The Woodford Folk Festival is a fantastic annual event held over six days and nights from December 27th to January 1st. It is the largest gathering of musicians, artists, and performers in Australia, with more than 2,000 national and international performers showcasing on stage to an estimated 132,000 people. Each year the festival begins with its iconic Opening Ceremony and ends with a spectacular Fire Event on New Year's Day.
The festival site at Woodfordia was a once-desolate dairy farm, love and care have breathed life back into the land. Over the years by planting 120,000 subtropical rainforest trees, orchids, ferns, and sedges – creating a habitat for butterflies and other wildlife. Woodfordia is transformed into a buzzing village of 25,000 daily patrons, including performers, stallholders, volunteers, and organizers. It is the 67th largest town in Australia! The festival is staffed by 2,680 volunteers across 162 departments who ensure everything runs smoothly during the event.
It takes a huge effort to make this magical experience happen each year – construction begins in early December. It continues up until Christmas Day, with 450 contractors and volunteers coming from around the world to be part of building this unique event village. After set-up is complete, these same people stay on for an extra week to help tear down what they have built – ensuring that this beautiful landscape can remain unspoiled as much as possible until next year’s big event arrives!
Woodford Folk Festival 2023 invites festival-goers to join them for a special celebration of life – through music, dance, art, and culture that respects the environment we all share.
