ORGANISERS are expecting the 40th Port Fairy Folk Festival to sell out a month ahead of the first notes being played.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Ticket sales for the March 11-14 event clicked over the 11,000 mark last week and ticketing manager Shane Lenehan said there were less than 500 to go.
Mr Lenehan said tickets were selling faster than previous years.
“We’re a bit in front,” he said.
“Last year we sold out about February 23.
“At the current rate, I think we’ll be sold out in the first or second week of February.
“It’s unbelievable.”
The first ticket allocation for the 2016 event sold out in just 13 hours without a single band yet to announced.
Mr Lenehan said the combination of it being the 40th Folkie and Jamie McKew’s last one as festival director had added an extra level of hype around the event.
The festival will spread its wings into the community again this year via its school programs, which see musical activities return to Port Fairy Consolidated School, St Patrick’s School in Port Fairy, Koroit & District Consolidated School, St Patrick’s School in Koroit, the junior section of Hawkesdale P-12.
The program combines circus skills, singing and music and will culminate in the Odd Sock Circus Schools show on Stage 6 in the festival arena on Friday, March 11 at 1pm.
The program is run by musicians Phil Melgaard and Terry Cole who have been performing at the Folkie for many years as the Famous Fratellini Brothers.
This year’s Folkie will feature Archie Roach, Colin Hay, Katie Noonan’s Vanguard, John McCutcheon, Luka Bloom, Steve Poltz, Steve Earle & The Dukes, Eric Bogle, Graeme Connors, the Grigoryan Brothers, Greg Champion, Truckstop Honeymoon, Kate Miller-Heidke, Lloyd Spiegel, The Little Stevies, and heaps more.
There are also plenty of local acts on the bill, including Tom Richardson, The Hog Stompin’ Zydegators, Lost In Suburbia, The Howard Family, and Aine Tyrell.