Celebrating family, friends and shared experiences for over 28 years, Fairbridge Festival 2021 is three magical days of music, camping, art, and good all-round entertainment from 9-11 April at Fairbridge Village, Pinjarra – an idyllic bushland site located one hour south of Perth.
Featuring the best in contemporary, folk, roots and music influenced by cultures from around the world – this year’s event will deliver the biggest showcase of local artists the Festival has ever seen. From Indigenous artists to emerging folk musicians and dance bands, and even some jazz, pop and classical, the music sits alongside an inspiring range of children’s activities and family workshops, theatre, comedy, dance, and more.
“On behalf of myself and my truly wonderful team, let me say how proud we are to offer this rich and layered experience of music, dance and youth events, which focusses on Western Australian artists who deliver original and inspiring works,” says Artistic Director Rod Vervest. "Fairbridge Festival radiates this visceral and immensely important reminder of the satisfaction and restoration of spirit that simply comes from sharing experiences on common ground."
As we’ve come to expect from one of Australia’s most loved, music and camping festivals, Vervest has programmed some exclusive, and no-doubt, spine-tingling performances including Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse who will be performing with the brilliant jazz pianist Russell Holmes and Dolce Quartet, whereby ancient language and heartfelt stories entwine with strings and ethereal piano; and Richard Walley’s Six Seasons with Junkadelic Brass Band featuring Noongar singers celebrates tens of thousands of years of cultural knowledge through song and story.
The Peacock Sessions in the Festival’s newest venue will explode with Celtic, old time and bluegrass sessions featuring the state’s hottest players, and the World Music Café is a social enterprise concept whereby audiences can meet a migrant and refugee team for a fusion of stories, food and music.
Fairbridge Festival 2021 also features some east coast acts including Blackeyed Susans vocalist and one-time guest singer in The Triffids, Rob Snarski, who’ll bring along his velvet-voice and superb guitarist and producer Shane O’Mara; and Taasha Coates across the piano, guitar and ukulele will play songs from her solo album, as well as the odd cover and a dose of The Audreys hits.
There’ll even be some surprise international guests with Germany's The Beez returning to the Festival after warming the hearts of audiences with their oompah take on classic pop tunes with a show titled “Look What We’ve Done to Your Song”.
Fairbridge Festival takes place in the middle of the April school holidays and Children's Programmer and actor/comedian Sam Longley has put together a fun and funky family program full of laughs and good music for all-ages.
Spend your day in the Kaleidoscope tent listening to the bouncing good tunes of Ninth Time Lucky, the classic bush music of The Mucky Duck Bush Band, and the rollicking strings of Diggin the Jig. And if that’s not enough music, then this year there’ll be a new late-night kid’s disco (in bed by 9pm).
Everyone’s favourite storyteller and songster Glenn Swift will perform Bed Time Stories and encourage young performers to get up on stage for Sunday morning’s Kidz Kaperz. The smash hit comedy show The Little HOO-HAA! will have adults and kids calling out suggestions and laughing out loud. Greg Hastings & Linda Gillan will take you on a tour through the countryside with their interactive show Wandering Through The Bush, and Circus WA will be swinging through the air in beautiful and heart stopping circus madness.
There’ll be guided art sessions including Clay Play, Mapping Fairbridge, Unique Corn Crafts, Magic seeds and some unicorn costume making; and Bindi Bindi Dreaming joins the Festival for the first-time where kids can learn to cook bush tucker and about the land we are on.
Dance teacher, performer and director extraordinaire, Paige Gordon, has programmed dance events in the Mandja Tent to get you movin’ and groovin’ including some spectacular dance performances from Selendang Sutra, Dancing Dhevas, Morris Dance groups, Souskoss Internationale, and Sambanistas.
There’s workshops and dance learnings galore with family folk dancing, Flamenco with Lyn Martlew, Hip Hop with Jesse Teichelman, Ceili dancing and more. For daily restoration and rejuvenation, start the day with some Morning Yoga with Genevieve Stynes, Pilates with Liz Cornish, Awareness-Through-Movement (Feldenkrais-based practice) with Phillippa Clarke, and Seated Dance Classes presented by Lifespan Dance.
And for the first time ever at Fairbridge Festival, there’ll be an all-ages and all-abilities Flashmob choreographed by award-winning dancer and Fairbridge Festival Dance Artist-in-Residence for 2021, Claudia Alessi. Attend up to three rehearsals and be part of the performances on the final day, and don’t forget to pack your dance wear!
The safety of Festival patrons is Fairbridge Festival's highest priority and the approved COVID Event Plan follows all Health Department guidelines to ensure the event is COVID-safe for you and your family.
WHAT: Fairbridge Festival
WHEN: 9-11 April 2021
WHERE: Fairbridge Village, Pinjarra
HOW MUCH: $45 to $265+ BF for a range of ticket types including day/evening passes and full weekend passes that includes camping for up to 4 people. Very limited tickets available, as Rivergrounds, Cosy Camping and Glamping are now sold-out.
TICKETS: On sale through Moshtix
Timetable to be released on the Fairbridge Festival web site soon.
