Summer Camp Festival – Australia’s first touring Pride event – is returning for round two this December, after a smash hit launch last year. The festival of DJs, drag queens, dancers and performance artists will take Melbourne by a glitter storm on December 2 before sashaying through Sydney on December 3.
After last year's stacked line-up of fabulous international and local artists (including Years and Years, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Big Freedia and the Veronicas), organisers have revealed the first international headliner of the 2023 event is pop icon Jessie Ware. The British songstress has hits that are on regular rotation in queer clubs, like ‘Freak Me Now’, ‘Pearls’ and ‘Free Yourself’. She’s heading Down Under after a ten-year hiatus hot off the release of her latest album That! Feels Good!
Joining Ware will be drag superstar DJ Trixie Mattel, American rapper and songwriter Brook Candy, pop powerhouse Rebecca Black (yes, of 'Friday' fame), producer and DJ Kito, Berlin club DJ Meg10, ‘90s dance diva Ultra Nate (for an exclusive Melbourne-only performance) and many more.
Summer Camp Festival touts itself as the campest event for queers and cuties to slip, slop and slay the day. 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 managers), Summer Camp seeks to be an adult playground of music, art and culture where everyone is welcome – regardless of pronouns or star signs.
Summer Camp is presented by Always Live and will take over the indoor, outdoor and waterside spaces of St Kilda Marina. Tickets are currently on sale, so head to the website to score yours.
