winner of the 2002 Illawarra Tourism Award for Best Significant Festival and Event!
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winner of the 2002 Illawarra Tourism Award for Best Significant Festival and Event! |
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presented by the Illawarra Folk Club Inc. ADVANCE SEASON TICKET OFFER
FULL FESTIVAL PROGRAMME NOW AVAILABLE - Version 3, 9/9/02 Full Souvenir Programme in the NEW NATIONAL FOLK MAGAZINE Trad&Now - Subscribe Now!
ACCOMMODATION ENQUIRIES:
tel - 1300 654 262 Pictures and more details about the Performers coming to the 18th Illawarra Folk Festival at Jamberoo - including Eric Bogle, Sirocco, Mick Conway and the National Junk Band, Jigzag, Junior, Fred Smith, Pat Drummond and Karen Lynne, Rough Red, Dya Singh and lots more...... |
INFORMATION
about the 18th Festival Tourism Awards Review
of 17th Festival held Sept. 2001 Comments about past
Festivals Previous Festivals - |
What is a Folk Festival? What are these folk festivals all about you might be asking. Well... Folk Festivals are:- • Places where you can hear, see and take part in a whole gamut of music, song and spoken word. • Places where the person sitting next to you may be the major performer at the festival. • Places to eat, drink and be merry. • Places where you go for the total experience- not just for a concert. • Places where strangers are friends and friends are often reunited. • Places that you will want to revisit. • Places where the music is diverse, where most tastes are catered for. • Places where our culture and heritage are on display in music dance and spoken word. Most of all Folk Festivals are enjoyable, they are entertaining and they are Fun...See You There! ABOUT THE ILLAWARRA FOLK FESTIVAL The Illawarra Folk Festival, also known as the Biggest Little Folk Festival in the World, is now held in September having moved from March. The Festival is held in the historic and picturesque NSW South Coast village of Jamberoo situated 10km inland from the seaside town of Kiama. The Festival celebrates culture, community and creativity with over 350 international, national and local performers in over 130 events over 5 days. There is a large emphasis on participatory events such as dances, workshops, children's events, parades and theme concerts. Since its inception in 1985 the Festival has grown
with over 6000 people now attending and over 1000 of them camping! There is a broad cross-section of musical styles from traditional to contemporary folk music, songwriters, bluegrass music, celtic music, world music, international performers, bush poets, multicultural dance and music groups, choirs and youth groups. Visitors are from all over Australia and the Festival has won two major tourism awards in 2001. The Festival is organised by volunteers from the Illawarra Folk Club with Guinness as the major supporter. The next Festival will be held from 11 to 15 September 2002. Further information: tel 1300 887 034, web http://www.illawarrafolkclub.org.au accommdation call Kiama Visitors Centre 1300 654 262.
2002 Festival NEWS For a change we're not panicking at the last moment for a Folk Festival in March! The Public Liability Insurance issue seems to be resolved with offers of coverage coming in, albeit at a 300% increase! GUINNESS WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT - WORLD'S BIGGEST WHISTLE BAND! Johnny Spillane, a fine whistler, will be coordinating the band with tuition on the Saturday and Sunday mornings of the Festival with the record attempt on Sunday afternoon. There will be a registration fee which includes a whistle with the proceeds going to a local charity. Get your Festival Ticket and then register either through the Infoline or at the Festival. Johnny will also be providing tuition classes for 4 weeks at the Wongawilli Community Hall at 7pm on Wednesdays. Starts Wed. 14th August 2002. Enquiries with John on 02 42969693. LOUD SHIRT DAY - Sunday 15th September OVER 400 PERFORMERS KIDS STUFF Donations to the Community
18th Illawarra Folk
Festival |
proudly sponsored by
Performers coming to the 18th Illawarra Folk Festival at Jamberoo Qver 350 international, national and local musicians, dancers, poets, storytellers, street artists in over 130 events in 12 venues in the picturesque and historic village of Jamberoo over 5 days. Multi Tourism - Most Significant Regional Festival and Special Event at the 2001 Yellow Pages Illawarra Awards for Business Excellence in Tourism (May 2001) - Best Tourism Event at the 2001 Southern Illawarra Business and Tourism Awards (Nov 2001) 2002 Festival ON LINE Performer Application Form See 17th Festival Pictures
and some of the fun!
