Woodford Folk Festival has unveiled its 2026-27 program, with DZ Deathrays, Peter Garrett & The Alter Egos, The Dreggs, Kate Miller-Heidke, Playlunch and Pierce Brothers among the acts heading to Queensland for its 39th edition.
Returning to Woodfordia from December 27th to January 1st, the six-day event will bring together more than 2,800 artists and presenters from 42 Indigenous Nations and 14 countries, across more then 1,500 performances, workshops and presentations.
This year’s event introduces a wave of Woodford first-timers, including Playlunch, Kenyan-Australian hip hop artist Elsy Wameyo, DEVAURA, Stella Bridie, Jamaica Moana, indie-pop trio Birdland and Sons of the East.
DZ Deathrays will also make their festival debut, while Reuben Kaye brings his cabaret show Hard to Swallow to the lineup.
Sunshine Coast duo The Dreggs return to the festival where they first performed in 2019, joining a lineup that also features Pierce Brothers, Kim Churchill, Georgia Mooney, Jem Cassar-Daley, Frank Yamma, Stiff Gins and The Maes.
“We can’t wait to play Woodford, such an amazing festival and just down the road from where we grew up,” said The Dreggs. “What a way to round out the year, bring it on!”
Peter Garrett & The Alter Egos will deliver a sunset performance alongside a discussion on the AUKUS enquiry, while The Herd will mark the 20th anniversary of their album The Sun Never Sets. Emma Donovan presents Take Me to the River, reinterpreting songs from iconic Black singers, and Tim Freedman’s Moonlit Deck will reimagine The Whitlams’ catalogue through a country lens.
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International additions include Aotearoa’s Theia, Canadian favourites The East Pointers, English folk artist Katherine Priddy and Irish/UK quartet Flook, returning to Australia for the first time in over two decades.
First Nations artists and cultural voices remain central to the programme, with Jess Hitchcock, Pirritu, Charlie Needs Braces, Jinibara Dance Group and Gubbi Gubbi Dance among those appearing.
Festival Director Amanda Jackes said Woodford’s appeal extends well beyond its musical offerings.
“Woodford is a town you come to live in and create daily rituals, exploring our village and all its creative offerings,” she said. “For six days it becomes a wold of music and art, and everyone who walks through the gate helps to make it special.”
New additions include Stardust Songwriters, a nightly folk club in an alcohol-free precinct, including the Sunrise Ceremony with the Monks of Tibet on January 1st and the evening Renewal Ceremony.
Woodford Folk Festival runs from December 27th, 2026 to January 1st, 2027. Day and season tickets, with or without camping, are available now via woodfordfolkfestival.com, with payment plans available until October 31st.
The full 2026-27 lineup and program can be found on the official Woodford Folk Festival website.
