Boolarra Folk Festival 2018
The Boolarra Folk Festival is going strong, reaching its 16th year as one of Gippsland’s most anticipated free music events. This year the family friendly free event is taking place on Saturday, March 3, 2018, in the beautiful shady setting of Boolarra. Those attending will have the opportunity to hear 8 hours of music and browse at 95 art, craft and food market stalls.
The Festival will launch tomorrow, on Friday 2nd March at 7pm at ARC Yinnar, and will feature Brasswind Circus, Dan Musil and Beau Atkinson and Mollimor. This is the only ticketed event all weekend, at $12 per head, and tickets are available at the door or from ARC Yinnar.
The Festival opens on Saturday in Boolarra at 11am, beginning with the school drumming spectacular. This has become an intrinsic part of the festival, and each year Steve Schulz, master drummer and percussionist from Newborough, holds workshops with all of the students of the Boolarra primary school to prepare. Steve brings enough drums, sticks, percussion and hand fashioned instruments to involve the 70 plus children.
Whilst young children start out quite shy in their first performance, by the time they reach the upper grades, with four or five festivals under their belt, they are leading the young ones and beaming with confidence.
The Mirboo North & District Community Foundation is delighted to be sponsoring this much loved aspect of the Boolarra Folk Festival in 2018.
Then follows a fantastic line-up of artists and performers on the main stage in Centenary Park including the John Flanagan Trio, The Royal High Jinx, Shantytown, Dave Diprose and Two Celts, the Steaming Monzas, Boomulele, Coalville Road and The Nigellas. For more details on the performers, check out the website (below), but for set order and times, a program will be available to purchase for $3 on the day.
The main stage winds up around 8pm but the free music continues at the Boolarra Community Hotel courtesy of the Cuban influenced, Boolarra Social Club from 8pm on Saturday night. The following day, from 11.30 am on Sunday the Hotel will again feature more free music with Borderline and Wolf and Willow.
A few things you might not know…
- There is free camping at the Boolarra Recreation Reserve over the festival weekend, where toilets and showers are available.
- Steve Schulz is running a drumming circle program at 1.30pm to 2.30pm at the Boolarra Memorial Hall.
- Buskers are very welcome to perform in Railway Park (though not with amplification!)
- There is a mobile ATM on site.
- In 2018, the festival will host the Marveloo, which is a mobile, fully accessible restroom. It contains an adult sized change table and hoist which allows people with severe or profound disability the chance to enjoy public events in comfort. This is in line with the festival’s ongoing commitment to providing an event that accessible to all!
Check out the website http://www.boolarrafolkfestival.com.au/ or FB https://www.facebook.com/boolarrafolkfestival/ for more details.