Money Australia – July 2017

Five festivals to visit

1.Woodford Folk Festival.Over six days and

nights, including New Year’s Eve, some 2000 perform-

ersin440eventsin35venuesmakesthisAustralia’s

best music festival for all ages. It has been going for 31

years and isn’t just about music but also dance, spec-

tacular fire events, arts and craft, circus, street theatre,

writers’ panels, late-night cabaret, comedy, acoustic

jams,environmentaltalksandfolkmedicine.Thereis

an entire children’s festival too, plus 76 food, cafes and

bars.Packyourtent.(December27-January1.)

2.WOMADelaide.Worldmusicisthethemeof

this 25-year-old legendary festival held in early March

in Adelaide’s beautiful inner-city botanical gardens. But

there are plenty of outstanding Australian artists too

among the 500 performers. (March 9-12, 2018)

3.Blue Mountains Music Festival.Catch a

train and book into a 1920s Blue Mountains guest house

for this three-night, two-day intimate music festival with

100 performers. It is held over eight venues including

Katoomba’s red-velveted gem, the theatre at the

Clarendon Guesthouse. (March 16-18, 2018.)

4.MOFO.Summerin Hobart is the perfect time to

attend MONA’s three-day eclectic music festival. While

muchisheldatDavidWalsh’sMONA–onthelawn,in

the James Turrell outdoor pavilion or in the intimate gal-

leries – there are also some great venues in downtown

Hobart.(January2018.)

5.National Folk Festival.Having notched up

51 years, this Easter music festival in Canberra attracts

around 50,000 attendees to around 500 individual con-

certsofallthingsfolk.CamporstayinahoteloverEast-

er. Bring your musical instruments and dancing shoes to

attend workshops. (March 29-April 2, 2018).

SUSAN HELY

Destination Music festivals

THIS MONTH

SMART SPENDING

Loveisintheair...thefestivalseasonbringsoutthemusic,danceand

other attractions, from Hobart in the south to Woodford in the north.