9 reasons you should experience the Woodford Folk Festival

Events

By Chelsea Tromans

When: 27 December 2024 - 1 January 2025

Where: 87 Woodrow Rd, Woodford in the Moreton Bay Region. It's just a 90-minute drive north of Brisbane or 40 minutes west of Caloundra.

Tickets: Day tickets are available from $140pp or you can book multiple days. See here.

Huge sign saying Woodfordia — Woodford Folk Festival

Set on 500-acre parklands, the annual Woodford Folk Festival is one of Australia’s greatest all-music, all-entertainment events. Over 120,000 colourful performers, talented artists and party people pour into the not-for-profit festival for six days of entertainment, music and art.

There is so much to love about the Woodford Folk Festival and anyone who attends falls hard for the great music, electric vibe and infectious community spirit. You can take in thousands of shows, workshops, talks and cabarets, or just sit back and watch hundreds of street performers weave their magic.

If you need any more convincing, here’s why you should cancel your New Year’s plans and make the annual pilgrimage to the Woodford Folk Festival.

1. The incredible Woodford Folk Festival line-up

A band on stage at Woodford Folk Festival — Woodford Folk Festival

It’s the music that first and foremost brings thousands of individuals together to celebrate their shared love and appreciation for an eclectic menu, ranging from pop rock and blues to world folk and reggae.

This year, big-name international and local acts will grace the stages, like musical pioneers Yothu Yindi, North-East Arnhem land’s Yolŋu surf-rockers, King Stingray, Aussie queen of country Beccy Cole, the alt’ rock storyteller Dan Sultan and five-piece much loved indie outfit Ball Park Music.

The festival will also welcome back crowd favourites, the electric Jaguar Jonze and soul, gospel, and pop singer Ngaiire, as well as Indie powerhouse Tia Gostelow. These are just some of the 450 acts who will be playing Woodford this year). Check out the full line-up here.

It’s the perfect place to discover not only new musicians but different genres of music.

2. It will captivate you from start to finish

An audience gathered around a stage at Woodford Folk Festival — Woodford Folk Festival

From day one, the 27 venues kick off with a bang becoming the stages for the 2,000 plus performers. The streets are also a performance space with giant puppets, one man bands and all versions of creativity inhabiting them. Jinibara Custodians and Woodfordian Elders welcome everyone home in song and ceremony at the Opening Ceremony.

The finale is spectacular. Wrapping up on New Year’s Day, unsurprisingly the festival concludes with a spectacular showcase. But first, on New Year’s Eve at 11.30pm, the tolling of the bell signals three minutes of silence. With a candle in hand, everyone is encouraged to reflect on the year that was, remember lost loved ones and look to the future. It’s a beautiful moment of reflection and togetherness to close out the year. The festival then finishes with the annual Fire Event

3. It's about more than music

A crowd walking with lanterns at Woodford Folk Festival — Woodford Folk Festival

The Woodford Folk Festival has a big heart. It’s not just a shared love of letting loose on the dance floor and appreciating good music that draws thousands to return year after year.

The Woodford festival experience is deep, rich and colourful. The entire festival is centred around a message of ‘connectedness to each other’ and everyone is welcomed with open arms. You’ll feel like you belong to one big extended family as you spend your days mingling with unique souls from all walks of life.

4. The location is spectacular

Aerial view of Woodford Folk Festival — Woodford Folk Festival

Where is the Woodford Folk Festival?

Fresh-air festivals are so much better than being cooped up in a stadium. And at the Woodford Folk Festival, the scenery is hard to beat.

Located at Woodfordia, a former barren dairy farm just a few kilometres north of Woodford that has been lovingly regenerated with over 120,000 subtropical rainforest trees, orchids, ferns and sedges, the festival is as much about being surrounded by nature as it is musical talent and like-minded free spirits.

Every year, Woodfordia is transformed into a village with more than just stages and tents - the tree-filled campgrounds, butterfly walks, ponds and wildlife create a magical experience unlike any other festival.

5. The food is really good

A mother and young boy walking through a festival holding pineapples — Woodford Folk Festival

This is a festival that has thought of everything. And when it comes to food, you are guaranteed to be well-fed day after day, regardless of whether you’re vegan, vegetarian or carnivore.

Mornings are best started with a cup of coffee and an energising acai bowl. Then, after you’ve worked up an appetite from dancing the day away, scour the many food stalls for scrumptious fare like burgers, fish and chips, and Middle Eastern tagines through to organic gluten-free brownies. There are also bars and chill-out zones to sit back, relax and enjoy the ambience.

6. There’s always something going on

An Indigenous performance at Woodford Folk Festival — Woodford Folk Festival

With 438 events in the schedule every year, Woodford Folk Festival is also ground zero for cabaret acts, acrobatic workshops, comedy shows, and a host of topical discussions with the likes of Australia’s favourite guru, Costa Georgiadis.

Begin your mornings with daily transformative sunrise yoga overlooking the forest, or find a quiet moment of stillness with fellow festival-goers during meditation sessions.

Between gigs and workshops, spend your time wandering the festival streets, which are lined with restaurants, cafes, bars, street theatre and parades. There are also market stalls selling handcrafts, fashion, indigenous art and more.

7. You never have to miss a moment if you camp on-site

Dozens of tents lit up at night at Woodford Folk Festival — Woodford Folk Festival

Looking for where to stay? By far the best way to experience the festival is to camp on-site. It means you can go for the music, but you get the entire experience.

Woodford has an orderly tent city amongst the trees just footsteps from the big tops where you can hire a ready-to-go tent or pitch your own. Shower and toilet facilities are available, but you’ll need to BYO all your other essentials. When purchasing your ticket, make sure you add on a camping permit, too.

The General Store has everything you could possibly need (like fresh fruit and supplies), and then some (think unique Woodfordian wares and lake-friendly Woodfordia Apothecary skincare products), to get you through the next six days.

Once the festival is over, why not stay a little longer? Perfectly positioned between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, it's up to you which direction to go but there's no better way to kick off 2025 than on an extended travel adventure.

8. There’s a lake to cool off in

Mother and young son splash in Lake Gkula during Woodford Folk Festival — Woodford Folk Festival

A more recent addition to Woodfordia, Lake Gkula is the perfect place to beat the summer heat. The picturesque manmade lake is eco-friendly and chemical-free, using all-natural water filtration systems to deliver a safe habitat for wildlife and people alike.

It has become home to more than 16 species of native fish and crustaceans and over 8,000 plants, including native water lilies. Currently, to protect the ecology of the lake, only Season Campers, artists and volunteers are allowed to swim at the festival.

9. It’s family-friendly

Performers and families at Woodford Folk Festival — Woodford Folk Festival

The kids are far from forgotten at the Woodford Folk Festival. In fact, there’s an entire children’s festival dedicated to keeping them entertained and inspired so make sure you bring them along.

A mini-festival within the festival, kids are given their own space to dance and play, and activities run from 8am until 5pm every day. They can spend their days watching puppet shows and circus acts, participating in arts, crafts and yoga, or chilling out during storytelling sessions.

When they’re with you, grab a rock and roller wagon for daytime cruising and nighttime snoozing.