Festival FAQs

WOMADelaide is held in Botanic Park, between Hackney Rd and Frome Rd near the Adelaide CBD. View location on Google Maps HERE or see our GETTING HERE page. The easiest way to get to the festival site is by walking, riding, or public transport from the CBD or surrounding areas. We offer bike parks to accommodate more than 700 bikes, located adjacent to both the Hackney and Frome Rd entrances. Check our GETTING HERE page for further pointers.

Parking is very limited near the festival. There is no parking available on site and little in adjacent residential streets, so we recommend you park 'n' walk from the city (5-10 mins walk), or ride a bike, take the bus or share a cab with friends.

Friday 9 March | Gates open 4:00pm - 1am
Saturday 10 March | Gates open 11am* - 1am
Sunday 11 March | Gates open 11am - 1am
Monday 12 March | Gates open 11am - Midnight

Saturday & Sunday Night Passes: Access from 5:30pm

*Frome Rd Gate is open from 9am to access Speakers' Corner area ONLY

View the 2018 program HERE and the timetable HERE

We ask that you do not leave ANY of your possessions in the park overnight, or try to "stake out" a spot for the four days. Anything left unattended overnight will be removed by security staff.

There is strictly no camping on site at WOMADelaide as the venue is part of the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide. Adelaide Caravan Park is the closest camping ground to the festival site and is within walking distance. Many further accomodation options both in the Adelaide CBD and around South Australia can be found at www.southaustralia.com.

Fundraising is not permitted by anyone on site. If you would like your organisation to have a presence at WOMADelaide please apply for a Display Stall space. Information for stallholders can be found on our APPLY page.

Absolutely no flyering is permitted inside the festival grounds or outside the entrances due to our obligation of care for Botanic Park and our zero waste-to-landfill targets. WOMADelaide's distribution of paper handouts is restricted to the official pocket-guide.

We love a casual happy snap and encourage you to share your good times with us on social media, however professional-grade still and video cameras will not be allowed on site. This is a requirement of our artists' performance contracts and is requested out of respect for their artistic and intellectual property rights. In addition, the use of long-lens cameras can interfere with other patrons' enjoyment of the performances. Audio recording equipment is similarly prohibited. A professional-grade camera is considered to be any camera with a detachable lens.

WOMADelaide takes multiple measures to minimise damage to Botanic Park and reduce dust. These measures include; watering the park before and during the festival, restricting traffic entering the park before and during the festival, ground protection mats for heavy vehicle access and high foot traffic areas, and mist stations (when needed).

For asthmatics or those sensitive to dust or pollen, WOMADelaide works with Asthma Foundation SA to assist festival-goers with their asthma management. Please visit Asthma Foundation SA in the TerryWhite Chemmart Pharmacy next to the Info Booth.

Sorry, busking is not permitted at WOMADelaide! If you wish to apply to perform at WOMADelaide, please see information for artists on our APPLY page.

Please head to our APPLY page for all info on how to get involved with the festival.

St John's Ambulance and first aid are located between the Foundation Stage and Stage 2. Please remember to be sun-smart during WOMADelaide! TerryWhite Chemmart and Channel 9 will be supplying free sunscreen during the festival next to St John's.

We ask that caregivers get a children's wristband upon entry from just inside the gates, the Info Booth, or KidZone. Please write the responsible adult's name AND mobile number clearly on the wristband. Caregivers should arrange with children to meet at the Info Booth if they get separated. If a lost child arrives at the Info Booth, WOMADelaide staff will try to contact the number on the wristband. If unsuccessful, they will contact the Emergency Operations Centre.

There are four main toilet locations spread across the park, with additional privacy screened and accessible toilets. Toilet facilities are clearly marked on the maps in the pocket guide, the festival app, website and on large park signage.

During the festival, please report any lost property to the Information Booth. Any found items unclaimed during festival hours will be returned to the festival office on the Wednesday following the event (tel 08 8271 1488) and held until Friday 30 March. Thereafter, valuables will be taken to the Norwood Police Station (tel 08 8207 6800) and the remaining items will be donated to charity.

Good karma is part of the WOMADelaide experience - if you find any valuables please do the right thing and hand them in!

There will be two cloak rooms located in Botanic Park at both entrances (Frome Road and Hackney Road). No valuables can be left there (wallets / phones / cameras etc.) and only small-to-medium sized, closed/zippered bags/daypacks will be accepted (e.g. no loose items of clothing / coats / jumpers, no prams, no plastic / shopping carry bags etc.). The cloak room is for use with a gold coin donation, with all proceeds to Food Bank Australia. The cloak room will close at 12:30am nightly, after this time your items will be unavailable for collection and the marquee will be closed and unattended. All items are left at your own risk and WOMADelaide takes no responsibility for items left behind.

