Australian Folk Festival Calendar. Details of Over 60 Folk Gatherings
02-Jul-2011Jan | Feb | March | April | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec
We have a brilliant folk music scene here in Australia with events generally marked by a relaxed 
family
friendly atmosphere, fine musicians and yarn spinners a plenty. Each
festival has it's own character, some prefering traditional folk whilst
others favour contemporary folk with a big twist of world music. You
will find well over 60 events details in our annual calendar.
Whilst tens of thousands flock to the major folk festivals, detailed below, many also prefer the many smaller intimate gatherings that take place around the country.
If you have never been to a folk festival we highly recommend it as feast for the ears and good for the soul.
The Big Four
A glance at the calendar below reveals many wonderful festivals both large and small, some pure folk and others with a folk element. But, if you are only going to pick one festival to try out folk music then you could do far worse than chose from, what in our view, are the Big Four.
Taking place from end of Dec to New Years Day,Queenslands, Woodford Folk Festival is an event 
of
international standing. Held over six days and six nights it presents
more than 2000 performers and 400 events with concerts, dances,
workshops, forums, street theatre, writers' panels, film festival,
comedy sessions, acoustic jams, social dialogue and debate, an entire
children's festival, art and craft workshops, late night cabarets and
special events including a spectacular fire event.
Victoria's Port Fairy Folk Festival takes place in March and alwaysl presents a unique line-up of International and National artists - folk roots, blues, jazz, bluegrass, celtic roots, crossroads country and rock, and music of the world. Recent musos who have appeared included Mary Black , Luka Bloom , Breabach , The Cottars , Crooked Still , Dark Horse, Rosie Flores , Andy Irvine & Rens van Zalm . Delicious.
Australia’s folk festival flagship, the ‘National’,
takes place over the Easter long weekend. It draws together people from
all around Australia and the world. They come to share in the songs,
dances, t
unes, and verse that have flowed through the ages from many communities into Australian folk culture.
For five days Exhibition Park in Canberra becomes a magic place, filled with colour and sound. Hundreds of the world’s best musicians perform daily, in a non-stop flow of entertainment across twenty two fabulous venues. Every day is packed with workshops and sessions, where you can join in the dancing, singing and playing and become part of the celebration. It’s all there for you; once you’ve bought your ticket and come through the gates you won’t need to leave.
The WOMAD - ‘World of Music, Arts & Dance’ festival
was co-founded in the UK by Peter Gabriel and was first presented in
Australia as WOMADelaide in 1992. It takes place in March in the South Australian capital.
The program features performances and workshops on seven stages by some
of the world's best musicians, dancers and DJs, alongside street
theatre and visual artists, the popular Taste the World cooking program,
Artists in Conversations sessions and an All-Star Gala finale,
together with around 100 food, crafts and display stalls and KidZone
for children.
Jan | Feb | March | April | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | back to top | home
Illawarra Folk Festival, Bulli, NSW
Tamar Valley Folk Festival, Georgetown, TAS
Thredbo Blues Festival, Thredbo NSW
Numeralla Folk Festival, Numeralla, NSW
Tamworth Country Music Festival, Tamworth, NSW
Cygnet Folk Festival, Cygnet, Tas
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National Australian Blues Festival, Goulburn, NSW
Cobargo Folk Festival, Cobargo, NSW
Frances Folk Gathering, Frances, SA
Nannup Festival, Nannup, WA
Corinbank Festival, Canberra, ACT
Port Fairy Folk Festival, Port Fairy, VIC
Burke & Wills Festival, Mia Mia, VIC
Brunswick Music Festival, Brunswick, VIC
Mossvale Festival, Berry, VIC
Mordialloc By The Sea, Mordialloc, VIC
Blue Mountains Folk & Roots, Katoomba, NSW
Yackandandah Folk Festival, Yackandandah, VIC
Jan | Feb | March | April | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | back to top | homeApollo Bay Music Festival, Apollo Bay, VIC
National Folk Festival, Canberra, ACT
East Coast Blues & Roots, Byron Bay,NSW
Undara Experience, Mt. Surprise, QLD
Fairbridge Festival, Pinjarra, WA
Mt Beauty Muster, Mt. Beauty, VIC
St. Albans Festival, St.Albans, NSW
, Koroit, VIC
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Wintermoon Festival, Cameron's Pocket, QLD
Cairns Blues Festival, Fogarty Park, QLD
Karuah River of Music (Bluegrass), Karuah, NSW
Snowy Mountains of Music, Perisher Valley, NSW*
Henry Lawson Festival, Grenfel, NSW
Kilmore Celtic Festival, Kilmore, Vic*
National Celtic Festival, Port Arlington, Vic
The Dreaming, Woodford, Qld*
Top Half Folk Festival, Kakadu, NT*
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Redlands Bluegrass Convention, Kindilan, Qld*
Kelly Country Pick, Beechworth, Vic*
Bellingen Global Carnival, Bellingen, NSW
Bush Traditions Gathering, Goulburn, NSW*
Coastfest, Central Coast, NSW*
Deniliquin Ute Muster, Deniliquin, NSW
Great Southern Blues, Narooma, NSW
Grassroots Music Festival, Brisbane, Qld*
Coast Acoustics in the Park, Glendon Park, Nerang, Gold Coast*
Guildford Banjo Jamboree, Guildford, Vic*
International Buskers Festival, Coffs Harbour, NSW
Mildura Country Music Festival, Mildura, Vic
Nanga Music Festival, Dwellingup, WA
Turning Wave Festival, Gundagi, NSW
Wallaby Creek Festival, Rossville via Cookstown, Qld
Jan | Feb | March | April | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | back to top | homeDeniliquin Ute Muster, Deniliquin, NSW
Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival, Dorrigo. NSW
Fleurieu Folk Festival, Willunga. SA
Folk in The Foothills Jamberoo NSW*
Kangaroo Valley Festival, Kangaroo Valley, NSW
Yungaburra Folk Festival, Yungaburra, N.QLD
Adelaide International Guitar Festival. Adelaide. SA
Beechworth Celtic Festival, Beechworth. Vic
Blues At Bridgetown, Bridgetown. WA
Downsouth Festival, Albany, WA
Harrietville Bluegrass Festival, Harrietville. Vic
Maldon Festival, Maldon, Vic
Music at The Creek, Majors Creek, NSW
Queenscliff Music Festival, Queenscliff, Vic
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Falls Festival, Lorne Vic
Falls Festival, Marion Bay, TAS
Nariel Creek Festival, Nariel Creek, Vic
Peats Ridge Music Festival. NSW
Jan | Feb | March | April | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | back to top | home
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