National Festival – Canberra ACT

Some Festival Facts

Jane Speechley from the media unit of the National Festival sent through some interesting facts on the National Festival today that are worth sharing.

• The broader term ‘folk music’ actually comprises a range of different musical styles, for example, at the Festival you’ll find contemporary and traditional folk as well as world music, Cajun, indigenous, blues, boogie, roots, bluegrass, gypsy swing, a capella, country and western and even rock’n’ roll.
• The National Folk Festival attracts some of the world’s finest musicians and performers from all over the globe, and in 2009 will showcase artists from Ireland, England, Scotland, Germany, Canada, the USA, Chile and Gambia to name just a few.
• An annual event since 1967, the National was held in a different state each year up until 1992. It is now held in Exhibition Park in Canberra and an Australian state or territory is featured each year. This year the feature state in 2009 is South Australia. SA residents receive discounted tickets as well as special promotions. Artists from the current feature state are also encouraged to apply to perform so their state’s talent can be showcased.
• The Festival is attended by around 50,000 people each year – 40% of the current audience are from Canberra, with other patrons hailing from the surrounding districts as well as interstate and overseas.
• The Festival provides on-site transport, extensive parking, all-amenities camping and an on-site supermarket. EPIC is less than fifteen minutes from the city centre and buses stop at the gate, so interstate Festival visitors can easily explore the other unique attractions on offer in Canberra.
• The Festival presents over 16 hours of entertainment each day in more than 20 separate comfortable venues within the boundaries of EPIC 600 hours of performances in total, from street theatre and buskers, to stage performances by musicians and choirs, to spoken word and poetry around the stockman’s campfire, and late-night jams in the Session Bar.
• Throughout the year, festival operations are managed by a team of 12 personnel comprising 6 paid staff and 6 key volunteers in full- or part-time positions. During the festival a team of more than 1400 highly valued volunteers perform critically important roles in hospitality, ticketing, services and operations.  The approximate value of the support provided by volunteers is $345,000.

This year’s festival will be held (Easter Weekend) from 9th – 13th April. – Visit the NFF Website.