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News February 10, 2022

Festivals cancel, but March schedule looking stronger

Festivals cancel, but March schedule looking stronger

Image: Fairbridge Folk Festival

It’s still a turbulent time for some festivals, but March and April are looking stronger.

Fairbridge Festival in WA has had to cancel for the second time since it began in 1992.

The music and camping event was to take place April 22—24 at Fairbridge Village in Pinjarra.

Drew Diamond, president of the note-for-profit FolkWorld Inc, said that 60% of tickets had already sold.

“While the COVID-19 management measures in WA appear to be effective at this stage, the increasing uncertainties surrounding the holding of a large music and family festival in April are too many and complex to proceed safely,” he explained.

FolkWorld Inc. is continuing with the Act Belong Commit Fairbridge Festival Quest Youth Songwriting Competition for songwriters aged 12 to 18 years, and calling for donations.

The festival is still struggling from huge losses after it was cancelled five weeks out in 2020.

But it had a slight reprieve with a $100,000 cancellation grant from Lotterywest, $34,000 in JobKeeper payments and a successful #keepyourticket campaign which saw $300,000 worth of tickets rolled over to 2021.

Fairbridge was drawing 15,000 pre-COVID but capped to 5,000 after.

Its axing follows the cancellation of the Sydney leg of So Frenchy So Chic on February 19 due to the “dancing ban and lack of State Government support”.

Its Melbourne show takes place on February 13, with Sydney ticket-holders given the option of transferring to the southern show, rolling over to 2023, or getting refunds.

These followed Bohemian Beatfreaks, the sister festival to Rabbits Eat Lettuce, pushing back to November 24—27.

Omicron is causing havoc in New Zealand as well.

Yesterday (Feb 9) alone saw the cancellation of WOMAD NZ (March 18 to 20) for a second year in a row, and Wellington’s Homegrown which was due to draw 25,000 on March 19.

Meanwhile, things are moving forward for other events around Australia.

Scene & Heard has rescheduled its Newcastle date from this month to March 13. An updated lineup will be announced shortly.

The National Folk Festival is on for April 14—18 across 12 venues at Exhibition Park, Canberra.

The event was drawing 46,000 to 55,000  pre-COVID with more people from outside the ACT.

This week it unveiled its full 2022 program, with 200 acts including Archie Roach, artistic director Katie Noonan, Kate Ceberano, Jack Carty, Emma Donovan, Warumpi Band’s Uncle Sammy Butcher, Neil Murray and Yothu Yindi.

Camp Cope

Meadow (March 25 to 27) in Victoria’s Otways lost Hiatus Kaiyote, who have to be in the US at the time after their third Grammy nomination.

The glamping event announced new additions Camp Cope, Mo’Ju, Karate Boogaloo, Luen and In2stellar.

Chilled Out ‘n’ Fired Up returns to Memorial Oval in rural Caltowie, SA, on Saturday March 26.

Melbourne’s Kingswood and Gold Coast’s The Delta Riggs headline a 12-hour bill.

The event’s primary goal is to raise funds for mental health initiatives within regional South Australia whilst promoting awareness for mental health and wellbeing.

Photo credit: Samad Sayed/Supplied

The next instalment of Arts Centre Melbourne’s Live at the Bowl series at the Myer Music Bowl is SorBaes: Double Dip! on Sunday March 13.

The event is “about bringing together and celebrating not only Melbourne’s, but Australia’s diverse, genre-evolving music scene”.

It is staged by First Nations DJ and designer Soju Gang in partnership with Footscray Community Arts.

Artistic director Daniel Santangeli said it exists to create “greater representation for artists who have been historically excluded from mainstream arts and culture”.

Acts includes rappers Barkaa, Baro Sura, Jerome Farah, Lay, Mulalo and Young Rorty, singer songwriter Kira Puru and DJs Mirasia, Smilez, Soju Gang and Swerv.

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