Event Date: 5 March 2016
Location: Mt Penang Garden Parklands, Kariong, Central Coast
FESTIVAL INFO
A new Blues Festival & BBQ set for March 2016, fills a much needed event hole for music lovers and families of the Central Coast, Sydney and Newcastle.
Girrakool Blues Festival is an annual event named after the nearby waterfalls, and quite befittingly is Aboriginal for “Place of still water” ie Muddy Water, will be held annually on the first weekend in March by Xabc Entertainment.
In a New Orleans styled theme, the Girrakool Blues Festival will offer the Central Coast, and it’s visitors, a wonderful day of quality, international, national and local blues and roots acts, in a family friendly, relaxed atmosphere, all at a reasonable price.
Located within the beautiful surrounds of Mt Penang Garden Parklands, Kariong, is situated conveniently between Sydney and Newcastle, and is only 2 minutes from the M1.
Patrons can bring their rugs and chairs to enjoy the afternoon of world-class music, and soul food from our selectively picked stalls, including a unique American Southern style BBQ.
Apart from the music it will have a strong Aboriginal content, with indigenous bands, Welcome to Country Ceremony, Women’s activities and with the potential of short tours to the Girrakool waterfalls and engravings.
Patrons will also be able to feast on Texan slow cooked BBQ, and other soul food stalls, immerse themselves in Aboriginal Culture, and view the talents of our local arts community.
HOSTING
As the only Australian comedian to knock Stevie Wonder off the No.1 position of the Top 40 Music Charts, with his “I’m so tuff” routine, George Smilovici is coming to the Central Coast to host the very first Girrakool Blues Festival & BBQ.
George is an original, a pioneer in Australian Stand Up Comedy. He was there at the beginning of the 80s and took standup to Rock audiences.
VENUE
The Mt Penang Gardens is the gateway to the Central Coast as it situated conveniently between Newcastle and Sydney, and only a 2 minute drive from the M1 Motorway. It is also just short trip from either the Woy Woy (15 mins) or Gosfords (10 Mins ) Train Station.
The Fesitval will be held within the amphitheatre section of the beautiful 12 hectare gardens. The gardens are surrounded by cascading waterfalls and 12 different “garden rooms”, which during the summer days of march will lend themselves to a lovely day out for all of the family.
The main “Girrakool Stage” will be nestled among the trees in front of the creek, easily seen by all patrons. The Local “Wondabyne Stage” will be located in among the Wonderbyne Sculptures at the other end of the gardens.
TICKETS
Girrakool will have a range of ticketing options available. Xabc Entertainment would like to make the festival a family fun event and will be providing Family Tickets at Early Bird prices. To further encourage this, children under 5 years can come to the event free of charge.
Registrations for Family and Adult Early Bird tickets are now taking place!
EARLY BIRD TICKET ADULT
- Over 15 years old – AUD $65.30
EARLY BIRD FAMILY TICKET
- 2 Adults + 2 Children between 5 & 15ys – AUD $189.75
EARLY BIRD BUDDY TIX TICKET
- 4 x Adult over 15yrs – AUD $240.75
LINEUP
GIRRAKOOL STAGE
Mississippi, 4 time winner Blues Music Award’s Drummer of the Year Cedric Burnside will headline the Festival. Australian Festival Favourites, The Backsliders, will provide the blues ‘not roots” of the festival. Adding to the New Orleans theme, is keyboardist, Clayton Doley with his band Clayton Doley’s Bayou Billabong. This years the Voice Finalist Gail Page will belt out some powerful soul drenched blues, while Multi-award winning Aboriginal BB King, Buddy Knox and Sultry singer Kate Lush will take to the Girrakool Stage, under the big Oak Tree in the Amphitheatre section of the Gardens.
CEDRIC BURNSIDE PROJECT • THE BACKSLIDERS • GAIL PAGE • GEORGE SMILOVICI • CLAYTON DOLEY’S BAYOU BILLABONG • BUDDY KNOX BLUES BAND • KATE LUSH
WONDABYNE STAGE
Set among the Wondabyne Sculptures, rock away with the Dai Pritchard Blues Band. Feel the heat of the dueling Organs with Carolyn “Pinecone” Packer & Alison Penny. Get your wings flapping for Chicken Train Skifflers , see winners of 2015 Bluesfest Busking Comp Grizzlee Train, and local alternate-Country Star Jessica Belle.
DAI PRITCHARD BAND • PINE AND ALI’S DUELLING ORGANS • GRIZZLEE TRAIN • CHICKEN TRAIN SKIFFLERS • JESSICA BELLE