Kiama & Districts JAMBEROO BOWLING CLUB INTERNATIONAL WESTON PRINT CITY COAST BOSE DEAKIN ESTATES
WINES
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FESTIVAL PRELUDE and INSTRUMENT DAY, 24th August - Part of NATIONAL
FOLK WEEK
Instrument Workshops - Tune Book Launch - Youth Folk Concert
As part of 2002 National Folk Week and a prelude to the Festival a
jam-packed day of activities is planned at the Wongawilli Community Hall
from 1pm.
The afternoon begins with workshops on whistle (as training for the World's Biggest Whistle Band), accordion, fiddle, percussion, followed by a launch of the new Australian Traditional Dance Tune Book with over 190 tunes ; followed by a barbecue and then a Youth Folk Concert in the evening featuring some of the artists at the forthcoming Festival.
Entry is free! You can purchase your Festival ticket and join the Whistle Band!
DANCE YOUR SOCK OFF
For those wanting to dance there will be Old
Time, Bush Dance, Belly Dance, Irish, Middle Eastern, Eastern European,
Cajun, American Contra and lots of dance displays.
VOICES OF AUSTRALIA with The National Library of
Australia
Rob Willis, folklorist and collector, is
compiling another great traditional showcase with the theme Voices of
Australia. People from all walks of life will share stories that Rob has
recorded for The National Library including a reunion of one of the
first bush bands in Australia - The Rambleers with Chris Kempster, Alex
Hood, Harry Kay and Barbar Lisiak; Lola Wright an early political activist
and feminist in the Illawarra who formed the second Bush Band in NSW
possibly Australia in 1995; June Binder from Paringa, South Australia
daughter of one of the last of the riverboat captains and the Tex Morton
and Italian folk songs of the De Bortoli Family from Texas, Queensland.
YOUTH PROJECT
The other project gaining momentum is the further involvement of youth
performers at the Festival. A special night and venue will be dedicated to
youth and acoustic folk performers. Some of the young performers include
The Sommers Family, Sydney Fiddle Band, Emma the Heavenly Harper, Citrus
Box, Amy Dunham and more to come.
JAM-FM, Festival Radio
The Festival Committee and Folk Club would like to thank Yvonne O'Grady
for her tireless work as the main contact for the past few years - a great
effort. She is not out of the woods though as it was her idea to have an
on-site radio station known as JAM-FM at the Festival. So plans are
underway to set-up a shed as a local radio station with interviews and
music from the performers during the Festival.
TICKET INCENTIVE SCHEME
The Festival will again be running a scheme to encourage non-profit incorporated
community groups and organisations to make a commission on the sale of Season
Tickets to the Festival. The group can potentially make $15 from each ticket
sale. Interested persons should contact David De Santi 02 4257 1788 or email: desanti@illawarrafolkclub.org.au
for further information. Here is the PDF
version of the information.
18th Festival ADVANCE SEASON TICKETSThe Advance Season Ticket for $60 provides a great opportunity to save money on the full Season Ticket price of $70.
Early Bird Season Tickets
closed on 20 July!
Advance Season Tickets are $60 and close on 9 September 2002. SAVE $10.
A Season Ticket allows entry to all 130 events at the Festival from the Wednesday to Sunday.
TICKET
OUTLETS
Tickets are available by sending cheques / money order to:
Illawarra Folk Festival,
PO Box 139, Keiraville, NSW, 2500
Over the phone Card Facilities are also available by phoning Catherine on (61) 1300
887 034.
KIAMA AREA - Jamberoo Pub, Kiama Visitors Centre,
Haworth Guitars
WOLLONGONG - Redback Music, Waugh's Cafe in the Mall, Flame
Tree Cafe, Wollongong Music Centre
Unicentre - University of Wollongong
AROUND ILLAWARRA - Albion Park Post Office
NOWRA - Hewletts Music Shop
There is a camping area adjacent to the Festival with limited facilities. There will be additional showers installed for this year's festival! There is a charge of $7 per person per night. There is no reservation of sites. Campers start arriving from the Sunday before the Festival!
