Woodford Folk Festival site turns into a race track…for a day

The 500-acre Woodfordia site in Queensland – home to 100,000 people at the Woodford Folk Festival and usually associated with greenie principles and sustainability –  turns into a race track this year.

But only for one day.

One of the 16 masterclasses presented in the second year of Woodfordia’s Artisan Camp pays tribute to the age-old Australian tradition of go-kart building. 

Over a weekend, families will work together with fourth generation maker Aaron Barton to build a dream machine go kart using found, scavenged and recycled material.

A grand race will then be held as part of the annual The Planting festival (May 4– 6).

Artisan Camp is an organic gathering of artists, artisans and other creative folk hosting immersive masterclasses between April 21—29.

The classes — diverse, skill-building intensives — offer participants the opportunity to learn or hone silversmithing, woodcarving, bamboo sculpting, shoemaking, sustainable gardening, oil painting, natural skincare, cheese making, traditional Maori basket weaving and even improvised comedy.

Songwriting is with Andrea Kirwin, an Australian-Fijian singer/songwriter who has released three albums under her own Peace Run Records and who performs at music festivals around Australia.

Exploring Gospel and Groove, of group harmony singing, is hosted by Yani ChoirMistress, who has led choirs in India and studied African part-singing in Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The Art of Improvised Comedy is presented by comedian and cabaret artist, Jenny Wynter, who has performed and trained with Second City (USA), Loose Moose Theatre (Canada) and in 2016 was awarded Best Variety Show at United Solo Festival, NYC.

More information here.