The Woodford Folk Festival team has uncovered a vibrant, contemporary programme, traversing music, dance, poetry, talks, circus, health and visual-arts workshops combined with a depth and maturity that festival goers have come to expect from the iconic event.
This year’s musical highlights include: Michael Franti, Courtney Barnett, Boo Seeka, Josh Pyke, Nattali Rize, Lanie Lane, Harry Manx, San Cisco, Trinity Roots, Kim Churchill, Dougie Maclean, The East Pointers, Moana and The Tribe, The Duhks, Ed Kuepper, Four Play, Katie Noonan’s Vanguard, The Poozies, The Paper Kites, Tora, Tinpan Orange, Montaigne, Timberwolf, Briggs and Marlon Williams.
“This year a huge effort has gone into raising the bar on the festival art, layout and the overall presentation for our loyal patrons. We’ve always thought Woodford should be about discovering cultural gems,” Head of Programming, Chloe Goodyear says.
Patrons will be taken on a world of discovery with a line-up of festival favourites and a stack of hidden gems held over six days and nights on the beautiful 500-acre venue, Woodfordia. The Festival plays host to over 2,400 artists and presenters across 25 venues.
The 2015 event will mark the 30th anniversary of Woodford Folk Festival, a milestone that will be celebrated. “This year we're exploring – among many ideas – the idea of the journey,” Chloe says.
“It's funny how you realise that no matter what theme we're working with, it always ends up being about the individual and the community. You can't explore the idea of travelling without thinking about who you're travelling with, and the Woodford Folk Festival community – that's the volunteers, artists, staff, organisers, stallholders – is a pretty fantastic group to travel with.”
Woodford 2015-16 from browndog on Vimeo.
Another hight of Woodford is the talks programme, which has previously hosted a number of political heavyweights such as Malcolm Turnbull, Julia Gillard and Bob Hawke, who returns to feature in the programme this year.
Noel Pearson will address indigenous constitutional rights via the A Rightful Place Forum. Environmental World Heritage Listing is a focus, with the Kimberley highlighted by Mark Jones and Albert Wiggan and hosted by George Negus. “Woodford Folk Festival is a gathering where important conversations can happen,” Noel Pearson says.
The 2015 event takes place 27 December until 1 January, 2016.
