Let’s face it, modern life is hard. Between family, friends and work all demanding time from you, it can be difficult to find a moment to yourself. Well never fear, Music Feeds has the solution for you. Run away, piss your troubles to the wind and make a run for the border… the state border that is.
And while booking a room in a hostel for the weekend might do the trick, why not combine that idea with some daytime distractions by visiting one of the many festivals our fair nation has on offer this summer. So it’s in the interest of facilitating your successful escape that we present you with our 5 Festivals Worth Running Across State Lines For… in no particular order and with thanks to our mates at YHA.
#1 Byron Bay Bluesfest
The original Aussie festival worth running across state lines for, the Bluesfest line up for this year is so epic it’s probably even worth running across a national border or two to witness (just don’t get cauht you’d hate to end up in Nauru). With enough headline acts to start a new super race of musical overlords with, it’s hard to go past a festival that will see the likes of Kendrick Lamar, The National, D’Angelo & The Vanguard and Brian Fucking Wilson all sharing the bill. Held at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, just north of Byron Bay, the epic 5 day festival might be a bit of a slog to do in the camping area though, so lucky the walk/hitch hike to Byron is short enough that you can stay in the comfort of town without missing out on all the great music.
Byron Bay Bluesfest
Thursday 24th – Monday 28th March
Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay
Tickets: Festival Site
#2 Beyond The Valley
The perfect hideout for any New South Welshmen (or Welshwomen) looking to go on the lam in Victoria, Beyond The Valley is landing in a new location in Lardner this year, boasting powered glamping and luxury camping facilities, meaning you can enjoy some of the finer things while in exile. Plus with a top notch line-up across a wide range of genres and featuring the likes of euro techno icon Boys Noise, rapper Pusha T, business savvy pop outfit Client Liason (of course with Tom ‘Dreamboat’ Tilley on the bass) and home grown indie dance heroes Flight Facilities playing the coveted New Years Eve Midnight set, you should have no problem disappearing into what is sure to be a heaving crowd.
Beyond The Valley
29th – 31st December
Lardner, Vic
Tickets: Festival Site
#3 WOMADelaide
One of Australia’s most diverse and eclectic festivals, WOMADelaide with it’s world music theme and amazingly decorated site is a great place to hide out among the unfamiliar sounds and smells. With a mix of local and international talent on the bill, Aboriginal singer songwriter Kev Carmody and Melbourne heat beat collective No Zu joining WOMAD royalty such as the Ladysmith Black Mambazo Band and Seun Kuti & The Egypt 80. Plus, with the festival nestled in the heart of Adelaide, held in the city’s picturesque Botanic Park, you don’t have to bother with camping and can just get a hostel.
WOMADelaide
Friday 11th – Monday 14th March
Botanic Park, Adeliade
Tickets: Festival Site
#4 Mountain Sounds
Mountain Sounds is the perfect option for the die-hard fugitive, it’s site including Mount Penang Gardens and its eight hectares of landscaped grounds and waterways meaning there is plenty of room to hide in this boutique and sustainability minded event. Founded to promote the Central Coast as a tourist destination as well as to give festival goers a top notch experience, Mountain Sounds works closely with local community and businesses to integrate them into the festival. And while this is just another exciting feature to a regular punter, for those of running from life this means there will be plenty of local business leaders on the ground if you want to try and find a new job and start a new life on the coast. Still if that doesn’t work out at least you can enjoy music by The Strokes‘ guitarist Albert Hammond Jnr performing alongside Melbourne indie pop troupe Alpine, elec-trio Art vs Science and Britpop revivalists
Mountain Sounds
Saturday 20th February
Mount Penang, NSW
Tickets: Festival Site
#5 Secret Garden
With a reputation for selling out before the line-up even get announced, and with the word secret in the name, Secret Garden festival is a great place to avoid detection when running from life, with a horde of fancy dressed punters making for the perfect crowd to get lost in. The only problem with this festival is actually getting a ticket and getting in as it’s so popular, as any of you would be runaways reading this should know so get in snatch up a ticket quick. With all profits going to charity as well, you can do some good while running away from whatever wrongs are behind you.
Secret Garden Festival
Friday 26th to Sunday 28th February
Downes Family Farm, NSW
Tickets: Festival Site
#6 Festival Of the Sun
With free camping Festival Of The Sun is the perfect hideout if you’re on the run on a budget. Its BYO too, so all you really need is a bag of goon and a sense of adventure to make this festival your weekend home away from home while on the lam. Held in the lush beachside surrounds of Port Macquarie, with the festival opening out right onto the beach itself, with an all aussue line-up boasting Illy, Jebediah, Thundamentals and British India, FOTSUN is a great option for those running away from life but looking for something a little more tranquil.
Festival Of The Sun
Friday 11th – Saturday 12th December
Port Macquarie NSW
Tickets: Festival Site
#7 Field Day
Field Day is a pretty special entry on this list, as it’s held on New Years Day pretty much everyone who attends is is running away from life in one way or another, even if only for one more day. And while the prospect of backing up your New Years Eve celebrations with a festival might be too much for some of you, it’s pretty much the perfect kick-on for those party professionals out there seeking to bring in the new year with a lot of good times and very little sobriety. This year’s line-up is epic too, with Flight Facilities (who will themselves be kicking on from the New Years Eve set at Beyond The Valley), Pusha T, Daniel Avery and more all lined up to play.
Field Day
Friday 1st January
The Domain, Sydney
Tickets: Festival Site
#8 Lost Paradise
With a mass skinny dip already organised, Lost Paradise is a great place to lay low, as everyone will be distracted by the public displays of nudity to be worrying about you. Held in the Glenworth Valley in New South Wales and with a line-up this year that features the likes of Angus & Julia Stone, Four Tet and Jamie XX, this is the perfect place to make yourself scarce over New Years.
Lost Paradise
Tues 29th – Thursday 31st December
Cooks Road Glenworth Valley, New South Wales,
Tickets: Festival Site
