St Kilda Festival

St Kilda Festival is back for yet another year, bigger and better than ever with some hot summer tunes heading your way. The 2010 Festival attracted 400,000 people, making it one of the largest outdoor celebrations in Australia and consolidating St Kilda as the artistic hub of Melbourne - and 2011 is shaping up to be even bigger.

Acts expected to grace the stage include Jebediah, Muscles, The Break, Gareth Liddiard, Opulent Sound, Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes and Jess Harlen who will join big names Tim Finn, Paris Wells and Hungry Kids of Hungary on Sunday 13 February, 2011.

In addition to the usual music stages there will be a raft of other entertainment including Dancezone and an enormous Hare Krishna parade for Festival goers to take part in.

Opening the St Kilda Festival Main Stage this year are the winners of the 2010 New Music Stage, vintage inspired rock stars July Days. Also playing on the main stage will be soul-pop songstress Paris Wells, ice- cream enthusiast Muscles, indie-pop favourites Hungry Kids of Hungary, the newly reformed Jebediah and the New Zealander we’d love to claim as our own, Tim Finn.

The O’Donnell Gardens Stage will feature some of the hippest acts at the Festival; emerging pop-rock/electronic artist Kate Vigo is being touted around town as one to watch for 2011. Described by NME as a “young, white Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings” The Transatlantics will be bringing the funk to the dancing crowds.

Singer songwriter Kimbra is another one to watch, her smoky soul drawing early comparisons to Amy Winehouse, Nina Simone and Bjork.

The Nova New Music Stage will host a number of acts who are new to the scene but taking audiences by storm. Stonefield (formerly Iotah) are four sisters from Gisborne aged 12-20 playing vintage inspired rock n’ roll, who were recently invited to play this year’s Glastonbury Festival. The Vaudeville Smash, who have been invited to perform at SXSW in Austin, Texas play a unique brand of pop filled with melodies and foot-tapping beats, self described as “Nuvo Yacht Rock”. From across the Bass Strait, Northern Tasmanian band The Stoics will be bringing audiences their endearing and smile-inducing brand of multi-layered indie-pop, citing influences such as The Flaming Lips, Wilco and Cake.

Other music stages this year are; the Alfred Square Stage, featuring acts such as The Medics, Tijuana Cartel and The Resignators; the Live N Local Stage which showcases the best of new local Melbourne acts; The Push Stage – organised by and for young people through the FReeZA initiative; and the Songwriters Collective – a showcase of talented singer-songwriters from Melbourne.

This year will feature Dancezone for the first time, an interactive area featuring a range of dance styles where people can learn, take part, or just take a look. The Dancezone will feature sessions of Zumba Fitness, presented by Zu United. Zumba is the latest dance-fitness craze and crowds will be able to try it for themselves. Swing Patrol will be getting people involved in Swing dancing, while Dance 101, presented by Dancing With The Stars’ Paul Zaidmann, will be teaching cha-cha, waltz and more.

There will be a huge variety of other entertainment and activities for people to enjoy and take part in on Festival Sunday including the massive Hare Krishna Ratha Yatra Parade, where people will be encouraged to participate in the ancient Indian traditional celebration. There will also be a Hare Krishna Vedic Village with yoga exhibitions, meditation and vegetarian cooking.

You can get your rhythm in check at the interactive African Drumming & Dance workshop on the foreshore or if you want to get some shade step into a Palais Theatre Family Trivia session.

Trams, trains, buses, biking or walking are the best options for travel to the Festival as much of St Kilda will be affected by road closures on Festival Sunday (February 13). The St Kilda Festival precinct is a dry zone on Festival Sunday with alcohol consumption only permitted within designated licensed areas.

For further information and full program details, please visit www.stkildafestival.com.au