Dates: 02/10/2026 - 04/10/2026
Opal Evolution is an immersive outback arts and culture festival held in Andamooka, the home of the world's rarest opal. Across three nights the desert landscape comes alive with large-scale light projections, live music, giant puppets, and community parades. By day, visitors can join creative workshops, explore opal mining heritage, and connect with artists, locals, and the unique spirit of this opal-rich town. Blending art, story, and stars under vast desert skies, Opal Evolution offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the heart of Outback South Australia.
The Woodford Folk Festival is held annually over six days and six nights, from Dec 27th through to January 1st. More than 2,000 local, national and international, artists, musicians and presenters put on over 438 acts to an audience of an estimated 132,000 people. The festival begins each year with the iconic Opening Ceremony and closes with the spectacular showcase, the Fire Event on New Year’s Day. This year will be the 35th Woodford Folk Festival and the 28th held at Woodfordia. It is the largest gathering of artists and musicians in Australia.
The Woodford festival experience is deep, rich and colourful. It is based on a vision of inclusive and creative community, culture and tradition passed through generations, expressed through story and ceremony. The site, a former barren dairy farm, has been lovingly regenerated with over 120,000 subtropical rain forest trees, orchids, ferns and sedges, planted to create a habitat for butterflies and wildlife.
Woodfordia is transformed into a village that hosts over 25,000 daily patrons, performers, stallholders, volunteers and organisers. As many as 2,680 volunteers across 162 departments are at the heart of the organisation and contribute to the setup and day-to-day running of the festival. During the event, the festival is actually the 67th largest town in Australia.
Each year construction begins in early December and continues up until Christmas Day. Over 450 contractors and volunteers build the village. Many come from around the world to be part of the festival build and then stay for a week after to pull the event down.
WE HAVE BEEN LONGING TO ANNOUNCE THIS NEWS SINCE WHAT SEEMS LIKE FOREVER – WOODFORD FOLK FESTIVAL IS BACK!
Change has been more of a constant these past couple of years and that will continue into the future. The return of the festival this year will see some venues retired, some taking a year off, others returning in full glory along with some new kids on the block.
The programme will continue to have the diversity, excellence and depth that Woodford patrons have revelled in over the years.
Tickets will be capped this year to make sure we get the comfort level just right.
We will be launching tickets in June – make sure you are signed up to our mailing list stay up to date.
Dates 01/08-04/08/2026
Yarntarnpa Kululu-jju Nyinta (Living together as One)
A celebration of culture, community, and creativity in the heart of the Barkly. This year's festival theme, Yarntarnpa Kululu-jju Nyinta, acknowledges the diversity of the people in the Barkly region which continues to enrich the cultural fabric of the community.
Caters for people with sufficient mobility to climb a few steps but who would benefit from fixtures to aid balance. (This includes people using walking frames and mobility aids) Caters for people who use a wheelchair. Welcomes and assists people who have challenges with learning, communication, understanding and behaviour. (includes people with autism, intellectual disability, Down syndrome, acquired brain injury (ABI), dyslexia and dementia)