Campervans, motorhomes and caravans most welcome, however there are no powered sites
There are a number of motels, hotels, bed and breakfasts and caravan parks in nearby Kiama (10km away) and throughout the Illawarra region. Contact Tourism Kiama on phone 1300 654 262.
Tourist Information about the Kiama area Tourist Information about Jamberoo
DO YOU HAVE A SPARE BED or a CARAVAN NEAR JAMBEROO? The Festival needs to accommodate a number of performers. If you have some space for a performer or two please let Pat Murray know, 02 4236 0097, email: wongafolk@bigpond.com. All billet providers receive Season Ticket passes.VENUES
There now will be twelve venues in the historic village of
Jamberoo with the addition of a Session Tent, Blackboard Concert tent, The
Grove - an outdoor street theatre venue and a number of campfire session
areas. These new venues will compliment the more formal concert venues,
Festival pub and dance venues.
The newest venue is The World Lounge, a revitalisation of the old School of Arts Tent. It will feature lounges and an international food cafe.
More details
on 17th Festival venue and site map (will be similiar for 2002).
FESTIVAL
FEATURES
including Bluegrass, Poetry events, Bad Taste
Concert, MusicOz Challenge Concert, Tongue in Folk, Comedy on Folk, Old Time Dances, World Dance Fiesta, Food Theme Events,
Childrens Concerts and Mini-Festival and more
More details
Like to become a Volunteer and get a FREE Season Ticket?
The Festival relies heavily on volunteers to function. We normally
have over 120 volunteers in addition to the 20 all year round Committee persons. All volunteers providing
over 10 hours over the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Festival will receive a Season
Ticket. If you can help, please call Robynne
Murphy, 02 4274 0055 to register or come to
one of our Volunteer gatherings.
More
details and Volunteers Newsletter Volunteer Registration Form
2002 Festival PERFORMER APPLICATIONS
Applications closed 28th February 2002.
Applications for 2003 close 28 February 2003.
Performer Application
(HTML format)
Performer enquiries to:
Jason & Chloe Roweth ph (61) 2 4236 0949
17th ILLAWARRA FOLK FESTIVAL MOST SUCCESSFUL EVER,
SUPPORTING THE
COMMUNITY and WINNING MORE AWARDS
The 17th Illawarra Folk Festival at Jamberoo has now passed and with the help of major sponsor Guinness exceeded all expectations. Despite the world being in a state of flux and Ansett stopping airflights on the Friday of the Festival, the weather was astounding, as it was the year before for the Olympics.
There were a record number of performers, over 400, ticket sales were up by 20% with over 5,400 people attending the 5 days of the Festival and the camping and parking areas in Jamberoo were full! Other income was also up including a 45% increase in sales of Guinness liquid products!
In addition there were hundreds of browsers through the craft and food stalls outside the Festival compound. There was also a record number of volunteers - over 120, who worked from the Monday preceding the Festival to erect tents, stages, fences and then carry out all the behind the scenes operational tasks. These volunteers complimented the 33 member organising committee which had been working March to present the second Festival for the year.
Performer highlights included the sensational Scottish folk-rock band Burach, middle eastern folk punk band Azadoota, the vivacious and youthful music of Jigzag, the Jane Brownlee Band, Paul Greene, the Gadflys and local South American band Rimana and the large number of young performers performing their traditional Australian material. The country connection of Troy Cassar Daley and Jane Saunders along with a strong Bluegrass element ensured there were a broad variety of musical styles available to the patrons.
Despite the troubles with Ansett all performers were there except for Shirley Macnamara, The Poachers and Jamie McKinnon. The performers from the Northern Territory - Ted Egan, Neil Murray, Peter Brandy and Bloodwood provided a great insight in Outback Australia with songs, yarns and poems.
The Sharing the Harvest theme events presented in conjunction with the National Library of Australia focusing on traditional Australian performers was hugely successful. There were also a number of musical events featuring Australia's celebration of Federation.
The Festival looked far more colourful than ever with banners, umbrellas, flags, a community art board and 2 wonderful parades featuring the Shellharbour Irish Pipe Band and the recycled music machine created by Obrobini.
Community involvement was at its highest level ever with fundraising by and for the local Sports Association, Kiama SES, Dunmore Rural Fire Service, Jamberoo Rural Fire Service, Camp Quality, San Giovanni Battista Association, Friends of the ABC. All the schools that attended the Festival will also receive donations for bringing their children to the Schools concerts on the Thursday and Friday.
