Our Very First Guest Post
We announced a month back that we were looking for like minded bloggers to collaborate with. We want to share stories from across the globe of your travel adventures, festival experiences (with and without children), and tales of parenthood. Our very first guest post is by Gadsventure who are sharing their knowledge of the Woodford Folk Festival, Australia.
If you would like to collaborate with us then please get in contact by email.
Who are Gadsventure
Our Bio
A fun-loving family of 6 out to travel the world and seek adventure in the 4 corners of the globe. Fresh from a big year of travelling around Australia, we are ready to take on South East Asia and Europe next. Kris, Brian, Jasper, Dash, Daisy and Mabel invite you to follow us on our international family gap year for 2019.
Woodford Folk Festival – Australias Best
It’s getting near that time again, when all of bohemian Australia starts to get excited for the famous Woodford Folk Festival. It’s a week of family friendly camping amongst an idyllic setting in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast Hinterland. It is only a 1.5 hours’ drive out of Brisbane which makes it a favourite festival not only for the week of camping, but an easy day trip as well.
The Bill
The bill features super talented folk musicians from around the globe as well as plays host to an eclectic blend of popular Australian artists such as Tash Sultana, The Waifs, Paul Kelly, John Butler and my personal favourite Urthboy!
Woodford takes place over 6 epic days starting on the 27th December with a welcome ceremony with the First Nations people and ending with a massive New Year’s party and lighting of the towers. The whole place is decorated with these bamboo structures which are all incinerated in one big bonfire to celebrate the festival drawing to a close. Then you can enjoy a very special moment as you watch the sunrise on the first day of the new year with a hill top ceremony and chanting monks.
It is the most colourful and friendly festival I have ever had the privilege to experience. I was quite pregnant when we visited, the weather was hot and we had our 3 little ones. It was late December so we were deep into the summer heat and I had to wear my compression stockings under leggings if I was to walk around all day without swollen feet and sore veins (thanks to pregnancy) so I was even hotter than usual! I am talking like 31-degree heat. Being Queensland, Christmas time here is either super-hot, or monsoonal rains. Both awesome fun at a festival! Luckily the setting is in the cooler hinterland and is surrounded by green shady trees amongst rolling hills. Ensure you stay well hydrated when you visit. It will be hot!
Things to See and Do at Woodford
Woodford is not just about the music but they certainly do have it covered! From big headline musical acts, to lesser known bands on 35 stages, just about every kind of genre is found. And the cool thing is that even though there are big name acts that play here, it’s also about the ones you have never heard of, and the opportunities for musical discovery are endless!
There is pop, folk, roots, blues, world, bluegrass, accapella, and more. You can sit in an Irish bar and have a jam session where everyone brings their own guitars, or do workshops with ukuleles or Bollywood dance. Watch a little cabaret, join in a Brazilian Dance Party, sit down to some fabulous stand-up comedy and be dazzled by magicians too!
There are street parades, artisan craft activities (the popular ones must be booked in advance) such as pottery wheels, and watercolour painting, as well as opportunities for daily yoga and meditation, Tai Chi and more. Spoken word is showcased and there are many prominent public speakers including scientists and former politicians to enthral, debate and entertain.
The Setting
One hour west of The Sunshine Coast or 90 minutes north west of Brisbane, the town of Woodfordia springs up on the farms adjacent to the small town of Woodford. It began in 1987 and has swelled immensely over the past 30 odd years to become one of Australia’s most popular folk festivals.
A visit to Woodford will have you returning year after year for more. The sheer numbers of entertainers (over 2000 acts) will delight you at every turn among the atmospheric and cutely named streets and colourful market stalls that make up the Woodford village. And the incredible work that goes into planning such a magical and entirely eco friendly event is obvious thanks to the large volume of the volunteer army.
The Kid’s Festival
As well as a program for grown up’s entertainment, there is an entire dedicated space for the children’s festival. The workshops here are more like circus skills, face-painting and acrobatics rather than pottery and sculpture, and the entertainment will have the kids interested and entertained for days! There are fun activities, magic shows, a sandpit, even a kid-friendly cafe which serves easy favourites such as milkshakes and toasted sandwiches.
Camping
Camping within the festival grounds is a fantastic experience. There are options to stay for anywhere from 1 – 8 nights in a range of festival accommodation. Bring your own caravan or tent, or get in early to secure the popular ‘glamping’ range of pre-set-up tents and tipis for your camping pleasure.
A super cool and ecofriendly option is the KarTent, fresh from the festivals of Europe, these all cardboard box tents are waterproof, recyclable and stay nice and fresh and they come with a box of crayons for you to personalise your own!
The benefits of camping at a festival are many! You don’t have to worry about driving home for one. Party all night to your heart’s content and then sleep it off until the next day and do it again. If it rains, it will be an even more memorable experience!
It was super-hot when we were there and having a van set up to escape the heat of the day between midday and around 3pm is a definite perk! Being able to bring your own food and drinks also helps to keep costs down, and there is a small supermarket in the park grounds to restock.
Food
Strolling around Woodford is an assault on your senses that’s for sure. The colourful and eclectic crowd, random street performances, and creative art installations all jostle for your attention but it’s the food that really stands out. Be seduced by delicacies such as green smoothies, organic Byron Bay Doughnuts, gourmet pizzas and international cuisine such as Turkish gozleme, Nepalese dumplings and Dutch poffertjes to name but a few of my mouth-watering faves.
Woodford food is so good and you are fully spoilt for choice!
Family
Woodford is one of the most family friendly festivals you will ever encounter!!! The vibe is so fun and peaceful, the crowd is beautiful and the whole Kid’s Festival dedicated program will amaze and entertain all ages. Even the amenities are well placed and clean and cheerful which is always a plus when you have got the kids in tow.
A great hack if you are bringing younger children is to bring either a good off-road pram, or a wagon to tow them around in. You will definitely not regret it! You can even rent these cool ones on site, but you have to plan this in advance. With the right kiddie trailer, you will be the envy of many. Buy or hire your Rock n Roller Wagon here.
You are able to refill your reusable water bottles around the festival everywhere and there are many opportunities to find a cold beverage on a hot day.
Let’s Go!
There are engaging plays, top performers, roving spontaneous blasts of creativity and street art showmanship, energetic music and classy world renowned speakers. At Woodford, there is something for absolutely everyone!
The costs range from only $15 for a day pass for children and $130 per adult, all the way up to a deluxe season pass including 7 nights of camping for $647 per adult. This makes it still a pretty cheap festival and really great value for money for a whole week’s worth of high quality entertainment.
Check out their website here: for program guides, ticket purchases and for camping bookings.
Woodford Folk Festival runs yearly from 27th December until the 1st January. Will we be seeing you there???? Let us know in the comments.
Connect With Gadsventure
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