Four days at the Easter-time Blues Festival in Byron Bay is a soulful holiday experience. There's a range of music styles including country, rock, funk, deep soulful Southern-style and lively-can't-stand-still blues.
It's sensory overload. The choice of music caters for everyone in the audience, the numerous stalls sell a wide variety of items from hemp clothing to exotic jewellery, and they don't lie in the brochure when they say the food is 'sinful'.
There are four stages in three large tents and a smaller room which together can hold 50,000 people. On the main event nights, usually the Saturday and Sunday night, crowds reach maximum capacity. The festival is held over the Easter break and people come from around the world and across Australia to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. Children are welcome.
There's plenty of undercover space available - a good thing since it has rained on and off every year since the festival began. But a bit of rain doesn't dampen spirits and the dancing continues - rain or shine. On the less busy nights there's even enough space to sit down on a rug in the main tents.
Most bands play on more than one day, so you need to juggle your timetable. If you have a four-day pass you can see your favourite band on one of the less popular nights, or better still see them twice!
The music starts at 1 pm each day - giving you plenty of time to see the sights of Byron Bay, go to the beach or sleep in and recover from the night before. Most bands have finished by midnight.
The festival site is a few kilometres out of Byron Bay at Red Devil Rugby Ground. Transport to and from the festival is good. Buses leave from town every 10 minutes and drop you at the festival entrance. There is a large space allocated to parking and the volunteers help make it stress free by guiding you to spots. If you have young children or a lot of stuff (esky, rugs etc) you may find it easier to drive rather than lug it all on the bus.
Alcohol is not allowed into the festival - bags are checked as you enter the grounds. Once inside, there is a 'drink ticket' van where you can purchase beer and wine tickets. This will no doubt be the longest line you stand in but you shouldn't have to wait much longer than 15 minutes or so.
You can bring food, however, there is an amazing variety of food available. There are also 'water refill' stations where you can take your water bottle and have it refilled at a cheaper price than buying a new bottle.
Amenities are clean and the crowds are well catered for. There is only one ATM at the festival so get your money out in town and save the wait in the queue. In the music and CD tent you can use eftpos and most credit cards.
Byron Bay comes alive over the festival. The town is at its busiest catering for festival goers plus the school holiday crowd. It's a good idea to book accommodation as early as January, including camp sites and hostels. It is common to see people turn up at places hoping to find a place to stay only to be turned away. The restaurants and cafes are also packed, but a relaxed atmosphere can still be found in the pubs, which often have live music and are open for extended hours during the festival.
If you are a blues lover or not, the festival provides a relaxed, entertaining, interesting and enjoyable break.
Spend a night at one of the Peppers' properties and enjoy a complimentary breakfast when you book with your NRMA Member Card. Find out more...
If you're going to the Blues and Roots Festival at Easter, book accommodation well in advance, or take a tent just in case. Don't try sleeping in the car parked in the car park overnight. They have parking officers writing tickets at 3am while you're asleep in the car!
Joanna, Surry Hills.
Book well in advance, as accommodation in and around Byron books out many months in advance. Also, the music schedule comes out in March, so you can work out what days you need to be in Byron and what days you have free to explore the area, long before you leave home! Michelle, Tweed Heads.
4WD