The Festival was also a Waste-Wise event with a large effort by volunteers and Illawarra Waste Management to recycle as much of the generated waste possible.
Media support was increased with major regional media outlets WIN Television, i98 FM and the Illawarra Mercury continuing their generous support. The ABC also was much more proactive with live broadcasting from the Festival on the Thursday and Friday of the Festival increasing the Festival's appeal across New South Wales. The support of the local Community Radio Station VOXFM was, as always, appreciated.
The generous support of Guinness UDV allowed opportunities to obtain performers not usually within the budgetary constraints. It also allowed a number of other improvements including improved camping facilities with portable showers and toilets, inclusion of a number of artistic site enhancements such as banners, flags, a music machine and street theatre. Most importantly however, was an opportunity to promote the Festival further with advertising in Sydney and of course in the Illawarra region.
The Festival also launched the Illawarra Folk Club Cookbook and a CD compilation from 19 of the Festival performers titled A Change of Season.
We are also pleased to report that once again the Festival has picked up another major tourist award. The Festival has been awarded the "Best Tourism Event" in the 2001 Southern Illawarra Tourism awards to add to its earlier award at the Illawarra Tourism Awards.
Financially the Festival was the most successful ever which is a great achievement considering the Festival was moved to springtime and so there were two Festivals in one year.
The overall financial impact to the region was over $500,000 a staggering economic benefit to primarily a working class area. The Festival as part of support arrangements from Guinness UDV is distributing a proportion of the profits to the community.
It all goes well for the continuation of the biggest little folk festival in the world which continues to promote cultural creativity for the benefit of the community. The 18th Festival will be held from 11 to 15 September 2002 with a focus on celebrating Australia's musical and cultural diversity.
David De Santi, Festival Director
Review of the 17th Illawarra Folk Festival
held
12 to 16 Sept, 2001
by R. DALE DENGATE
As always, when a folk festival expands, it challenges the meaning of ‘folk’. From the audience perspective there is more to chose from the widely expanded diversity of what is encompassed by the term ‘folk’, but even more that one misses. When comparing Yvonne and Kath O’Grady experiences, they attended a totally different festival from me, although we all started with the Alan Scott Memorial concert - FROM THE CITY TO THE BUSH - on Friday night. As there were eighteen different performers or bands, I’ll admit to being worried I might fall asleep, but everyone was in great form so the concert had the audience bubbling along enthusiastically.
In the following two days, there was something for all ages and plenty of provision for family fun even if some of the PETS, IN FOLKSONG AND POEMS might have objected to their treatment as recorded in rhyme. There was further humour or was it just lateral thinking in the waist expanding CHEWING THE FAT, with a fine performance of ‘The Very Fat Man Who Waters the Workers Beer’ by Dave De Hugard. Earlier he had sung a beautiful song, which I would like to hear more often:
‘We sing with the birds in the morning, by the creek where the tall gum trees stand…’
Great to see Vivienne Sawyers in full voice and again she spun the best woolly yarn .
While supporting the diversity, in theory, I attended most of what has been called the ‘real folk’ events. Those workshops or performers that have looked back to their traditions . It was great to see the preparation and research that had gone into a number of these workshops, and the cooperation of the Nationl Library.
Chris Woodlands, who has a fund of yarns from the bush, sent the STOCK WHIPS a cracking quite literally with the help of whip maker Bob Payne and 18 year old whip cracker Rodney Decker. Then in TALES FROM THE BUSH, characters who had worked as rabbiters, sleeper cutters and in old bush trades, told of their experiences. Later Rob Willis had a tremendous line up of performers in REAL FOLK CONCERT- A Tribute to John Meredith. I would have liked to have heard Carrie Milliner sing a song followed by Chloe rather than together. Full marks to Chloe who sang quietly behind Clarrie’s voice, but the contrast between the older version and the more recent interpretation of the traditional style would have been interesting to compare.
The WOMEN OF THE BUSH with stories and songs from the vivacious Auriel Andrews as well as Clarrie and tunes from fiddler Eileen Mc Coy was a further celebration of real folk.
In TERRITORY COMES TO TOWN, preparing us for the coming Year of the Outback, some sensational performances whetted our appetites for more next year.