ATM's will be located next to the Hackney Road entrance (Near Yalumba Bar), next to the Main Bar, WoZone (near the WoShop) and Speakers Corner.

WOMADelaide Bars are going cashless in 2018, which means bars will only be accepting payment via PayWave/PayPass/EFTPOS OR via credit added to your RFID wristbands. Other festival services (stalls, Jamface by Poh, WoShop) will still receive cash or card payments.

Yes, Uniti Wireless will be providing free WiFi coverage at multiple hotspots across the park, see HERE. Phone charging will be available at the Uniti Chill & Charge T-Bar where for a small fee you can charge your phone in a secure location. Unlimited charging can also be booked HERE prior to the festival.

Thanks to the generous suppoprt of Southern Cross Care, our shaded and elevated seating banks are available for anyone requiring an extra level of care and comfort in front of the Foundation Stage and Stage 2.

Those who want to remain seated for a performance must sit at the outer edges and rear of the audience areas. For selected performances, the audience will be asked by the stage MC to sit down and, in these cases, those who want to stand/dance will be asked to move to the outer edges/rear of the audience area. Please be aware that "staking" out a spot in front of a stage with chairs / blankets or the like for any performance not designated as a "seated performance" is prohibited as this can become a safety concern when large crowds of people can unpredictably converge at stages. Please only bring low-standing, beach-style chairs to WOMADelaide.

Up to 22,000 people attend the festival each day and it's an on-the-move crowd, so please understand that you can’t "reserve' a spot. Generally speaking it is a 'stand up and dance' crowd – the ‘D’ in WOMAD does stand for dance after all. We also ask that out of courtesy to your fellow festivalgoers you do not leave picnic rugs in the park overnight to "save" a spot, as this is particularly unfair on our single-day pass holders. In addition, for security reasons any possessions left unattended overnight will be removed.

We love our little humans and we have an entire area dedicated to them - drop into the KidZone for daily activities programmed specially for kids. You are more than welcome to bring prams or strollers (although we recommend avoiding the crowds directly in front of the stages) and baby changing facilities can be found in the KidZone as well as next to the Plane Tree Drive toilet block.

Please note that disposable nappies are one of the greatest contaminants of our waste streams, so please be mindful of our zero waste-to-landfill targets and if you are using disposable nappies, we ask that you remove them from the park with you when you leave. If you are unable to do this, PLEASE utilise the clearly marked dedicated Nappy Disposal Bins located at the change stations and around the park.

Child Minding: While WOMADelaide encourages you to bring your children, we do not offer any child minding services. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. The Stratco Parents Room is located between Stage 2 and the Foundation Stage for access to baby change facilities, a microwave, feeding chairs and shade.

Children's Wristbands:We ask that parents get a childrens wristband upon entry from just inside the gates, the Info Booth, or KidZone. Please write the parent's name AND mobile number clearly on the wristband. Parents should arrange with children to meet at the Info Booth if they get separated. If a lost child arrives at the Info Booth, WOMADelaide staff will try to contact the number on the wristband. If unsuccessful, they will contact the Emergency Operations Centre.

SMALL pop-up sunshades can only be set up WELL away from high-traffic areas and in ‘the pines’ area marked out near Hackney Road. They must be taken home at night and any set up outside of the allowed areas will be removed by security. Tents or other structures of any kind are not permitted in the park. You may bring a small, FLAT parasol for personal sun protection but umbrellas will not be allowed into the park.

There are over 50 food stalls to choose from at WOMADelaide with prices ranging from around $3 - $15, a sit down restaurant, six bars, and multiple other drinks stalls. We take great pride in presenting a diverse selection of international cuisines prepared by some of Australia’s finest food vendors. Of course you can bring your own food and un-opened, non-alcoholic drinks, but absolutely no glass bottles or containers are allowed on site.

There are lots of vegan and vegetarian options, and many stalls will also be offering gluten-free and dairy free options, see our FESTIVAL DELIGHTS pages for information on festival vendors.

Hydration Stations: Refill your water bottle with refreshing filtered & chilled water at the Hydration Stations located amongst the food stalls in the Global Village, Hackney Stalls Zone and Speakers Corner. Reusable water bottles (purchased from the bars for $6.50) receive unlimited refills at the Hydration Stations throughout the festival. All other water bottles can be refilled at the hydration stations for a gold-coin donation. There is also our usual free, clean, tap-water stations as marked on the festival map.

Head to the WoZone! The WoShop will be selling a wide variety of official WOMADelaide and artist merchandise, and Mr V Music will have artist CDs available for sale, plus books from some of our Planet Talks Speakers. Artist signings will be located next to Mr V Music - keep an eye on the blackboard out the front for each day's signing schedule.

