ChillOut Festival will once again transform the Central Highlands of Victoria into Queer Country.
Celebrating 26 years in 2023, Australia’s longest-running and largest regional pride festival will take place in regional Victoria’s LGBTQIA mecca of Daylesford once again, with next year’s incarnation set to bring more music, more dancing, and of course, lots of fun.
Inviting visitors of all ages to dance, prance, chill and shake a tail feather across five days of fabulous festivity, the festival has locked in its dates for 2023, running from March 9 – March 13 2023 (Labour Day weekend).
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With a long history of being out and proud, next year’s event will continue to present a program as diverse as the queer community and its extended family of friends and supporters themselves under the guidance of new festival director Emma Ireland for the second time – a talented local who has worked with the likes of Revolver Upstairs, Bar Open, The Big Day Out, The Byron Blues Festival, Meredith music festival, Dark Rainbow, and Ballarat frolic festival, to name but a few.
Ahead of the colourful program announcement, the festival has announced next year’s theme: ‘Find Your Wings’.
The theme takes inspiration from the ‘bright eyed brown butterfly’, native to the areas around Lake Daylesford, that recently made an amazing recovery despite everyone thinking it was extinct for decades… much like the butterfly itself, ChillOut is coming out of their COVID chrysalis and ‘finding their wings’!
As always, the festival will host a colourful program featuring the annual street parade, pool party, a bush dance, so much dancing, youth sound shell, cocktail parties, and a carnival day, as well as a new women’s night and lots of exciting surprises!
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The first round of festival ambassadors and performers will be announced later this month.
While events in the capital cities might be a lot bigger, ChillOut retains a relaxed, down-to-earth atmosphere with plenty of opportunities to let your hair down, and has found a special place in the hearts of the LGBTIQ community across Australia – and the world.
So, save the date and get ready to Find Your Wings in Daylesford.
ChillOut Festival goes down in Daylesford, Victoria from March 19 to March 13 2023. Find out more at chilloutfestival.com.au
