Woodford Folk Festival

The Woodford Folk Festival is held annually over six days and six nights, from Dec 27th to January 1st. More than 2,000 local, national and international artists, musicians and presenters put on over 438 acts to an audience of an estimated 132,000 people.

The festival begins each year with the iconic Opening Ceremony and closes with the spectacular showcase, the Fire Event, on New Year’s Day.

The Woodford Folk Festival started in 1986 and has grown today into one of the largest festival events on the Sunshine Coast. The festival is housed in over 35 venues, and a huge program is scheduled again for 2023/2024.

The Woodford festival experience is deep, rich and colourful. It is based on a vision of inclusive and creative community, culture and tradition passed through generations, expressed through story and ceremony. The site, a former barren dairy farm, has been lovingly regenerated with over 120,000 subtropical rainforest trees, orchids, ferns and sedges planted to create a habitat for butterflies and wildlife.

Woodfordia is transformed into a village that hosts over 25,000 daily patrons, performers, stallholders, volunteers and organisers. As many as 2,680 volunteers across 162 departments are at the heart of the organisation and contribute to the setup and day-to-day running of the festival. During the event, the festival is the 67th largest town in Australia.

Each year, you will find a program filled with live musical performances, poetry, film, writing workshops, stand-up comedy, environmental discussions and kids programs. There will be plenty of arts and crafts opportunities and a community parade.

Season tickets can be purchased, covering you for six days of the festival. If you buy only a one-day ticket, you must specify the date you will attend. There are no two or 3-day tickets available. Camping is available during the festival. If you intend to camp overnight in a car, caravan, tent or motorhome, you must purchase a camping ticket. Camping sites are booked on a first-come, first-served basis.

A general store is located inside the festival grounds, and Shower and toilet facilities are available on all camping grounds. Tap water is available, but campers must bring sufficient drinking water for their stay. Generators are not permitted inside the camping grounds, nor are pets or glass items allowed.

Purchase a parking permit to park onsite. There is EFTPOS available at the festival shop, an internet cafe located in the cyber garden, and there are also lockers for patron use.

For the comfort of all patrons, the entire festival, except for the Designated Smoking and Vaping Areas, is a smoke and vaping-free precinct. This includes all bars, restaurants, venues, streets and performance areas. Designated Smoking and vaping Areas are on the festival programme maps, and festival crew and security will be able to direct you to these locations.