The 50th annual event of the National Folk Festival has been announced. So, if you are booking tickets for Canberra, you have all the more reason to rejoice.

Canberra by Simon Yeo/ CC BY

Gear up for this vibrant and colourful fiesta of music and dance for the 50th annual event, which will be held from March 24th to 28th, 2016 at the Exhibition Park in Canberra.

About

Customise your entertainment as you can choose from over 600 events and concerts at this festival. An exciting Opening and Closing Concert is part of the festival. You can attend the festival just for a day or even spend five whole days. It’s the 50th year and the National Folk Festival is fascinating the public with more than 200 national and international acts across 18 stages. Themed bars, food and souvenirs stalls, circus performers and street musicians are all ready to rock the party.

Program

The festival features numerous artists on the Australian and International folk-roots music, including a wide range of styles, influences and genres. This year, they are offering a bunch of great choices for every musical taste. This will include workshops celebrating Circus Death Match, amazing Drumming Monkeys and much more.

Performers

You can see a lot of themed presentations, including dance band, poetry, comedy, circus/theatre KidzFest Workshop and Street Dance. Watch live performances by artists such as Acoustic Shock, Andrew Winton and Andy Salvanos.

Tickets

This one of a kind folk festival has a lot of focus upon top-notch music and talent, great entertainment and good times for people of all ages.  Tickets are on sale online. You can even grab early bird 3 tickets; this includes, the hot Box Office Sale for Young Adults (Ages 16-17) for only $100, and (Ages 7-15) for only $30. Kids are admitted for free!

Food and More

Restaurants offer an international buffet spread, while seafood and Australia’s favourite dishes are served at every stall. Drinks and live music will flow at all the indoor and outdoor bars. The celebrations are around the corner, book your tickets soon. If you require any additional information about the event or how to reach there, please visit the official website.

About the Festival

Celebrated over a period of 9 days, Canberra Balloon Spectacular is held at the Lawns of Old Parliament House in Parkes, near the National Library of Australia. It is not only one of the best but also one of the longest running hot-air ballooning festivals in the world.

The 2016 Canberra Balloon Spectacular will commence on 12th March, and will run for a period of nine days until 20th March. The events start early morning at 6:15 when the pilots start inflating the individual balloons before making them rise in the air. Needless to say, this creates a breathtaking spectacle in the sky. Every year, Canberra Balloon Spectacular features balloons with a special shape or theme. This year too, the festival will add some special themed balloons. For instance, there will be a balloon inspired from the famous animated movie “UP” by Disney and Pixar.

Getting to the Festival

There are a number of ways by which you can reach the festival. Airlines such as Virgin Blue and Quanta offer flights to and from the different capitals in the country. However if you are driving, Canberra won’t disappoint you as the routes are scenic. Reaching the venue in the city itself is without any hassles as there are hardly any traffic problems. Travelling intercity by public transport such as Countrylink trains and commuting by ACTION bus within the city is easy as well as pocket-friendly.

Other Tips

Parking facilities are good at Parliamentary Zone. If you are travelling by bus, check out ACTION bus routes and timetables on their official website. You can buy delicious breakfast from the Belconnen Lions Club during the event. You can also buy food items and hot beverages such as coffee and Dutch pancakes. Remember to get your camera to capture the mesmerising spectacles of the balloons flying in the sky. Remember to dress up in warm clothing as the mornings are colder than the rest of the day.

Autumn brings different shades of colour to different parts of Australia. Whether you love to admire the striking foliage of wine red and sepia and like to laze around on the beach or step out for an outdoor adventure – the autumn months in Australia are just perfect for almost everything.

Unlike the countries that lie in the Northern Hemisphere, autumn in Australia starts from March and ends in May. If you are planning to book tickets for an overseas holiday, Australia could be the perfect place for you. Have a look at some of the top draws in Australia during autumn.

Swim with Whale Sharks at Ningaloo

Whale sharks flock to Ningaloo every year with the commencement of autumn. You can go on boat trips far out to the sea, while a spotter-plane explores the sea for whale sharks. Once they are spotted, the boat is taken to that location and then you can either choose to see the sharks from the boat, or go snorkelling to see these massive creatures up-close.

Visit Margaret River

Margaret River, situated in the south-western part of Western Australia, is at its best during autumn. The warmth of the sunny days and smaller crowds makes autumn the perfect time to visit the river. It’s a good place for a family picnic as well as solo hiking trips.

Admire the Colours of autumn at Blackwood River Valley

If you are a photography enthusiast or an artist, you will love the Blackwood River Valley. Deciduous trees line the streets and also adorn the gardens and parks around the area. In the months of April and May, the leaves on the deciduous trees start changing colours; from orange to red and finally, to yellow, before falling off and covering the areas in hues of red and yellow. One of the best places to go to see this amazing spectacle is the Balingup Tree Park which has a large variety of trees from all across the globe.

Being the capital of Australia, Canberra’s event calendar remains full with a plethora of different events and festivals throughout the year.

