Yackandandah Folk Festival

More details about Yackandandah options can be found at the Yackandandah Tourist Information’s  official website.

If you really want to camp in Yack – and you don’t mind roughing it – we are able to offer short term unpowered camping at two sites during the festival: Butson Park football ground and the Yackandandah Sports Park precinct, which are both close to the town centre. See the festival map for the location of these grounds.

Please note that we only have a certain number of camping spots, and they are going fast. If you intend camping at YFF, please book your camping spots when purchasing your festival tickets to avoid disappointment.

One More Thing…… When booking your camp site, you must tell us the size of your motorhome, caravan etc. There is a finite amount of space available at both sites with the Sports Park being the only location for the larger vans/motorhomes etc as Butson Park does not have the room for bigger rigs. If you have been allocated a particular spot, please use it. For those of you who intend arriving earlier than 5pm Thursday afternoon, be aware that the shower and toilet trailers we provide for the weekend are not actually on site until the Thursday afternoon and camping outside allocated festival times at either Butson Park or Yackandandah Sports Park actually contravenes our local Council’s bylaws. You will be asked to move and may face a hefty fine. Indigo Shire Council grants us a special exemption but this only applies during the designated festival camping times each year and you must vacate your campsite by 10am the Monday immediately following the festival weekend.

If you are having difficulty finding what you need, may we suggest looking at Beechworth(2 caravan parks plus several B&B’s and Motels) or Wodonga as options? Both are only 20 minutes drive from Yack but please, please don’t leave booking until the last minute or when you arrive in town as you will miss out. YFF is a popular event, held in a very popular tourism area of North East Victoria. As such, some attendees book up to 12 months ahead to secure their preferred spots! Also be aware that neither the festival office nor the local Tourism Information Centre have Travel Agent’s Licences! It is not their job to find accomodation for you.

If you have visited our community before you’ll be aware that we offer a range of accommodation options from luxurious Bed and Breakfast cottages in and around Yack, through to simple camping beside our shady creek.

The Yackandandah Holiday Park offers quality camping facilities including powered and unpowered sites and self-contained cabins. We recommend you book with them very early to reserve your spot as they usually sell out well before the festival weekend.

Yackandandah Folk Festival is able to offer short-term, unpowered camping sites with good toilet & shower facilities. Camping facilities will be open from 5pm on Thursday the 20th March, 2025 with final check out by 10am on Monday 24th March, 2025.

For details of prices and to buy camping passes, please see the ticketing page. 

Camping will again be available at two magical sites: The Sports Park and Butson Park. Both sites are an easy 5-minute stroll to the centre of Yackandandah and all the Folk Festival performance venues.

Butson Park is located at the Football Ground off Church Street, near the stone bridge. There is space for tents, cars and some caravans, and there are a number of large,shady trees at the far end of the ground. Toilet, shower, and water points are located at the Football Club Rooms. These facilities are used by local sporting clubs throughout the year so please leave the facilities clean and tidy. Periodic cleaning of facilities will occur during the weekend and your consideration when they may be closed for this to happen would be appreciated. The nearby golf course is a nice place to stretch the legs, with pretty views down the valley.

The Sports Park, located at the bottom of Wellsford Street, offers a variety of camping options. The popular sites along the creek are great for small camping set-ups, and the Pony Club end is perfect for larger caravans, especially if you wish to set up with a few friends. Toilet, shower and water points are located in two main locations: the Cricket Club rooms and the Pony Club side of the oval. An additional portable shower/toilet trailer will be located near the oval at the Sports Park during the festival. Follow the path along the creek for a gentle stroll in the bush with birds aplenty, and you may even spot a platypus!

Please Note: Whilst you are permitted to pitch tents on the cricket ground/oval at the Sports Park, under NO CIRCUMSTANCES are vehicles/motorhomes/campervans to be driven onto the cricket ground/oval itself.

Wrist bands and tent markers will be issued when you collect your tickets from the festival office.

Security guards will be patrolling at night at both camp sites.

Vehicles entering may be searched for alcohol as bulk alcohol tends to cause issues with the level of consumption proportionate to the volume of the revellers.

Once campers enter, we request that they set up, and if they need supplies please get those, then park your vehicle and leave it there for the weekend. There will be considerable pedestrian traffic and for safety reasons vehicle use is to be kept to a minimum. Excepting medical emergencies, there will be no traffic in or out on Saturday night unless you are a performer and need to transport equipment to your venues.

Consideration is to be given to other campers and once the festival music program is finished for the night, music sessions are also to cease in the camping areas.

Everyone is here for a good time. Please respect the wishes and privacy of all campers.

We are a fun, family festival so we do not expect any issues but inconsiderate people will have their festival passes revoked and will be ejected from the site.

