News
4 December, 2024
Festival’s rally cry
The Woodford Folk Festival has put out another call to action to its supporters, after reporting a 15 per cent drop in ticket sales from this time last year.
The plea for assistance and warnings the future of the 37-year festival is in doubt comes after The Sentinel reported earlier this year of the $2 million loss Woodfordia incurred at last year’s festival.
Bad weather, a cost-of-living crisis, and the increased cost of delivering the multi-day festival were some of the reasons for the poor 2023/24 result.
Despite promising ticket sales in early June, and the festival certainly going ahead this year, Festival Director Amanda Jackes said the sluggish sales “seriously threatened its (the festival’s) viability” for next year and beyond.
“I’m sure many of our patrons may not realise the financial seriousness, because the experience of attending the festival always speaks of an emphatically successful event, which of course it is culturally,” she said.
“In the last six years, adult day tickets have only gone up by 8 per cent (from $130 to $140), and adult season camping tickets have increased by just 4 per cent (from $647 to $672).
“When you look at what our 1800+ artists and performers deliver every single day, and how the cultural breadth of the program embraces people of all ages - including children, with their own festival within the festival - it’s truly a great-value event.”
In an email to the festival’s 54,000 database, Ms. Jackes put out another rally cry to those who have not quite committed to this year’s event.
Ms. Jackes said that this year will feel no different, with a program celebrated as one of the strongest in years.
And despite major rising event costs post-pandemic, the festival had worked hard to keep core ticket price increases to a minimum.
Woodfordia also received a $2 million lifeline from the State Government in September to help ensure the festival’s future.
According to Ms. Jackes, State Government support has allowed them to “put on one of the finest festivals” in their 37-year history.
“Yes, we are in a difficult position, but we are still standing, and we have so much to offer and celebrate, thanks to a huge storehouse of support and goodwill from our patrons, volunteers, members, and all three levels of government,” she said.
“We remain hopeful that this call to action will move the dial back in our favour.
“In return, we can promise that everyone who comes to the party will be rewarded with a fantastic festival experience in a few weeks’ time.”
Similar to last year, the current rain season in southeast Queensland is being named as a reason people may not have committed to buying tickets, “even though the forecast for the festival itself is for near-perfect conditions,” according to Ms. Jackes.
Ms. Jackes also acknowledged that the success of their first festival since COVID, in 2022/23, gave organisers a false confidence about being “through the worst,” given it was their most successful event ever.
The challenging 2023/24 event was laid bare in financial documents, reported by The Sentinel, which revealed auditors had already found there was “significant doubt” about the ability of the festival to continue.
Documents showed revenue in 2023/24 was hit by a $1.1m fall in box office takings, as well as a $1.2m fall in grants from the prior years.
Woodfordia Inc had $327,000 in cash, compared to $1.87m in 2023, with overall revenue falling from $16.7m in 22/23 to $14.59m in 23/24.
Artists in this year’s line-up include Yothu Yindi, Ball Park Music, Tia Gostelow, Ash Grunwald, Alex the Astronaut, Josh Pyke, King Stingray, and Bic Runga.
woodfordfolkfestival.com