From food to culture and art festivals, there is always something to look forward to in Canberra, apart from the usual sightseeing. Have a look at the upcoming February and March festivals in 2016.

National Multicultural Festival

12th -14th Feb 2016

The National Multicultural festival is a perfect blend of food, drinks and fun, all at one venue.  You will get a chance to interact with and know more about the different people living in the country. There are no entry tickets for the festival and you can try different types of cuisines in the food and wine stalls. This year the Friday night opening features the famous Australian band, The Black Sorrows. If you plan to visit Canberra any time during 12th to 14th February, we recommend, you attend this festival in order to get acquainted with the varied culture and traditions of the people living here. Some of the main highlights of the festival are circus-style acts, live music, street parties, food and wine stalls, performance art and comedy to name a few.

Enlighten

4th -12th March 2016

Celebrated as the main autumn festival of Canberra, ‘Enlighten’ is a great chance to see the mesmerising beauty of the arts and aesthetics. The Parliamentary Triangle of the national capital transforms into a colourful and vibrant arts and cultural precinct. Various international acts and brilliant street artists will provide free entertainment, performing against a picturesque backdrop of architectural projections. If you are on a family trip, don’t miss the celebration, which is free of charge and full of surprises.

Canberra Balloon Spectacular

12th -20th March 2016

If you are in Canberra between 12th and 20th March, you will see the skies dotted with colourful balloons. The Canberra Balloon Spectacular is held every year in autumn. It is a treat for the photographers who come here from all across the globe just to capture the beautiful spectacle of balloons floating over iconic landmarks. The balloons are of different shapes and colours and they adorn the skies, early in the morning for 9 days consecutively. You can book a balloon ride and drift across Lake Burley Griffin.

If you are in New South Whales from 24th to 28th March, and are an ardent lover of good music, you must head over to the Byron Bay Bluesfest. It is the leading contemporary Blues & Roots music festival in the whole of Australia.

The annual festival features some of the best music from across the globe and is held at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, which is located just about north from Byron Bay, New South Whales. More than 200 performances are held at this venue, and around 6,000 attendees camp here. The festival also has children’s entertainment area, beer gardens, food courts and market stalls.

History

Being an award-winning festival, over the years it has started gaining so much national and global fame that it can now be said to be synonymous with Byron Bay itself. The festival began in 1990, about 26 years ago with a humble crowd of 6,000 and now attracts an audience of more than 100,000. It is also considered to be one of the leading festival destinations in Australia and is credited to be one of the safest and family-friendly events.

Tickets

This year, the ticketing system has become more sorted with various different clubbing categories, which includes single-day passes, 5 day and 3 day tickets per person, 5 day and 3 day family tickets and couple tickets at discounted prices.  Apart from this, you can also camp out throughout the duration of the festival or just for one day.

Services & Facilities

The event will have 5 stages for performances, while one stage will be for busking. There will also be several facilities and amenities, including five licensed bars, free car parking facility for day card holders, phone charging facilities, food stalls, merchandise shops, market stalls, coffee tent with seating, food courts with seating and many more. The festival has dedicated diaper changing and breast feeding areas. Besides, there are provisions for first aid, facilities for the differently abled, toilets and parking areas. There is an information stall which can help and assist you regarding any queries or issues.

Litchfield National Park, located in the Northern territory of Australia is about a 90 minute drive from Darwin. Litchfield Park has remained a delightfully isolated and pristine place because of the immense popularity of the neighboring Kakadu National Park.

Litchfield National Park by Alex Healing/ CC BY

As a result, most tourists head to Kakadu instead of visiting Litchfield. Besides, outsiders used to need permits for a trip to Litchfield. After Litchfield was declared a national park in 1986, it has been made open to all. Apart from the tranquility and freshness that the park offers, there are various attractions here for nature-lovers.  You don’t need to buy tickets to enter the park and the best time to visit is from June through August.

Wangi Falls

There are four major falls in Litchfield National Park’s Tabletop Range. Among them, the most popular one is the Wangi Falls, perhaps because it is easily accessible, picturesque and perfect for a swim. It is also popular as a camping spot and has kiosks, picnic facilities and caravans. There is a viewing point; a platform from where tourists can take the pictures from the perfect angles. Besides, there is a boardwalk with stairs at the steeper areas.

Magnetic Termite Mounds

You can find magnetic termite mounds just a few kilometres from the main entrance of the park. The unique shapes of the mounds are enough to rouse curiosity and make them all the more interesting. The mounds, to some extent, resemble tombstones; they are generally narrow and flat. They vary to a certain degree and are not aligned perfectly as largely believed.

Buley Rockholes

Located in Florence Creek Walk, the Buley Rockholes are a group of small pools, mini waterfalls and rapids. The Buley Rockholes are a perfect place for camping, especially if there are kids with you.  Natural rockslides, mini whirlpools, spa-like coves and ledges to take a plunge from; it has almost everything kids may want. What adds on to the charm is that it is full of beautiful blossomed flowers if you visit during the season (from May through August). Don’t forget to pack your food beforehand as the kids tend to get hungry after rigorous activities.