The countdown is on until the highly anticipated return of the Newstead Live Music Festival next weekend, January 20-23.Festival director Kelly Skinner said 2023 will mark their first full festival program line-up since 2020 and they are set to welcome more than 30 acts and around 1200 festival goers to the township over the course of the four day event.
“It’s a small, intimate festival which aims to feature a host of folk music genres and talent from the experienced musos through to the newcomers just starting out and forging their path,” Kelly said.
Among the highlights will be 2020 Troubadour Foundation Award winners We Mavericks and Western Australian poet Kate Wilson.
“We always aim to book the annual Troubadour winners to feature at the next festival but unfortunately covid prevented that so we can’t wait to welcome them in 2023,” Kelly said.
“We held a successful Picnic Day in early 2021 but aside from that covid has prevented us from holding the festival for the last two years. In fact, we had to make the tough decision to cancel the festival just 16 days out last year when the Omicron variant took hold,” Kelly said.
A huge amount of work has taken place to bring the festival back to its full glory in 2023.
“It’s a real community effort and that makes it all the more special. We aim to support and celebrate the musicians but also raise funds to go back into supporting local community groups,” Kelly said.
“Andrew Pattison’s beloved Troubadour Tent will return to the Newstead Recreation Reserve. The Troubadour was a much-loved music venue in Melbourne in the 70s and 80s and when Andrew made the move to the country to take on winemaking he continued the tradition at his Lancefield venue and later the Maldon and National Folk Festivals.
“In 2000, the Chewton Folk Festival was launched, with its centrepiece being The Troubadour. In 2007, the festival moved to Newstead and became Newstead Live.”
Kelly said she was honoured to step into the director role in 2014 when Andrew retired, however he continues on as patron and the Troubadour tradition continues now featuring wine from Andrew’s Burke and Wills Winery.
“For the first time there will be camping options at the oval right near the Troubadour and there will also be camping available at the Racecourse Reserve and this is coordinated by the Newstead Football Netball Club,” Kelly said.
“We will also have a second live music venue operating out of the Newstead Community Centre and shuttle buses running between venues.
“And on the Saturday and Sunday locals and visitors can also find live music and workshops at various other locations including the Anglican Church, Shedshaker Stage and Bar in the Newstead Park, Blackboard Sets at Dig Cafe coordinated by Danny de Silva, the Enviro Shop, an instrument makers exhibition at Newstead Arts Hub at the former Newstead Railway Station, children’s entertainment at Newstead Pre-School (‘Lilliput’), and of course our ‘Live and Local’ outdoor stage outside the pool in Panmure Street which is blocked off for the weekend and will feature a host of free entertainment,” Kelly said.
“This has been led by two former Daylesford students that I have mentored Tino and Marlon and in the past has seen everything from Ska Music to pop feature, moving a little bit away from the traditional folk and acoustic music and offering something for everyone and the chance for locals to hit the stage. The Live and Local offering is free to ensure families can come along and support the musicians and those passing through the town can stop and join in the festivities,” she said.
Of course the festival will also include the popular ‘Pool Party’ at the Newstead Pool on the Sunday featuring three acts with funds raised to support the Newstead Pool Events Committee.
“We we also have a couple of local food vans from Castlemaine and Macedon at the Live and Local stage in Panmure Street, but we try to limit these to ensure that visitors are also supporting our local businesses and the Newstead Men’s Shed will be on hand serving up breakfasts on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday,” Kelly said.
The full program went live on Tuesday. To view the program and secure your weekend, day or camping tickets visit newsteadlive.com