The Eight Best Summer Festivals

It's been a tough year for music festivals down under. With plummeting ticket sales, cancellations and postponements, a growing number of festival favourites have bitten the dust. Peats Ridge, Harvest, Homebake and Pyramid Rock have all collapsed under economic strain. Not to mention, the mother of Australian festivals, the Big Day Out, is in hot water after Blur's cancellation.

We might ask, is this just a slump, or the start of a steady decline in the demand for large-scale festivals? Are we seeing a necessary weeding out of the gimmicky blockbusters that have passed their use by date? Some 'boutique festivals' are still on the rise. Event organisers are innovating and reshaping the festival experience, rather than falling back on the well-worn formula of hooking ever-bigger 'white whales'. A trend towards restricting crowd numbers and progressive culture-making has illuminated a handful of remaining festivals, the unassuming gems with a loyal following.

FALLS FESTIVAL

One festival that certainly hasn't taken a hit in the popularity stakes is Falls Festival. This year the Falls team is also bringing the party closer to home, with Falls debuting in Byron Bay. One of the longest running, boutique music events in Australia, the three-day festival boasts camping, music and arts acts from all over the globe. This year's headliners include (the greatest house band in the world) The Roots, festival favourites The Wombats and the always-interesting Grizzly Bear, as well as some killer local acts such as Hermitude, Big Scary, Chet Faker and Horrorshow.

December 28 to January 3; Byron Bay, Lorne and Marion Bay.

SECRET GARDEN FESTIVAL

Secret Garden Festival might be the most enigmatic festival to grace the summer scene, but we know enough to know that it is rad. This is a festival for the gambler, with brave ticket-buyers knowing only that they are committing themselves to a three-day bender of booze, bands and bad behaviour. And yet it seems that for many this is enough, with tickets to Secret Garden 2014 selling out within the space of a day. Secret Garden is also for the big kid at heart, with the first day always “theme day”.

February 28 to March 1; secret location.

LANEWAY FESTIVAL

As we watch many other festivals fall by the wayside, St Jerome’s Laneway Festival just keeps on keeping on. In fact Laneway is going from strength to strength, with dates now being added in New Zealand and Singapore, as well as all the usual places. Organisers have also been said to have been adding in an impressive bunch of tweaks to individual venues, so that you can get from the mosh to a gozleme in record time, or grab a cider on the way back from the toilets without missing half the festival. Laneway 2014 will feature the likes of Chvrches, Cloud Control, Danny Brown, Jagwar Ma, The Jezabels, Haim and the Girl of the Moment, Lorde.

February 2; College of the Arts, Rozelle

WOODFORD FOLK FESTIVAL

Woodford Folk Festival is a six-day cultural festival, held in Woodfordia, Queensland. Sure, this isn’t a festival for the faint-hearted: six days and nights of camping and partying is an epic venture. But, oh boy, is the trip up from Sydney and pricey ticketing worth it. This truly is the summer festival to end all summer festivals, with over 2000 performers, 35 venues and 438 national and international acts to feature this year — including the likes of the beautiful Clare Bowditch, uber-talented Sydney boy Brendan Maclean, the timeless Tim Finn and dreamboat Matt Corby. This is the festival for the free spirit.

December 27 to January 1; Woodfordia, Queensland.

SYDNEY FESTIVAL

It's never quite 'our city in summer' until the Sydney Festival starts up. Kicking off this year on January 9, Sydney Festival always brings with it a tidal wave of performance, music, art and other festivities. And the 2014 program is no exception. Look out for a much bigger festival garden this year (so big, in fact, it's now the Festival Village) in Hyde Park and the return of music venue Paradiso at Town Hall. Whether you like the city-wide atmosphere or perhaps just enjoy novelty-sized, inflatable animals, Sydney Festival is by far the biggest and most popular event in Sydney's summer calendar. See the festival program for more details.

January 9-26; Various Sydney venues

MARDI GRAS FESTIVAL

There's the parade, yes. But before that, nearly a month of cultural and celebratory events of all stripes makes up the festival of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. And there's something for everybody, even Straighty McStraight-Straight - 'coz who relates absolutely and 100 percent to the social expectations of their gender and sexuality? Nobody, probably. And that's something to love, savour, and take away from this, the most fun and flamboyant of Sydney events. Plans for the 2014 season are well under way, with dates already in place for Fair Day on Sunday, February 9; a Harbour Party on February 22; and, of course, the iconic parade to be held on Saturday, March 1. With gay marriage rights so firmly on the agenda at the moment, 2014's Mardi Gras is sure to be one for the books.

February 7 to March 2; Sydney

TROPFEST

Not only is Tropfest an establishment in the Sydney arts and culture scene, it’s just a bloody good way to spend a warm summer evening. This year there will be a new flavour, with the traditional location of the Domain changing to the Brazilian Fields in Sydney’s iconic Centennial Park and the date changing with it, from February to December 8. The day kicks off at 11am, with the Tropfest Junior program and red carpet arrivals filling up the day, before the famous night of screening commences. Tropfest is totally free and an event that begs for a picnic basket, wine and friends.

December 8; Centennial Park

SUBSONIC

Not familiar with the ever-growing craze of the 'bush doof'? Do not fear. Before you fall completely behind in the times, let us explain. A bush doof is a festival/dance party/rave held in a remote location. Yes, essentially: doofing in the bush. And Subsonic is one particular festival gaining momentum, fast. Dedicated to all things beat and bass, Subsonic is set against the picturesque surrounds of Riverwood Downs Mountain Valley Resort, only three hours north of Sydney. Three days of music and camping, this is a lifestyle festival, bringing together a stellar lineup of local and international artists in a uniquely unconventional environment. Oh and although the Festival grounds are licensed, BYO is permitted at campsites — a perk lacking at other major festivals.

December 6-8; Riverwood Downs Mountain Valley Resort

By the Concrete Playground team. Top image: Secret Garden festival.