Dennis O’Keeffe who sang some moving songs about his analysis of life, presented his research on a socialist poet, J.F.McDougall.. He served in the first terms of the Federal Government. From this somewhat serious analysis of life we moved on to John Dengate’s workshop GIVE THANKS for Misfortune, Disaster and Misadventure because it is a vital element in the creative songwriting process. He sang one song which I had never expected to hear in public, but the rollicking laughter of the audience drowned out the motor bikes along the road. I can always pick those who personally have been through some of the misadventures.
Meanwhile I kept running into folk who had a grand time dancing so I determined to spend Sunday dancing , but the closest I got was watching the exuberance of Kengugro present the dances and music of Hungary.
The best bargain going would have to be the IFC Cookbook. Brainchild of Yvonne O’Grady, and incorporates some of her dry wit. It has all those recipes that the Illawarra folkies have been passing around on bits of paper after bring-a-plate gatherings. It even has Russell Hannah’s tripe recipes and others remembered from childhood. Best of all, it has those easy to throw together recipes for when you need a snack in a hurry. It is in the real tradition of handing on the past. Send ten dollars plus postage of $3 for a copy.
The last concert I attended ’From the Long White Cloud To The Dusty Outback’ had an audience, who might have seemed rather Sunday arvo, lack lustred. Still I thought the intimacy of the event made it one of the best concerts of the Festival. Certainly Dave, Denis, Phil Garland and Jacko Kevans presented some moving material and tears were seen to glisten on a few folkie’s cheeks.
Although the Festival covered so much more than I had a chance to experience, I enjoyed the opportunity to hear so many fine traditional performers.
Expanded festivals place even greater demands on the committee and ranks of volunteers, without whom no folk festival could run. Congratulations to all of them!
FACES of FOLK EXHIBITION and FREE CONCERTS
Faces of Folk was a prelude to the 17th Festival held from 30 March to 29 April
2001
and was held at the Wollongong City Gallery with over 3,000 persons attending over a 4
week period.
More details
The first Illawarra Folk Festival was held in Jamberoo in 1985. It was organised by a committee from the Illawarra Folk Club which was established in 1979.The selection of Jamberoo for festival of this nature was due to its village and rural atmosphere. The Jamberoo Hotel had also become renown for providing Australian bush music on a regular basis which also assisted in the decision.
The first festival sold only 18 Season tickets of which 13 were bought by the committee. Including day and event tickets around 70 attendees experienced this first festival, and it also rained! However even with these small numbers the committee pressed on. Since then the Festival has grown with over 4000 people attending the Festival and over 1000 of them camping!
The Festival has presented over 1,000 local, national and international performers over the years. Performers such as Eric Bogle, Ted Egan, Judy Small, Mike McClellan and John Williamson helped establish the Festival in its early years.
International performers have included
Tom Paxton, Dave Van Ronk, Peggy Seeger, John McCutcheon, Falderal String Band, Fred Small, Roz Brown, Faith Petric, Saul Broudy & Bob Green, Dick Warwick from the US
Rory McLeod, Eliza Carthy & Nancy Kerr, Brian Peters, The Chippolatas (5), Frankie Armstrong, Jez Lowe, Martyn Wyndham-Read from England
Rua, Jimmy Young, James Wilkinson, Mike Harding, Phil Garland, Huia from New Zealand
From Europe - Felpeyu (Spain), Eugenio Bennato & Musica Nova (Italy), Csokolom (Holland)
James Keelaghan from Canada; Burach and Sandy Brechin, Sara Grey, Anam from Scotland, Jigme Nagymal from Tibet.
Jacky Daly, Kate Custy, The Churchfitters, Ealu, Andy Irvine, Gino Lupari from Ireland.
The Festival has also included indigenous performers such as Alan Dargin, Kev Carmody, Rita Mills and the Descendants, Johnny Huckle, Bobby McLeod,.the Doonoch Dancers, La Perouse Aboriginal Dancers, poet Mary Duroux, Wakakirri, and the Timberys Dancers.
If you would like to keep up to date on folk happenings and the Festival why not join the Folk Club Email List. Please provide addresses to Dave (02) 4257 1788 or email at: desanti@illawarrafolkclub.org.au
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