Overview
Postponed from last summer, Australia's new touring pride festival has finally delivered the news that music fans and festival-goers have been waiting for: new 2022 dates. Mark November in your diary, because that's when Summer Camp will finally make its debut. And yes, while the fest is no longer taking place during the season that shares its name, the weather is still bound to show up for the occasion.
Thanks to the pandemic, it's felt like years and years since Australia scored itself a huge new music festival featuring overseas headliners that took its lineup around the country. Summer Camp is closing that big gap, and giving the nation its newest pride festival — and only touring pride fest, in fact. Obviously, the fact that Years & Years will lead the bill really couldn't be more fitting.
Years & Years, aka British singer and actor Olly Alexander (It's a Sin), will headline the new fest's stopovers in Sydney and Melbourne, all as part of Summer Camp's two-city tour of the country. Also on the lineup: New Orleans' Big Freedia, plus The Veronicas, Cub Sport, Ladyhawke, Jess B, Kinder, Art Simone and Stereogamous, with more set to be revealed.
Summer Camp will tick a big first, too: it's set to be the biggest ticketed LGBTQIA+ music festival in the southern hemisphere as well. In addition to live tunes from all of the above across two stages, the festival will feature dance, performance art and art installations, as well as food and beverage offerings. More than 200 artists will be involved all up, including over 150 DJs, drag queens, dancers and performance artists in each city.
Given the name, it's clear what kind of vibe that festival founders Kat Dopper (creator of Heaps Gay) and Grant Gillies and David Gillett (creators of Red Mgmt, and former Sydney Mardi Gras marketing and international talent managers) are going for. So, expect a cruisy summer camp-meets-arts and music playground-type atmosphere that's also all about inclusivity and supporting young diverse artists.
Originally, the fest also had Perth and Darwin dates on its schedule; however, they're not currently part of the just-revealed new plans. But further city and artist announcements are in the works — so cross your fingers.
Years and Years, Theatrepeople via Wikimedia Commons
SUMMER CAMP FESTIVAL 2022 AUSTRALIAN DATES:
Saturday, November 5 — Centennial Parklands, Sydney
Saturday, November 12 — Reunion Park, Melbourne
SUMMER CAMP FESTIVAL 2022 LINEUP — FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT:
Years & Years
Big Freedia
The Veronicas
Cub Sport
Ladyhawke
Jess B
Kinder
Art Simone
Stereogamous
Summer Camp head to Sydney and Melbourne in November 2022. For further details or to nab tickets, head to the festival's website.