Whare Flat Folk Festival facts for kids
The Whare Flat Folk Festival is a fun music event that happens every year in New Zealand. It takes place over four days around New Year's Day. The festival is held at Waiora Scout Camp in Whare Flat, which is a beautiful valley near Dunedin in the South Island. It's about 15 kilometers (9 miles) northwest of the city.
This festival has been running since 1975, so it has a long history! Many talented musicians from all over the world come to perform here. Besides watching professional artists, you can also learn new skills. The festival offers workshops where you can improve your music or dance. You can also join in late-night music sessions or perform yourself at "open mic" shows.
The festival welcomes many types of music. While it's called a "folk" festival, it includes all kinds of acoustic music. This means music played without electric instruments. For example, they often have a special time for blues music. The Whare Flat Folk Festival is special because it is run completely by volunteers.
History of the Festival
The Whare Flat Folk Festival started small in 1975. It was first called the Whare Flat Folk Camp. It was just a small group of local musicians who met to play music together for a weekend.
How the Festival Grew
After its start, the festival quickly became more popular. In 1989, the festival moved to a different place called Orokonui, north of Dunedin. This was the only time it wasn't held at Waiora. Organizers moved it to try and slow down its growth. The festival was getting so big that it caused safety concerns, especially during the New Year's Eve cèilidh dance.
Since the 1990s, the festival has continued to grow. In 2017, about 700 people attended. By 2020, nearly 1000 people came to enjoy the music!
Famous Performers
Many great musicians have played at the festival. This includes local artists like Nadia Reid. International guests have also performed, such as Eric Bogle, Patsy Seddon, and Women in Docs.
Festival Challenges
Sometimes, nature has caused challenges for the festival. In January 2000, heavy rain caused floods. The roads leading to Waiora Scout Camp were flooded, and some festival-goers were stuck at the site for an extra day. This happened again in January 2021, but everyone who was stuck was safely helped out.
The festival planned for 2021-2022 had to be canceled. This was because of the COVID-19 situation. There was too much uncertainty about what would happen by the end of December.
