SCIENCE guru Dr Karl Kruszelnicki will be joined by 103-year old choreographer and dancer Eileen Kramer, journalist Tracey Spicer and former Prime Minister Bob Hawke as they all head to Queensland between Christmas and New Year.
These influential Aussies are just some of the speakers who will be attracting a crowd at this year's Woodford Folk Festival from December 27 to January 1 in Woodfordia, one hour's drive north-west of Brisbane.
The event, now in its 32nd year, is the largest annual not-for-profit arts and music festival of its kind in Australia. It showcases more than 2000 artists, musicians and presenters in almost 400 acts, across 25 venues to around 132,000 people.
Musical highlights include Brisbane singer-songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke and fan favourite John Butler, as well as Aussie roots act The Beautiful Girls, Canadian folk group The East Pointers and artist Timberwolf, who recently supported Aria-award winning Gold Coast singer Amy Shark on her national tour.
As well as the festival being the largest gathering of artists and musicians in Australia, it also encompasses many genres and art forms with something for everyone, whatever your age.
Other speakers at the festival include the chief executive of Arts Health Institute Maggie Haertsch who will talk about the Music and Memory program which has helped thousands of people in aged care services and hospitals.
Social entrepreneurs Leonie Sanderson and Simon Lowe - founders of The Ageing Revolution - will also be there. They have travelled Australia to listen to stories of older people, to bring about disruptive change in ageing and to help empower older Australians.
There's also plenty to eat and drink, with just under 200 stalls including bars, cafes, restaurants, crafts, clothing, merchandise, information stalls, an on-site doctor's surgery and two general stores dotted around the site.
If you're camping, there are nine campgrounds with 223 named streets surrounding all corners of the festival.
If you go...
Woodford Folk Festival is held at Woodfordia, on Woodrow Rd, Woodford, South East Queensland. The festival site is 5km from the town of Woodford, and just over a one hour drive north west of Brisbane or 45 minutes south west of the Sunshine Coast.
The Woodford Festival Site is easily accessible by car and public transport from Brisbane. Special bus services run between the site and Caboolture Railway Station. Starting on December 26 and ending January 2, this service costs $15 each way.
The best way to immerse yourself in the full festival experience is to stay on-site at Woodfordia in the campgrounds. For details on camping and other accommodation options, check out the festival website.
Day and night tickets from $131 adult, $92 ages 13-17, $8 ages 8-12. Camping combos available.
Festival Facts
- There will be 2233 hours of performances in total - if all acts were strung end-to-end would it would run for 93 continuous days - that's 279 working days, or 56 working weeks.
- 71 per cent of the audience are repeat visitors.
- The festival is intergenerational with as many as four generations of one family onsite at the same time.
- About a million litres of water is used on site every day, with 335 water saving shower nozzles, and 141 basins and other tap facilities.
- More than 50,300 recycled toilet rolls (more than 1000kms) will be used in 466 toilets.
- The festival fills more than 300 different positions in 162 departments with over 2600 volunteers.
