From Falls Festival and The Lost Lands founder Simon Daly, Wanderer Festival is a celebration of music and arts crafted for all generations of festival-goers.
He’s back at it again – the man, the myth, the legend responsible for showcasing the best, the upcoming and the emerging arts and musical talents in the most stunning setting returns with his most ambitious festival yet.
Simon Daly, the cofounder of Falls Music and Art Festival and Werribee Mansion-held The Lost Lands, returned to a frequent holiday spot in the stunning surrounds of Pambula Beach on the Sapphire Coast with his family in 2020, unbeknownst that the tranquil spot would become home to his next live performance venture.
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Meet Australia’s newest boutique music and arts experience, Wanderer Festival.
Situated at the halfway point between Sydney and Melbourne and a three-hour drive from Canberra, the picturesque coastal town met all of the right criteria for a three-day festival; there is no denying the amazing scenery surrounding the festival spot, there is an active local community and they love, but seldom have access to major events programming.
Daly explains, “In Pambula, seeing live programming year-round is not on offer so you do have to travel a few hours to Canberra or Melbourne to see any live music gigs.”
So Daly changed that. Running 23 to 25 September 2022, Wanderer Festival boasts a generous and diverse program of live entertainment, including a stacked lineup featuring Wolfmother, The Dandy Warhols, Ziggy Alberts, DMA’s, Sarah Blasko, Confidence Man, The Teskey Brothers, Winston Surfshirt and Curtis Harding, and that’s just on the main stage.
New world-class music and arts event Wanderer Festival expands lineup with more stellar acts
As the wanderer image suggests, the festival is curated for festival-goers to explore the site and immerse themselves in the activities, food and community on offer, tailored to suit all ages and interests.
“In my Falls days, there was very much a younger demographic and The Lost Lands is a vagabond of people across all ages and walks of life. Wanderer sits gently between the two and I guess draws a comparison mostly to the Fall Marion Bay current day experience. That was like a very multi-generational festival where people of all works of life – Tasmanian – would want to go to this great festival. It’s set in a very beautiful spot/location and, again a little bit like what we have here in Pambula, where people haven’t had the kind of programming on that scale before and really wanted to be part of it and then made the festival into what it was. Marion Bay was a very special event. We’re seeing that again and the programming tailors to that. The Lost Lands does the same thing,” says Daly.
“Wanderer is building on that but actually tailored to that experience, to the audience, where you have a wanderer who is a regular over 18 music attendee, going to lots of great events experiencing lots of amazing and new artists and going to art shows that we’re programming and then there’s Lost Lands which is a festival within a festival which is a display of Lost Lands as it is and was with family-friendly activities. The Main Stage is the coming together of both which is where our biggest artists are and has a stadium feel with the natural amphitheatre and forest backdrop. It has a great feel and that coming together of people is where it thrives where communities can coexist.”
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With such a wide scope of demographic invited and encouraged to attend, finding a harmonious balance within the artistic programming was a major factor for Daly and the festival team to consider.
“In the late ’90s and early 2000’s I lost my way as a festival programmer in a sense. I don’t think they were strong programming for those years at Falls trying to mix a lot of genres and only speak to one demographic. I think I’ve honed in on what we’re doing and making sure that Wanderer is tailored and it’s got energy but the artists all work well together whilst having multi-generational appeal. There’s something for everyone but it’s all complimentary.”
Bed Sheet Ghost Party, Monster Siege, The Burnt Sausages, The Beep Test of Mythical Beings – the visual imagery is strong with these ones, but if you want to find out what they are, you’ll have to attend the festival!
Wanderer Festival will take place from 23 September to 25 September 2022 in Merimbula, NSW. Festival and camping tickets for Wanderer Festival can be nabbed via the website.
