Woytopia to feature live music, stalls and talks

The Woytopia sustainable living festival is back on again on Sunday, October 9, with live music, market stalls, food, talks and children's entertainment.

This is the fifth Woytopia festival and it has grown into one of the Peninsula's best family days out, according to event manager Mr Mark Mann.

"This year's music line-up is headlined by Old Man River, aka Ohad Rein, with his blend of melodic folk-soul-pop, and Central Coast favourites Dr Goodvibe, featuring the laid-back funky grooves of singer-guitarist Edu Valk and Christian Marsh, probably Australia's finest harmonica player.

"There's also jazz-electronica from Sydney duo Triage, Tim Hall (formerly of The Whitlams and Chakradiva), multi-instrumentalist Paul Robert Burton and jazz-cabaret classics from Alan French and Roz Phillips, plus some of the Peninsula's best emerging young musicians."

A full program of activities and entertainment for kids includes Walkabout Wildlife Park's reptile rampage show, JoJo's circus play space, hula-hooping, soccer, storytelling, Indian dancing, creative craft and 'nature play', go-karts, bouncy castle, facepainting, a silent disco and even archery.

You'll find clothes, bodycare, jewellery, local organic produce and more in the Woytopia 'eco-market'.

This year, the festival organisers have added extra food stalls, extending the choice to paella, pizza, Vietnamese and vegan tacos, as well as the popular Woytopia eco-BBQ, where you can try crocodile, kangaroo or emu sausages.

For a sweet treat, there's churros and home-made cakes and other goodies at the Woytopia chai tent.

For the eco-minded, there's a range of green living talks.

This year the focus is on planet-friendly gardening, with talks and stalls offering advice on permaculture, composting, keeping native bees and chickens, worm farms, growing herbal plants and soil fertility, as well as stalls selling native plants and organic seedlings, and a free native plant giveaway.

The festival begins at 9am with Gavi Duncan conducting a smoke ceremony, then Gavi and Phil Bligh will discuss Aboriginal attitudes to the environment, followed by Jake Cassar's bushtucker show.

Drumbala will close the day with a drum circle.

Woytopia is organised by the Peninsula Environment Group and aims to be a truly eco-friendly event, powered by renewable energy and with all waste composted or recycled.

This year you can also cycle to the festival with the Woytopia Bike Bus starting at 9am at Gosford pool.

Woytopia Festival will be held on Sunday, October 9, from 9am to 3pm; at Woy Woy South Public School, Waterloo Ave, Woy Woy.

The event is free, but a gold coin donation will be appreciated.

Visit the event's website www.woytopia.info for further information.

Media release, 28 Sep 2016

Mark Mann, Peninsula Environment Group