Yes, Aussie Festival Culture Is Still Alive — Here’s Why You Should Ring in The New Year at Beyond the Valley

The best thing about New Year’s celebrations in Australia is their position in the middle of summer. And summer, for me, is all about festival season. That’s the same around the globe, with Coachella, Glastonbury, Roskilde, Fuji Rock and many more festivals taking advantage of hot weather. But in the southern hemisphere, music festival season takes in the biggest night of the year – meaning you get to count in the new year alongside your best mates and some the world’s biggest bands and djs at festivals like Beyond the Valley.

Festivals have become a rite of passage in Australia – and while it’s no secret that many Aussie festivals have been struggling (Falls Festival, Splendour in the Grass, Spilt Milk, Bluesfest and Groovin’ the Moo are just some of the ones that have announced cancellations or last hoorahs), there are some still keeping the tradition of good times going.

Beyond the Valley is proving the great Aussie music festival is still alive and well, celebrating music, dance, art and the new year with a bang. The four-day camping festival has, in just the last couple of years, brought headliners like Bicep, Peggy Gou, Nelly Furtado, Denzel Curry and Overmono to Australia. And it’s showing no signs of slowing down this year, with more than 85 per cent of tickets already sold during the September presale – a sure sign Aussies are still keen for festivals.

As always, this year’s BTV line-up is brimming with local and international talent spanning genres from rap to drum & bass and R’n’B. Artists heading to to Barunah Plains – just 90 minutes’ drive from Melbourne – in 2024 include FISHER, Ice Spice and Chase & Status, plus Tinashe, AJ Tracey, Sammy Virji, horsegiirL, Natasha Bedingfield and the Sugababes, and many, many more. With single-day passes available for the first time ever this year – and camping options still available – you can craft a festival experience according to your own taste.

Having camped out on Barunah Plains myself in 2022, I can attest that there’s nothing like ringing in the new year in true Aussie fashion. Here’s why you too should spend New Year’s at BTV — and why festivals are still an essential summer experience for so many young Australians.

Discover new artists

Over the past few years, I’ve made it my mission to attend as many music festivals as possible. It’s paid off, as I’ve had the chance to see international acts like The 1975, Steve Lacey and Glass Animals, to name just a few, playing on the Valley Stage – where genres range from indie and electronic to hip-hop, and everything in between. It’s also meant discovering new favourite artists, many of whom are still regulars on my playlists.

A key moment for me happened on the penultimate night at BTV two years ago. We spent much of the evening sitting on the grass while the bands played, planning on getting some much-needed rest ahead of the final day. Around midnight, as we headed towards the campground, we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by people on their way back to the stages: DJ Partiboi69’s set was about to begin. Maybe it was the energy of the crowd or the techno beat that engulfed us, but my friends and I soon found ourselves under a trance.

It’s experiences like these— uncovering new artists and being transported through live music — that truly capture festival culture. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or festival newbie, there’s always something for everyone.

Ring in the new year with your best mates

If you’ve experienced it for yourself, you’ll know there’s something cathartic about ringing in the new year at a festival, screaming at the top of your lungs while counting down to midnight surrounded by your best mates — and some new ones.

The great thing about Aussie festivals is the opportunity to make new friends, either on the festival grounds or in the campgrounds before and after. After four days of seeing the same faces, getting to know one another and sharing in the whole experience together, there’s a real sense of community by the end. My crew has often joined forces with other groups, bonding over a shared love of music and dancing, even carpooling in the early hours of the morning together. We’re still in contact with some of them to this day.

Disconnect from your everyday routine

In my experience, the energy at New Year’s festivals can’t be matched. I think a lot of it comes down to timing. After a long year of work, followed by a busy festive season running between family gatherings and corporate Christmas parties, there’s nothing better than disconnecting and seeing out the remainder of the year far away from the mundanity of your day-to-day – especially when you’re far from the city and reconnecting with nature.

There are other ways to escape at this year’s BTV too. The Daily Aus returns for live recordings on the podcast stage (alongside Luke and Sassy Scott, Dan Does Footy and The Hook Up), where you can enjoy the conversations in a chill-out zone that will also host yoga, meditation and workshops. You can even take a dip in one of two above-ground pools at BTV’s beach club.

If you enjoy a dance floor, the ever-changing Dr Dans DJ stage and the technicolour sails of the Dance Dome are unmatched. For me, the experience is transcendent: a place where my stresses and worries quickly slip away. No emails, no social media – just being present with the music.

Beyond the Valley returns from December 28, 2024, to January 1, 2025. Check out the full line-up, and find tickets and more information online.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Beyond the Valley.