Your wristband is your access to the festival. Every wristband is uniquely identified, linking the pre-purchased pass back to the purchaser. Wristbands are non-transferable - meaning you cannot share your multiday pass. On entry to the festival you will be fitted with a wristband corresponding to your ticket type and you must leave your wristband on for the duration of its validity. Once the wristband is removed it becomes void.

Your wristband has an RFID chip attached to it. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a generic term that is used to describe a system that transmits the identity (in the form of a unique serial number) of an object wirelessly, using radio waves. RFID is similar in purpose to a barcode. The chip's information, or the customer’s booking information, is stored electronically on a secure database. The wristbands themselves do not hold any personal information. Wearers cannot be tracked and the chip has a read range of centimeters, so your privacy and location remains anonymous. Similarly, if a wristband is lost or stolen, it is simply cancelled and another wristband is issued, there is no tracking.

RFID wristband scanners streamline gate access by eliminating crowd congestion and queuing times; making the ticket scanning process easier and more efficient. The technology also eliminates fraud by ensuring people with fake wristbands cannot enter the festival.

Your RFID Wristband gains you entry to the festival and can also be used to make purchases at WOMADelaide Cashless Bars. You can choose to treat your RFID Wristband as a “digital wallet” throughout the four days of WOMADelaide 2018. All other stalls and outlets will accept cash, credit or debit card as normal and will not accept RFID payment.

Heck yes. Gift vouchers are available for purchase in any amount. For more information, or to purchase, please contact bec@womadelaide.com.au. All vouchers must be redeemed prior to the festival - vouchers will not be redeemable at the gate.

YOUTH TICKETS

WOMADelaide offers tickets for youths aged between 13 - 17 years of age. Youth Pass holders must be 13 - 17 years old at the time of the festival and proof of age will be required to gain entry. It is a condition of the event Liquor Licence that after midnight all people under the age of 18 are in the company and supervision of an adult.

Minors are not permitted to enter the bars even if they are with a parent or responsible adult. Anyone who is considering being the nominated adult must consider this responsibility carefully as they will not be able to enter bars or licenced areas with minors.

COMCESSION TICKETS

The following entitle you to a concession-priced ticket

• Full-Time Student,
• Australian Pension Card holder
• Centrelink Health Care Card holder
• YHA member

Please note that you must bring your relevant proof of concession as you may be asked to provide this at the gates. Sorry, a Seniors Card does not entitle you to a concession ticket.

Children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult to WOMADelaide. There is no limit on the number of children under 12 an adult can bring in and they do not need a ticket in advance. Children must enter with a responsible adult. Unaccompanied children will not gain access.

We ask parents and guardians to obtain a kids wristband from the volunteers stationed just the inside the gates, the Info Booth or KidZone, and to write contact details on them in case of separation.

WOMADelaide is a participant of the National Companion Card scheme, offering patrons holding a current companion card a second ticket for their accompanying companion at no charge.

When you arrive at the Festival Box Office present your National Companion card, our staff will then allocate a corresponding complimentary pass. There is a limit of one companion pass issued on a daily basis. When attending the Festival for multiple days and retaining the same companion, a 3 or 4 Day pass will be issued to your companion. For further information please visit www.companioncard.gov.au/

Please choose carefully, WOMADelaide does not refund tickets. Refunds are sometimes offered in extenuating circumstances and in accordance with the applicable Live Performance Australia Code of Practice for Event Ticketing. WOMADelaide is an all-weather event - no refunds will be made if you choose not to attend due to inclement weather.

Advertised ticket prices are exclusive of postage and credit card Merchant Service Fees. The Merchant Service Fee is calculated at 1.5% of the entire dollar value of each order. Please note this fee is displayed as the booking fee on your tax invoice.

Yes. You are able to scan in and out of the festival site as many times as you wish each day - just remember to scan each time you pass out otherwise you won't be able to scan back in!

In purchasing a ticket to WOMADelaide you are agreeing to our Terms & Conditions HERE. For any questions, please call our ticket hotline on 1300 496 623.

The ticket hotline is open:

Before the festival
10am - 4pm, Monday - Friday

During the festival
10am - 6pm  FRI / SAT / SUN
10am - 5pm  MON

The bars at WOMADelaide will use a new cashless system in 2018. This means customers will continue to be able to utilise PayWave, PayPass, and EFTPOS for transactions at our bars, OR can use their RFID Wristbands with pre-loaded credit to purchase items. This will enable greater speed of service, staff security and ease of transaction for festivalgoers.

To activate your festival wristband, and top-up credit, visit cashless.womadelaide.com.au

You will also be able to Top-Up your festival wristband by visiting any of the Top-Up booths on-site.

