prize is valued at $1200 and you’ll also have the opportunity to set up your campsite from 6am on 26th December and stay until the end of the festival on 2nd January.
We sat down with the organisers, and asked them what the prize winner* and/or those planning to make the pilgrimage can expect at the Festival.
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Woodford is now the largest gathering of artists and musicians in Australia, can you tell us a bit about how it started and how it has evolved?
The festival was first held at the Maleny showgrounds in 1987. Its spectacular success meant that it rapidly outgrew its community showground home. The purchase of a run-down dairy farm 4km from the town of Woodford, Queensland in 1994 secured a permanent home for the event, and the lovingly regenerated site is now a 500-acre parklands, known as Woodfordia, is home to the Woodford Folk Festival.
The event, now one of the largest gatherings of artists and musicians in Australia is deep, rich and colourful. It is based on a vision of inclusive and creative community, culture and tradition passed through generations, expressed through story and ceremony.
Festival time sees Woodfordia transformed into a village that hosts over 25,000 daily patrons, performers, stallholders, volunteers and organisers. As many as 2,680 volunteers across 162 departments are at the heart of the organisation and contribute to the setup and day-to-day running of the festival. During the event, the festival is actually the 67th largest town in Australia.
With tickets now on sale, can you share any exciting highlights or unique experiences that attendees can expect?
Woodford programmers don’t let the cat out of the bag about the host of amazing artists and presenters coming until October each year though… Woodford lovers know that they are always going to find many music and arts genres and workshops galore and get in with tickets early so as not to miss out.
What activities can people get involved in besides enjoying fabulous folk music?
The Festival is a multi-arts experience with street theatre, circus acts, community choirs, ceremony, visual arts, dance and speakers, as well as live music of many diverse genres, featuring established and emerging artists. The 10-hectare festival precinct offers over 27 venues – from the main amphitheatre for 25,000 patrons to the workshops of Artisan Alley. It also offers tea houses, a children’s festival, a community ‘green’, and a food and artisan market.
Can you share any insider tips for festival-goers to make the most out of their experience at Woodford?
Your festival programme, swimsuit for swimming in the lake, sunscreen (note: only all-natural, non-toxic sunscreen in this beautiful natural water body), sunglasses and hat. Comfortable shoes (bring gumboots and a raincoat just in case – the site handles rain really well but nice to be comfy), refillable water bottle, a light jumper for the evening…
You will find loads of information about getting to and preparing for the festival here.
If you are travelling to the festival all the way from WA, consider hiring a tent with ready made beds – just walk in, drop your bag, and go festivalling! More info here.
If you’re flying in to Brisbane, Woodford makes car-free easy with festival buses. More info here.
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Support the FolkWorld/Fairbridge Festival annual fundraising raffle and go in the running to win tickets to this year’s Woodford Folk Festival. Raffle tickets are just $5 and there is only 4000 (in total) available.
The raffle closes on June 16th and is open to WA residents only.
* Prize is festival tickets only – you’ll need to arrange your own travel