Hubby hates a festival.
The problem? He not too fond of hippies and he doesn't do doilies.
So imagine his response when I suggest taking the kids to the Woodford Folk Festival on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.
"Do you think that's the best environment for young kids?" he asks, looking down his nose.
Why does he have this reaction? I have no idea. I mean, it's not the El Colacho festival in Spain, where a man dressed as the devil leaps over newborn babies. Nor is it the Boryeong Mud Festival in South Korea, or the Camel Wrestling Championship in Turkey. These would certainly not be considered family friendly.
But Woodford? Well, Jeanette Isaacs-Young has been going every year since 1989, once with a 15-month-old baby in her backpack.
"Being in a regional area, getting to cultural events was a challenge and expense when our kids were growing up, so this was our cultural binge for the year," she says.
Now there are three generations, with her children and grandchildren sharing stories around the camp stove.
"For many years Woodford has superseded Christmas as our family celebration," she says.
Here are some other suggestions for family-friendly festivals over the summer holidays:
Thredbo Family Adventure Festival: December 24 - January 10. Finally, Australian ski resorts are emulating their American cousins, by offering a full schedule of activities during the summer. The mountains are stunning at this time of year. In the resort area, the kids can bobsled, jump in the pool, play golf or tennis, and ride the chairlift. There are mountain bike workshops, treasure hunts, dance jams, hikes, and night adventures, searching for Wally Wombat or Pygmy Possum.
*Santos Tour Down Under: January 16 - 24: This festival of cycling becomes bigger each year, with more than 37,000 people travelling from interstate. Kids can ride in the mini tour, along the start-finish straight and around a special track, just hours before the elite cyclists race the final stage. Once the tour is finished, there are Family Day celebrations in Elder Park. My buttocks are clenching involuntarily at the thought of it.
*A Day on the Green: November-March. OK, confession time. When I find out Hoodoo Gurus, Rat Cat, Died Pretty and the Sunnyboys are playing at this festival, I almost choke on my chardonnay. A little bit of wine comes out of my nose. What better way to expose the kids to the music you loved, when you were their age? A Day on the Green is held at various vineyards around Australia, featuring international artists including Mariah Carey, Paul Simon and Sting. In most states, kids under the age of 12 can enter free.
I've managed to convince hubby to go to A Day on the Green. But Woodford is still a no-go zone, despite a superb line-up of musicians, workshops, and talks.(Maybe it was because I showed him the program, teeming with fairies, trolls and goblins ...) The Amazing Drumming Monkeys and Ganden Jangtse Monks of Tibet look ever so interesting. Oh well, there's always next year.
Woodford runs from December 27 to January 1.