Important Information

• The Camping area is an alcohol free area and alcohol is not to be brought on site.
• Consideration is to be given to other campers.
• Absolutely NO campfires are to be lit and there are to be no fire pits at the camp sites. Penalties may apply.
• Do not block roadways. Access is required for emergency services. Any vehicles found blocking the access roads may be towed at the owner’s expense.
• Beware of falling tree limbs. Our beautiful trees give us shade but can be unpredictable. Take care when setting up your campsite and look up!
• Sessions are to be run at the music venues, and not at the camp site after hours. Often, a music jam site springs up on the village green, located in front of the Council offices in High St next to the Town Hall venue.
• At the Sports Park, the large floodlights are turned off at a reasonable time after music finishes at the main venues to allow patrons to find their way back to their campsites. Please remember to carry a torch as certain areas may be poorly lit.
• The camp sites are not public camping areas and only festival ticket holders are entitled to camp in these areas.
• Anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated. Inappropriate or offensive behaviour will be reported to the Police.

We hope it is unlikely to occur, however should these conditions be breached, offenders will be requested to leave and festival passes will be cancelled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have a campfire?

Absolutely NOT. North East Victoria can still be very hot and dry in March. We are surrounded by beautiful bushland and want to keep it that way.

What about gas stoves?

Gas stoves are permitted. Please take care when operating gas stoves and remember to turn them off at the bottle when not in use. March can still be quite hot, so be aware that in the event of a TOTAL FIRE BAN use of gas stoves will not be permitted.

Where are the Sports Park and Butson Park?

The Sports Park is a 5 minute stroll from the centre of town, at the bottom end of Wellsford St. Butson Park is 5-10 minute stroll (depending on your pace!), with a couple of small inclines. It is located just off Church Street.

See the map of festival site and Camping

How many nights can I stay?

The camping sites are set up temporarily for the purpose of the Folk Festival. Camping is available from the Thursday night before, until the Monday morning following the festival. Camping tickets are available for 2, 3 or 4 nights. All sites must be vacated by 10am Monday morning at the latest.

Can I bring my camper van or trailer?

Yes, you can. Sites are available for vans and tents; however no powered sites are available.

Can we camp on the Cricket Oval?

Yes, if you cannot find a nice shady spot around the perimeter. Tents only please on the cricket oval. Vehicles, caravans and camper trailers are not permitted on the cricket oval under any circumstances.

Are campsites allocated?

You will be directed to the designated camping areas by the festival volunteers at the campgrounds. As the campsites get quite full, we kindly ask that you don’t stake out large areas that prevent others from camping nearby. We believe in the power of community spirit, so we are sure that our festival patrons can co-exist side-by-side in harmony.

What facilities are available at camp sites?

Hot showers and flushing toilets are provided at both campsites. Please leave them as clean as possible. Cleaning will be done periodically and your patience is appreciated if the facilities are closed for this to occur. The disabled accessible facilities are also suitable for use by all and are not exclusive.

Bins are provided around the campsites. Please follow the guidelines for recycling and correct disposal of other waste. YFF strives to minimise its impact on the environment so we value your contribution to providing a green festival.

Are there food vendors at the campsites?

There are no official food vendors located at the campsites.

There are several options nearby, however. The local Foodworks Supermarket (Just behind the WAW building on High Street), is well stocked with fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, a deli, and local produce. Parking is available off Hammond Street.

Along High Street, the local eateries will be serving delicious meals from morning ‘til night, as well as coffee and other refreshments. Furthermore, our Food Court will be set up near the Public Hall in High St for the weekend. See the festival main page for other eating options.

How much does it cost?

For details of prices and to buy camping passes, please see the ticketing page. 

How do we book and pay?

You can book and pay online when you buy your Festival tickets. A “Camper’s Pack” will be emailed to you in the weeks prior to the festival. Please ensure you read the contents carefully as they list the guidelines you are expected to abide by at all times. This contains all relevant information as well as contact numbers for key staff and security. When you arrive, you will need to call into the Festival Ticket Office (located inside our Senior Citizens Hall in Wellsford St below the Memorial Park) , to collect your Camper’s wristbands (these will identify you and all members of your group/family as official YFF campers and allow you access to our two campgrounds), together with your marker to be attached to either your vehicle or tent. If you have a caravan, trailer or motorhome, you can present your printed pass to the camping volunteers, find your site to setup and collect your tickets from the ticket office later.

What is a “Campers Pack”?

Having already picked up your camper wristbands at the festival office, you will also receive a marker for your tent or van which will signify to the volunteers/security staff who check the ground, that you have paid for your site. All campers must wear their camper’s wrist band during the festival weekend and secure the supplied tag to their tent or van. Your emailed pack will also include our camping guidelines. Any breach of these guidelines may lead to eviction from the park.

Is there any security at the campsites?

Security guards will be on site after dark and patrol the sites at regular intervals. In addition, Festival volunteers will be on site periodically to check on the safety and condition of the site. Inappropriate or offensive behaviour will be reported to the Police. We recommend that you lock your valuables in your car. No responsibility will be taken for your property. Lighting is provided around the toilet and shower blocks and we recommend campers bring their own torch.

Parking

The road leading to the camping areas will carry significant foot traffic. After unloading, campers are requested to obtain whatever supplies are necessary and then leave their cars parked and locked in the camping area for the weekend in order to minimise the vehicles on the road.

A shuttlebus will be operating at various times between the campsites and the main festival sites/venues.

Remember, the main street of Yackandandah, including the Wellsford St/High St intersection, will be closed to vehicular traffic from 4pm Friday March 21 2025, for the duration of the festival.