For six days and nights each December, an almost mythical town rises in a glorious valley an hour north of Brisbane, and becomes Australia’s temporary capital of music, art and culture.
Woodford Folk Festival has unveiled the programme for its 39th edition; an irresistible invitation to join an annual pilgrimage that lands thousands of Australians in a walkable village to celebrate music, art, crafts and community.
Running from 27 December 2026 to 1 January 2027 at Woodfordia, the Festival brings together over 2800 individual artists and presenters, including representatives from 42 Indigenous Nations and 14 countries, across more than 1,500 programmed shows, workshops and presentations.
A few of the artists making their Woodford debut this year include: the rambunctious Playlunch; Kenyan/Australian hip-hop chameleon Elsy Wameyo; DEVAURA – described by Urthboy as one of the best artists working in Australia today; party punk band DZ Deathrays; divine songwriter Stella Bridie; cultural powerhouse Jamaica Moana; viral indie-pop trio Birdland; indie-folk act Sons of the East and cabaret superstar, Reuben Kaye with his cheeky show, Hard to Swallow.
“Woodford is a town you come to live in and create daily rituals, exploring our village and all its creative offerings. For six days it becomes a world of music and art, and everyone who walks through the gate helps to make it special,” said Festival Director Amanda Jackes
“It is a beautiful challenge to annually put together a programme that celebrates art, culture and connection in which we can welcome back old friends and introduce fantastic new artists and presenters” said Head of Programming, Chloe Goodyear.
“Our whole team works hard to create something that feels fresh, celebratory and immersive with 65% new content each year while still having it recognisably Woodfordian. This year’s programme is a roaring torrent of talent.”
This year’s snapshot of the best of contemporary Australia includes Sunshine Coast duo The Dreggs, who’ve had a meteoric rise since they first played the festival in 2019. “We can’t wait to play Woodford, such an amazing festival and just down the road from where we grew up. What a way to round out the year, bring it on!” said The Dreggs.
They are joined by national luminaries Peter Garrett & The Alter Egos, who will this year deliver a fantastic sundown set as well as a talk on the AUKUS enquiry. Folk-pop superstars Sons of the East, the always sensational Kate Miller-Heidke, and world-travelling folk duo the Pierce Brothers.
Then there’s the fabulous Stiff Gins, living national treasure Frank Yamma, Jem Cassar-Daley, sunny folk/rock traveler Kim Churchill, folk sister duo The Maes, the luminous Georgia Mooney, folk legend Kavisha Mazzella and The Little Stevies are included on this year’s line-up.
Australian hip-hop elders The Herd mark the 20th anniversary of their still-relevant album The Sun Never Sets, Emma Donovan and an extraordinary band presents Take Me to the River, in which Donovan reinterprets songs from some of the most iconic Black singers in history, and Tim Freedman’s Moonlit Deck reimagines the songs of The Whitlams as atmospheric country.
Vikki Thorn of The Waifs will melt down the Amphigrande as ThornBird, and Australian Idol’s Dylan Wright – well-known to Woodfordians as the original frontman of party-starters the Hot Potato Band – plays his own show and another with his country outfit Sons of Atticus, while Hot Potato Band also return.
International guests include phenomenal Irish/UK flute and whistle quartet Flook, returning to Australia for the first time in over 20 years, Aotearoa’s trailblazing political alt-pop artist Theia, rising English folk superstar Katherine Priddy, Estonia’s mesmerising Duo Ruut, Scotland’s bluegrass duo Rain of Animals, enchanting harpist Chloe Matharu and groundbreaking harp and fiddle duo Chris Stout & Catriona McKay.
Canada’s contributions include the return of alt-folk powerhouses The East Pointers, alongside powerful roots and soul singer Shakura S’Aida, the remarkable Irish Mythen, newcomer, shredding blues guitarist and songwriter Logan Richard, folk nomad Tennyson King 百城 – and that’s not even everyone.
As usual, First Nations voices run through the whole programme. Stiff Gins, Frank Yamma, Jem Cassar Daley, Jess Hitchcock, Pirritu and Charlie Needs Braces share the bill with Jinibara Dance Group, Jinibara Speaks, Gubbi Gubbi Dance, Badjtala Dancers and Mayi Wunba, and with writers and thinkers including Professor Chelsea Watego, Nardi Simpson, Claire G. Coleman, The Monks of Tibet and Laniyuk among many others.
New additions to the programme this year include Stardust Songwriters, a nightly folk club in an alcohol free precinct. Each night four singer-songwriters share a song circle focused on craft and lyrics, followed by a featured artist, with space available for patrons to bring along crafting projects – a quieter space within evenings often characterised by enormous high energy dance parties.
Audiences will be treated to a dazzling array of comedy, circus and cabaret with the hilarious Denise Scott, extraordinary singer, comedian and drag artist Reuben Kaye. Nikki Britton, Dummies Corp. Wendy Harmer and Fiona Scott Norman, Franky Walnut’s Fun Church, Spankie Jackzon (Aoteoroa/NZ), Spaghetti Circus, The Birdmann and Egg, Tony Rooke, Mario Queen of the Circus and Victoria Falconer – and so many more!
The nine venue Tinlids Children’s Festival returns with a gorgeous programme of delights for little folk, including The Little Stevies, dirtgirlworld, circus, bubbles, accessible dance, nature walks, clay play, music and a whole venue of make-your-own art projects including pendants, hats, lanterns and fans.
If new skills are on your to-do list before the end of another year, you can turn the Festival into one big masterclass, with an Arts and Crafts programme offering everything from life drawing with programme guests to weaving masterclasses with From the Flame Trees, marionettes with The Squeaking Tribe, slow stitching and embroidery, Danish cord weaving, Zine making and wheel-pottery.
Dance workshops will introduce you to K-pop, Scandinavian dance, English Morris, hip hop, bush dancing, Hungarian, Amazonian and dances from the Luo regions of East Africa – or you can sign up to the festival’s Music Camp and learn fiddle, mandolin, banjo or singing with experienced instructors.
If all of this feels overwhelming, you can follow a path of wellness through the Meditation in Motion programme, with an abundance of various yoga styles, movement and breathwork, meditations, environmental walks and wanders, forest-bathing, Hilltop sunrises and time swimming in Lake Gkula.
With an offering this large, patrons set their own pace. A family might spend the morning at Tinlids and the afternoon making a film together. A rock fan can spend all day in one venue and then stumble across a bluegrass session and discover a whole new love in life. A solo traveler might start off meeting new people at a Scrabble session and end up laughing with new friends at the Comedy Club.
The Festival builds to New Year’s Eve and carries on through New Year’s Day. The East Pointers, DZ Deathrays, Stiff Gins, Freddy Crabs, Sons of the East, Jem Cassar-Daley, Flook and Katherine Priddy are among the hundreds of artists playing across the two days, before the Festival greets the new Year with the Monks of Tibet in the annual Sunrise Ceremony on the morning of the 1st January, and closes that evening with the spectacular Renewal Ceremony.
Held on Jinibara Country, more than 100,000 attendances are expected across the six days, with around 20,000 campers, glampers and day visitors here each day.
The 39th Woodford Folk Festival runs from 27 December 2026 to 1 January 2027. Tickets are on sale now, including day and season passes with or without camping. Payment plans are available until 31 October 2026. For more information and full program, visit: www.woodfordfolkfestival.com for details.
Images: Lantern Parade – photo by Joseph May | Reuben Kaye – photo by Jax Moussa | The Herd (supplied) | Charlie Needs Braces – photo by Makiko Ryujin | Festival Dancing – photo by Lachie Douglas | The East Pointers – photo by Justin Rix