We're All Going to Die Festival

Overview

As far as names go, Sydney's latest festival doesn't boast the cheeriest: We're All Going to Die. Take that moniker as inspiration. Knowing that your time alive is limited, should you make the most of it?

Forget "YOLO" and "life's too short", although they might sound appropriate. "Fear less, live more" is the fest's motto, and it has compiled the program to prove it, which will take over COMMUNE at Waterloo from 6pm on November 17. The brainchild of founder Stefan Hunt, based on his own anxieties, WAGTD has already been striking a chord before it even kicks off — raising $37,424 through crowdfunding in just three weeks.

So, what does this morbid-meets-motivational concept (which has backing from Indigo Project psychologists) and all that support lead to? Opening up the conversation around fear and death via a cultural festival filled with art, music, films, meditation and panel discussions. With more than 50 local and international artists taking part — including the likes of Groove Therapy, RetroSweat and Triple J's Tom Tilley — attendees can expect chats with funeral directors, a rainbow hearse, dance-like-nobody's-watching sessions, gazing into the eyes of strangers, a range of tombstone-related art, a death-focused meditation class, and a 60-second film festival within the broader fest, focusing on topics like death, fear, judgement and life.

Because that sounds like hungry and thirty work, there'll also be food and drinks from Mary's Burgers — including the 'We're All Going to Die Burger' — Young Henry's and Cake Wines.