The Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival is an acoustic weekend of concerts, workshops, jamming, dancing and more, focused on Old-Time, Bluegrass and Folk traditions.
It is a family friendly festival and we encourage participation from all ages and are dedicated to sharing our love of music. Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival Inc. would like to acknowledge that this festival is held on the traditional lands of the Gumbaynggirr people, and pay our respect to elders both past and present.
The Festival Committee recognises the importance of involving and providing younger generations with opportunities to perform and learn. This is why each year our programme features a combination of artists with a fresh realisation of music and practiced, well-versed artists from Australia and overseas. In 2017 we held the Inaugural Dorrigo Old-Time Music School featuring tutors from Australia and America. This is an opportunity for musicians of all ages and background to learn, jam and perform with tutors who have the knowledge, heritage and respect of Old-Time music. The school is not just for musicians focusing on the Old-Time genre, there are many skills taught at the camp that are applicable across a wide range of musical genres. The DF&BF Inc. supports all creative arts and we believe they are the pinnacle of culture and our diversity. They evoke emotion, bring the stragglers and the masses together, allow imagination, beg for unique connections between seemingly disparate ideas and accompany our originality. And we believe that is what the festival has achieved over the last 17 years and will continue to achieve. Over the years the Festival Committee has worked alongside local artists involving local schools and community groups in visual arts projects. These are displayed in the venues over the festival weekend. It is important to us that we involve the youth of Dorrigo’s regional surrounds to provide them with a visual into different cultures. We have also worked with the local schools facilitating musicians to give workshops for school age students, who are then provided the opportunity to perform at the festival. Many different artistic opportunities have arisen from a strong partnership with Dorrigo’s schools and we are thrilled about it. During the Festival local schools and community groups run a Sausage Sizzle providing a kid friendly and affordable meal, as well as supporting local groups. During the Festival patrons are able to have a wander around the food and craft stalls to gain a little taste of the handmade crafts and fresh produce the local area has to provide.
For further details, follow the links below: https://www.facebook.com/events/460414421189372/ https://www.dorrigofolkbluegrass.com.au/