The Woodford Folk Festival is held annually over six days and six nights, from Dec 27th through to January 1st. More than 2,000 local, national and international, artists, musicians and presenters grace the stages of Woodfordia. 

The festival begins each year with the iconic Opening Ceremony and closes with the spectacular showcase, on New Year’s Day. This year will be the 37th Woodford Folk Festival and the 30th held at Woodfordia. 

It is the largest gathering of artists and musicians in Australia.

DATES & DEETS

The Woodford festival experience 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. The site, a former barren dairy farm, has been lovingly regenerated with over 120,000 subtropical rain forest trees, orchids, ferns and sedges, planted to create a habitat for butterflies and wildlife.

Over the festival, Woodfordia is 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.

Each year construction begins in early December and continues up until Christmas Day. Nearly 1000 volunteers and contractors build the village. Many come from around the world to be part of the festival build, enjoy the festivities, and then stay for a week after to pull it all down. 

The festival programme features concerts, dances, street theatre, writers’ panels, film festival, comedy sessions, acoustic jams, social dialogue and debate, folk medicine, an entire children’s festival, an environmental programme featuring talks, debates and films, art and craft workshops, circus performances and workshops, late night cabarets, parades and special events including the spectacular fire event.

The festival streets are lined with restaurants, cafes, stalls, bars, street theatre and parades. Tree-filled camp grounds, butterfly walks, ponds and wildlife complete the picturesque site. The festival appeals to a diverse audience with all ages and many nationalities attracted each year. It’s a magical experience, and one not to be missed. 

Each year a 120 page booklet is published to help patrons navigate the extensive festival programme and venue.

For more information, go to www.woodfordfolkfestival.com.

HIGHLIGHTS

Here are some of the artists from the UK and Ireland, and with UK/Irish influences, who are playing.

  • ARIS – Thoughtful retelling of songs from the Irish and other Celtic traditions, and  original compositions. 
  • Breandan An Piobaire – Breandan teaches Irish and sings in the sean-nos style, as well as playing a variety of Irish instruments.
  • Claire Evelynn – Celtic harpist and experienced healer.
  • Good Guy Hank – Alternative Americana outfit from the heartlands of Scotland.
  • Homebru – Unique blend of contemporary Celtic folk with intricate compositions, fiery improv and infectious spirit.
  • Iontach – Anglo Celtic and Scandi tunes to delight audiences. 
  • Chloe Matharu – Award-winning Scottish-Indian singer/songwriter and harpist from the west coast of Scotland. 
  • Melbourne Ceili Band – A mix of Irish expats and Aussie musicians, the band has a uniquely Australian sound featuring the didgeridoo. 
  • Mickey & Michelle – Chamber-folk tapestry of original Celtic music infused with vocal harmony and fiery improvisations.
  • Sam Lee – Mercury Prize-nominated English singer and inventive arranger.

*This article was first published in the December 2024 edition of Anglo&Celtic magazine.