Town Folk Festival

Overview

Back for the second time in 2024, Town Folk Fest has had a growth spurt. Welcoming new stages, new partners, new international acts and a whole lot more folk; the 16th November 2024 is going to be a day festival to remember.

In 2022, brothers Pat and Jez Furze created Town Folk Festival in collaboration with their Castlemaine venue neighbours Shedshaker Brewery, Boomtown Winery, and a bunch of local creative go-getters. As far as festivals go it’s fairly tame, but that suits them, the artists and the audience just fine.

Town Folk is about appreciating good songs in pleasant spaces. Tempo takes a back seat. In 2024 the fourth installment sees the addition of a grassy knoll known as the Sunken Oval which sits attractively across the road from the Furze’s pub The Bridge Hotel.

The Lineup:

A. SAVAGE

Frontman of Parquet Courts, Savage brings his striking solo albums to Australia, blending folk, country, and rock with introspective lyricism. Expect an honest hour of fun.

APLEGATE

This 5-piece band from Castlemaine blends psychedelic rock, jazz, and experimental jams, evoking Pond and MGMT with dreamy pop vocals.

DON’T THANK ME SPANK ME!

Nitida Atkinson and Esther Henderson’s band combines sublime songwriting, 80s bangers, and garage-girl-group harmonies.

FELICITY CRIPPS BAND

Delivering folk-pop with an ethereal dark edge, their newest album, ‘Chasing Volcanoes,’ offers a transformative musical journey.

GRACE CUMMINGS

Her third album RAMONA, recorded with Jonathan Wilson, is a masterwork of theatricality and emotion, featuring poetic lyricism and singular vocals.

HARMONY BYRNE

Australian singer/songwriter Harmony Byrne explores folk, alt-country, blues, and gospel with her introspective debut album, Heavy Doors.

M79

Castlemaine’s cherished electronic funk-rock dance band brings sass, beats, slide guitar, and vocoder to Boomtown Winery for late-night entertainment.

MARLON WILLIAMS

New Zealand’s Marlon Williams draws on folk and country traditions with his distinctive tone and heartstring-plucking vibrato.

MERRYN JEANN

Merryn Jeann’s debut album DOG BEACH showcases her creativity and rich instrumentation. Check her out at Town Folk for an unforgettable experience.

NGAIIRE

Papua New Guinea-born Australian R&B and future soul singer-songwriter Ngaire Laun Joseph, known as Ngaiire, brings her unique style to the stage.

QUEENIE

Eloise Thetford’s alter-ego Queenie delivers fiery charisma and freewheeling stagecraft, shaking and smouldering with her top musicians.

RUBY & LORETTA

Inseparable besties Ruby & Loretta combine exquisite vocals, stage presence, and storytelling prowess over a full-band soundtrack.

TEK TEK ENSEMBLE

TEK TEK performs energetic music inspired by jungles, discos, 60s chic, and desert rituals, captivating audiences with their wild, eclectic performances.

THE MAES

Sisters Maggie and Elsie Rigby, immersed in folk traditions, are respected songwriters and instrumentalists.

THE TESKEY BROTHERS

The headline act delivers soulful music to Castlemaine, blending Josh Teskey’s vocals with Sam’s Stratocaster for an epic performance.