The National Folk Festival is an incredible festival held every year in Canberra over the long Easter weekend.
I was super excited to finally make it to the National Folk Festival in Canberra in 2024.
To those in the know coming to ”the Nash” is a highlight for Canberrans, anyone who happens to be visiting Canberra over the Easter long weekend and a highlight of the year for many musicians, poets, artists, creatives and folk enthusiasts.
The National Folk Festival In Canberra
What is the National Folk Festival?
The National Folk Festival is an annual celebration of folk music and culture held over the Easter long weekend in Canberra.
It’s also Australia’s longest-running National festival!
First starting out festival life as the Port Phillip District Folk Music Festival in Melbourne in 1967.
Over the years the festival has been held in many states and territories, finding its permanent home in Canberra from 1993 onwards.
What makes the National Folk Festival the best festival in Canberra?
If you love folk music then this will be hands down the best festival in Canberra for you! The festival has a very relaxed, friendly vibe suitable for all the family. The festival has lots of space and plenty of creature comforts like plenty of seating, easy to purchase food and drinks options, squeaky clean toilets and a very laid back vibe.
I love the fact that as well as the main stages and musical areas, wherever you go wandering around the festival you will also discover pop up performances, bands playing live, music jams. children trying out musical instruments, family crafts and dancing.
The festival also blurs the lines between different artforms including artists working alongside musicians to create live art, performances and workshops and blurring the lines of what classifies as folk music.
What’s the National Folk Festival 2024 line up looking like?
The 2024 line up is as good as ever with a heap of regulars to the festival as well as some interesting newcomers.
There’s also some international big names on the stage including Québecois Electrotrad supergroup ‘Mélisande’, Norwegian folk rock (or even folk heavy metal band ‘Gangar’ and John Craigie from the USA.
What are the different stages like?
You’ll find each stage has a slightly different vibe. They all have plenty of seating if you like to sit down and chill out while you listen to the music.
What else is there to do at the National Folk Festival?
The Nash offers much more than just listening to live music and seeing the performers – you can get involved in a range of activities – including family-friendly crafting spaces, group yoga, group dance sessions and more.
Be sure to be up early to make it to at least one of the Poets Breakfasts so you can start your day listening to poetry and spoken-word.
What food can you eat at the National Folk Festival?
There is a whole range of food stalls and festival eateries dotted around the site, so you will never go hungry! From vegan and healthy food options to street food from around the world and Aussie beef burgers. There’s something for everyone!
What’s the toilet situation really like at ‘the Nash’?
For the squeamish or for anyone like myself who has been to many crowded European music festivals and experienced the festival portaloos, you will be pleasantly surprised to find a range of clean and comfortable “proper” toilets in the buildings on site.