Overview
Since first unleashing its specific flavour of festival fun back in 2014, Lost Paradise has become an end-of-year staple — and the Glenworth Valley event returns from December 28, 2018 to January 1, 2019 for another packed year.
The fest's fifth annual lineup will see more than 50 acts take to the stage across a huge five days, with artistic experiences, talks, workshops and classes also part of the camping festival. Of course, it's the music that'll tempt festival-goers to make the journey an hour out of Sydney. With The Kooks, Tash Sultana, Joey Bada$$, Pnau, Dune Rats and M.I.A. leading the charge — the latter in her only New South Wales show — there's plenty to get excited about.
Attendees will dance their way between four stages, all returning from 2017. Arcadia is where the main action is, Lost Disco will focus on bass, techno and dance music (and eye-catching visuals by 3D mapping artists), and Paradise Club will party on right into the night with DJs and surprise guests. Then there's My Mum's Disco, which not only features a digital jukebox pumping out 15,000 nostalgic beats and guilty pleasures, but sing-alongs and more to accompany the tunes. Think bingo, karaoke and the general feeling that you're hanging out at a mighty huge Aussie backyard shindig.
In-between catching live sets and making shapes, Lost Paradise offers patrons a heap of other activities, including three days of chats and sessions at the fest's Shambhala Fields. Everything from African dance and forest bathing to hula hooping and massage is on the agenda, as well as a dedicated yoga and meditation tent. Or, hang out in Hammock Haven, find something to read at the Lost Library, take a ride on an art car, go shopping at the Lost Bazaar bohemian fashion markets or head to the new Holy Cow Chai Tent. It's a carnival-themed space that's all about chilling out over breakfast bowls and — as the name suggests — brewed chai, plus other beverages.
Still on the food and drink front, Lost Village boasts communal tables for dining and an array of cuisines for feasting upon. On-site craft beer container bars will serve up craft booze, while Milky Lane and Cold Rock are on the culinary lineup menu alongside dim sum, pizza, Japanese and Southern-Indian street-food, and more.
Camping-wise, there's two options: The Glamping Gypsy Fields or The Eco-Tent Village. The former includes luxury toilets and showers, a breakfast cafe, cocktail bar, furnished hangout spaces and a grooming parlour, while the more budget-friendly latter lets you take your pick from tents made out of recyclable cardboard, basic canvas tents and reusable canvas tents with foam mattresses.
Here's what you're in for this year:
LOST PARADISE 2018 LINEUP:
The Kooks
Tash Sultana
M.I.A
Joey Bada$$
Pnau
Bicep (Live)
Dune Rats
Ball Park Music
Vera Blue
Kink (Live)
Winston Surfshirt
Peggy Gou
Foals (Dj Set)
Willaris. K
Young Franco
Bob Moses
Sg Lewis
Lime Cordiale
Chaos In The Cbd
Furnace & The Fundamentals
Anna
Yotto
Human Movement
Dom Dolla
Cut Snake
Cc:Disco!
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets
Groove City
Flava D
Genesis Owusu
Klp
Bontan
Krystal Klear
Loods
Young Monks
Pacific Avenue
Wallace
Thunderfox
Milan Ring
Clews
Majun Bu
The Jim Mitchells
Rackett
Shantan Wantan
Ichiban
Clypso
Motorik Vibe Council
Ebony Boadu
Lex Deluxe
Sportsuncle Ru
Matt Ringrose
Dibby Dibby Soundsystem
Lost Paradise returns to Glenworth Valley from December 28 to January 1. Tickets are on sale now from the festival website.
Images: Boaz Nothman, Cai Griffin, Jordan Munns and Nathan Bonnici.