The inaugural Summer Camp Festival – Australia’s first touring pride festival – is set to kick off in November this year, after their nationwide tour in February was postponed. The touring festival of DJs, drag queens, dancers and performance artists will hit Sydney on Saturday, November 5, at Centennial Parklands before boot scootin' to Melbourne on Saturday, November 12 at Reunion Park.
They've even hung on to the stacked line-up of international headliners – Years & Years (aka actor, singer, man of the moment Olly Alexander) is joined by New Orleans’ hip-hop and electro queen Big Freedia, and the indie songstress queen hailing from New Zealand, Ladyhawke, along with some of the biggest names in Aussie music. We’re talking power twin duo The Veronicas, pop powerhouse Cub Sport, electro-pop party starters Confidence Man, chart-topping producer Young Franco, New Zealand rapper JessB, alt-pop breakout Sycco, and more.
And now they've announced a second round of performers, headlined by none other than the queen of the dancefloor herself – Sophie Ellis-Bextor. She'll be murdering the dancefloor along with French DJ Kiddy Smile, party queen DJ Jodie Harsh, and French music producer and singer Coucou Chloé.
Drag and performance art fans can look forward to performances from the eclectic likes of Simple The Drag Queen, The Huxleys, Yummy, Dandrogny and more fabulous folks.
This is set to be the biggest LGBTQIA+ festival in the southern hemisphere. Founded by Heaps Gay creator Kat Dopper and Grant Gillies and David Gillett (creators of Red Mgmt and former Sydney Mardi Gras marketing and international talent manager), Summer Camp seeks to be an adult playground of music, art and culture where everyone is welcome – regardless of pronouns or star sign.
"Summer Camp Festival is a new inclusive festival experience that accepts all the cuties. It’s a chance to frolic in the forest with pals, dress up, and celebrate the true meaning of pride. Love has no labels at Summer Camp – a place to call ‘homo’ this pride season," says Kat Dopper.
A third release of tickets is set to go on sale at 11am this Thursday, August 4. Tickets start at $136 and you can snap yours up here.