Experience the next exciting instalment of the revolutionary Stars & Bars Festival as you take to the High Seas for an evening Cocktail Cruise this June.
Following the epic success of the one-day countrified musical bus tour festival back in April, Stars & Bars Festival is back, this time taking punters to the water for a unique experience abroad the World Famous Geelong Party Boatm The Hygeia.
Created by Lincon Boyd, the brains behind the beloved past NaranaFest, this second instalment of the revolutionary festival invites punters to cruise the tranquil waters of Corio Bay and beyond aboard the famed luxury 20-metre catamaran for a three-hour evening Cocktail Cruise starring the charismatic Henry Wagons & The Only Children, alongside special guest Nathan Seeckts for an epic voyage of musical discovery.
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Departing the Geelong Waterfront at 6pm Saturday, June 18, this promises to be an experience like no other. Onboard, punters can indulge in a fully-licenced cocktail bar with professional bar tenders on the downstairs inside level, or take in the views of Geelong’s evolving Waterfront and City Skyline from upstairs on the sky deck lounge, while the Hygeia’s on-board chef will prepare an exquisite selection of cocktail canapes to be served throughout the evening’s proceedings.
All your favourite Moon Dog Brewery beverages will be available for purchase at bar prices, with guests receiving a complimentary Moon Dog Fizzer Seltzer on arrival, ensuring the perfect beginning to your time on the high seas. Local Geelong Spirit legends Anther Distillery have also created a lovingly handcrafted Stars & Bars Cocktail to round out the maritime mixology theme, with a distinctly local flavour featuring Anther Geelong Dry Gin will also be available for purchase at the bar.
Of course, it’s the music that will be the main pull of this rendezvous.
Henry Wagons needs almost no introduction, he’s a true renaissance man, with a unique swagger reminiscent of a day when front men gave back bucket loads of charm and were shrouded in enigmatic mystery. Unanimously lauded as one of one of Australia’s great entertainers, a Henry Wagons show is a true sight to behold. With his band The Only Children in Tow this will be one up-close, intimate performance not to be missed.
With Special Guest Nathan Seeckts also aboard Hygeia, good times are truly guaranteed. Seeckts, a Geelong Local, is a powerful singer songwriter who effortlessly fuses the sounds of Americana, folk, country and blues delivered with a commanding voice that is equal parts gravel and passion, will open proceedings joined by his full band.
Movers & Shakers will also be able to hit the boards on the dancefloor with an eclectic interstitial soundtrack supplied by Blueprint Sounds.
According to Festival Chief, Lincon Boyd Stars & Bars Festival is “delivering on a vision of a festival concept which brings to life a range of diverse music events under the Stars & Bars Festival banner. I really think our first Geelong event will deliver in spades with Henry Wagons and Nathan Seeckts together on a boat for a countrified cocktail cruise,” he says.
“I try to live by the mantra never miss a hometown gig and I think this one definitely fits the bill! Stars & Bars Festival’s High Seas cruise on the Hygeia will be the first of many local Geelong events. We’ve got a number of other gigs already in the pipeline working with some iconic & inspiring local businesses to create something a little bit different.”
Offering a concept that stands out dramatically, Boyd is onto a real winner with this new festival, especially following the successful rollout of Stars & Bars Festival Heathcote – a one-day Multi-Locale Musical Bus Tour giving punters a Whistle Stop Tour of Heathcote and surrounds featuring some of Victoria’s biggest and brightest stars.
“Part winery/brewery tour & part travelling musical mystery tour, we had artists including headliners The Seven Ups across multiple locales & outdoor stages. It really gave me the proof of concept I was looking for that people are keen to explore different ways to experience live music,” Boyd adds.
“Our second event actually turned into our first event. Covid struck and the Geelong cruise which was meant to kick things off over Summer and get the ball rolling had to be shuffled around, which meant Stars & Bars Heathcote took on a life of its own. So needless to say after more than nine months in development I’m itching to just get on the boat.”
Bringing music aboard the Hygeia, Boyd is leading the charge in exploring new and underutilized spaces around the region to present some truly unique gig formats.
“I think people are looking to steer away a bit from large scale festivals & venues and looking for a bit more of an experience as opposed to simply just attending a gig nowadays.”
Boarding commences from 5:30pm from Fishermen’s Pier at the end of Yarra Street on the Geelong Waterfront and the Cruise departs at 6:00pm, arriving back at Fishermen’s Pier to disembark from 9:00pm. There’s also access to an Official Stars & Bars Festival High Seas Afterparty at a secret Geelong CBD venue for partygoers keen to kick on.
Tickets are strictly limited and go on sale at 12pm on Thursday, May 12. Find out more here.
