WE HAVE TWO FESTIVALS AT WOODFORD — ONE FOR BIG KIDS AND ANOTHER FOR LITTLE KIDS.
Celebrating its 34th year, our Children’s Festival is a festival within a festival, a secluded space set aside to inspire and entertain our smaller Woodfordians. Entertainment starts from 8am each day and runs until 5pm.
Activities range from puppet shows, to craft, games, theatre, circus, dance and storytelling. It’s full-time fun for everyone and anyone looking to play the day away.
The 2019/20 festival features over 55 acts presenting more than 260 performances and workshops, included in your Woodford Folk Festival children’s ticket.
HISTORY
The Children’s Festival began a long time ago, long before iPads and mobile phones, before themed birthday parties and jumping castles. But not before Play School.
When you combine a group of friends, their love of folk music and fun, the children that belong to these friends and the desire to create an ongoing event that celebrates this, the festival was born and cradled within that, the Children’s Festival. It was, from those first days, a place for the kids to bring their parents to.
Initially, the children’s programme consisted of family and friends presenting the workshops and performing the music – it was a few paragraphs in the pages of the festival programme. In 1990 we went big time and booked the well-known Don Spencer from Play School.
Today there are nine venues with six pages dedicated to the Children’s Festival programme with circus, drama, craft workshops, environmental discovery, music mentoring and performances.
Over the years the number of venues have increased, each one with a different theme. Mish Mash, a venue especially for the preschoolers began in 2004, Big Ideas in 2006 focusing on skills based workshops and Mind Games in 2016, a space for educational, environmental based workshops. Some ideas became part of the annual fabric of today’s festival – circus skills, the storytellers chair, and the Hoopla, a giant bamboo framed series of hoops.
The generations that have passed through the Children’s Festival, many of them are now the performers, organisers, volunteers and festival goers and here is where the future lies. It continues to be a world of wonder and fun for the small and not so small, and one to keep coming back for.
We have a range of facilities onsite to ensure your festival experience is like no other
CHILDMINDING SERVICES
Child minding facilities are available at the Land of Nod (located near the general store) daily during the festival. Includes sand pit, hose, water splash poor, book corner, DVDs, napping area, toilet facilities and shade tree. $15 per hour (family rates available) Please email landofnod.wff@gmail.com for bookings
These rockin’ festival wagons are exactly what you need when taking the fam bam to a festival. Heavy duty, practical, but most of all – cool! To find out more, click here.
FOOD
We have a wide range of child-friendly food on offer, but if your little one has special dietary requirements, you are welcome to bring your own.
WILDLINGS FOREST SCHOOL
Wildlings Forest School aims to get more children outdoors reaping the social, emotional and physical benefits of being in nature. Book a place here
HEALTH AND SAFETY | We have a medical centre on site
Staffed by clinical staff with many years experience. The festival medical centre can be contacted on 07 5422 9863 or at medical@woodfordia.com. We also have additional first aid within the festival precinct
STAYING AT THE FESTIVAL?
Camping onsite for the week is a great way to immerse your family in the festival and experience everything on offer. Prefer to arrive and not have the hassle of setting up your camp? See links below:
Our beloved long term partner in short term stays (we’ve been together since 1995) When it comes to reliable, comfy, cabin style tents you can’t beat this option. Tent City is the perfect option for the Woodfordian coming for one night, or the entire week.
Pitch Luxury Camping are another excited addition to Woodford Folk Festival this year. Offering glamping tents, suitable for couples and families, in a setting that will allow guests space to relax and enjoy some privacy throughout the week.
Initially, the children’s programme consisted of family and friends presenting the workshops and performing the music – it was a few paragraphs in the pages of the festival programme. In 1990 we went big time and booked the well-known Don Spencer from Play School.