• Your wristband (or your booking reference number/confirmation email)
• Valid photo ID
• Hat
• Sunscreen
• Medication (especially for asthma or hayfever as the park can get dusty) 
• Clothes to suit the weather / rain poncho

• Portable phone charger
• Insect repellent if the mossies love you
• Smiles
• Sturdy shoes
• Friends
• Sunnies

• Party pants

Pop-up sunshades can be brought to WOMADelaide, but must only be set up in areas of the park WELL away from all sightlines and traffic areas. For Stage 1 the only area which can be used is ‘the pines’ area marked out towards Hackney Road. Sunshades MUST be removed when you leave at night and tents or other structures of any kind are not allowed anywhere in the park.

If you bring a chair to sit on, it must be of the low-standing, beach-style variety, especially if you want to use it in front of the stages for seated performances. These will be available for purchase at the WOshop also.

Umbrellas will not be allowed into the park as they can be a safety concern in addition to disrupting other patrons experience of the event. In the case of inclement weather, we recommend packing a light rain proof jacket w/ hood and/or a lightweight poncho. Small, flat parasols can be brought for personal sun protection if desired.

Absolutley no glass will be allowed on site (this includes bottles as well as any food containers).

Animals / pets are not permitted in Botanic Park, with the exception of guide dogs.

• Drones, remote control aircraft / cars are prohibited
• Professional Cameras
• Selfie Sticks
• Audio recording devices
• Fire twirling equipment

And weapons, fireworks, illicit substances, bad attitudes, nasty stuff.... Just leave it home please, our festival is one of peace and community, so come join us!

In keeping with the South Australian Government health regulations introduced on 1 July 2016 that ban smoking from all outdoor dining areas, WOMADelaide is a smoke-free event. Festival goers wishing to smoke will be able to do so in three designated smoking areas. Cigarettes are not sold at WOMADelaide.

There are plenty - but they're friendly. At the gates, security will check your bags for alcohol and glass which cannot be brought into the park (bottles/wine glasses etc). SEALED plastic bottles of water/juice are permitted but anything open will be disposed of at the gates.

Security will keep an eye out for people filming live performances (a no-no), and for any antisocial behaviour in the crowd (along with the SA Police).

Everyone in the park must be wearing a valid wristband, no exceptions. PLEASE don't try and jump the fence to get in - you will be seen by security and people have been seriously injured in the past. Anyone without a valid wristband will be referred to the Police.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the average maximum temperature in Adelaide in March is 26.3C and the average minimum is 15.2C, although it can be significantly hotter reaching the mid-to-high 30’s. WOMADelaide is an outdoor festival and can be very warm, although Botanic Park has lots of shade and it can get quite cool at night too! Remember to make sure you drink plenty of water, wear a hat and sunscreen and bring a change of clothes relative to the local forecast as WOMADelaide will go ahead rain, hail or shine! Get the latest forecast from the BOM

If you have any suggestions or comments, please write to us at info@womadelaide.com.au. During the festival itself, you can also refer any feedback to the staff at the Info Booth.

WOMADelaide is situated in Adelaide's Botanic Park, and the terrain consists of a combination of mostly flat grass, paved areas and gravel. During peak traffic periods, and especially after rain, parts of Botanic Park can become more difficult to negotiate. People who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids are advised to use a wheelchair with large wheels if possible.

Given that areas of the festival site are uneven and the pathways between stages can become very crowded - for reasons of public safety, it is not possible to admit mobility scooters for use at the festival.

We are continually aiming to improve access to WOMADelaide and enhance the experience of our patrons with disability, please contact us if you require any information or advice further to the below.

An accessible parking and drop-off zone is located next to the Hackney Road entrance, immediately to the South of Plane Tree Drive on Hackney Road. Accessible parking and drop-off will also be reserved outside the Frome Road entrance, between the Zoo and Victoria Drive on the eastern side of Frome Road.

Accessible seating is provided in front of the Foundation Stage, Stage 2 and Stage 3 alongside "Take a Rest" seating banks at Foundation Stage and Stage 2 in consideration of our diverse and multi-generational audience.

Accessible toilets will be located alongside the main toilet block on Plane Tree Drive, as well as the toilet blocks near Stages 3, The Zoo Stage and Novatech Stage in Speaker's Corner. Accessible toilet facilities are installed where possible along the sealed surface cycleway which runs around the perimeter of Botanic Park, with privacy screening and clear marking to encourage use only by patrons who require accessible facilities. Please see the festival map for specific locations.

WOMADelaide is a participant of the National Companion Card scheme, offering disabled patrons holding a current companion card a second ticket for their accompanying companion at no charge.

When you arrive at the Festival Box Office present your National Companion card, our staff will then allocate a corresponding complimentary pass. There is a limit of one companion pass issued on a daily basis. When attending the Festival for multiple days and retaining the same companion, a 3 or 4 Day pass will be issued to your companion. For further information please visit www.companioncard.gov.au/