Kangaroo Island (KI) is South Australia’s hidden gem, in a way. Many locals haven’t ventured out to the simply divine southern spot, yet the popular tourism destination recently made the top 10 on The New York Times’ list of top places to visit in 2023.
That being said, Saturday 25 March is a better time than ever to be a tourist in your own state and head ‘overseas’ for the second annual New Shoots Music Festival at Penneshaw Oval – KI’s largest music event!
New Shoots is set to welcome the multi-ARIA-winning alt-rockers, The Rubens (hoops and everything), and the incomparable Ross Wilson of Daddy Cool, Mondo Rock, Skyhooks, and Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons, to co-headline the dreamy line-up.
The headliners, although fabulous, will be joined by some superb South Australian musicians – Mell Hall, Dusty Lee’s Blues Jam, Busseys, Bermuda Bay, and Nathan May. Along with KI locals Xavier Wadsworth, Jacky Winter, and Double Header who snatched up a spot on the festival’s main stage as winners of the New Shoots Home Grown open mic competition.
The celebration of music comes in the wake of the 2019/20 bushfires which destroyed close to half of Kangaroo Island (a huge 210,000 hectares). East End Events Inc is the non-for-profit committee behind New Shoots, made up of local residents and sheep/cattle farmers with the vision to raise much-needed funds to support their fellow KI residents and landowners.
East End Events Inc Chair, Andy Gilfillan says this year’s event would build on the success of the inaugural event held in April 2022.
“We’re excited to be able to make New Shoots an annual event that will attract locals and mainlanders. This will be an event that locals can be proud of for years to come.
“We are thrilled to have one of Australia’s true music icons, Ross Wilson, who has been an integral part of the Australian music scene with Daddy Cool and Mondo Rock.
“Having a band of the calibre of The Rubens play on Kangaroo Island is very exciting and will encourage a younger demographic to sail over with SeaLink on the discounted fares, camp next to the venue and enjoy the weekend,” Andy shares.
The island really does have a whole lot to offer, and at New Shoots festival-goers will be able to experience local food and drinks with Dudley Wines, KI Spirits, Tattoo Me Coolers hard seltzers and False Cape Wines, as well as Squid Squad, Saigon Tuckerbox, and Gypsea Wagin and plenty more available to tuck into on-site.
And it doesn’t have to be all about the festival itself either – those wishing to explore their own backyard can stay the night or the entire weekend can camp at the Penneshaw Golf Club next to the festival site between Friday 24 and Sunday 26 March for only $29 per person. With SeaLink offering 50 per cent off of ferry travel using the discount code ‘NEWSHOOTS23′.
General admission tickets for New Shoots Music Festival on 25 March 2023 are still up for grabs. Get ’em while they’re hot!