Artist Announcement: Celebrating two decades of The CQUniversity Village Festival

The CQUniversity Village Festival has announced the headline acts for its 20th annual music and arts festival to be hosted from 4-13 August 2023 on the Capricorn Coast. Taking out the lead spots are crowd-favourite tribute show, INXSive, and Melbourne folk duo, Pierce Brothers, with the artists set to headline on Friday 11 August and Saturday 12 August, respectively.

What makes this milestone event even more special is the return of CQUniversity as the naming rights partner after 13 years of steadfast support to the Festival’s ongoing development and success.

The festival officially launched with the announcement of the two headline acts at the Capricorn Enterprise Members Networking Evening at Echelon Rooftop on May 17.

This year, The CQUniversity Village Festival’s signature open-air music concerts at Yeppoon Foreshore will be supported by an expansive 10-day program of food, forums, visual arts, comedy, and more. The 2023 festival also brings new events such as Jazz & Shiraz and Blues by the Beach at Emu Park, experiential dining experiences such as The World Sunset Terrace at Echelon Rooftop, plus a bush doof and busking competition to boot. Limited tickets to these bespoke events are available to purchase now on The Village Festival website.

The Village Festival Chairman, Danny Carr, said: “The CQUniversity Village Festival is an arts and entertainment event birthed through the passion and commitment of the creative communities in our region. We’re so proud to be celebrating 20 years of the festival this year. It’s a time to reflect on the grassroots history of the event and look towards building a sustainable future for its next decade and beyond.

“We have been busy curating an enticing lineup of artists, events and activities that will appeal to everyone, from families to music lovers to art enthusiasts. Last year, we welcomed in excess of 22,000 attendees to the festival, and with this year’s headliners, we hope to bring similar numbers to the region again in 2023.”

The Village Festival Chairman also expressed his elation at CQUniversity's renewed commitment to sponsoring the festival, emphasising the remarkable success of their partnership.

"I am thrilled to have CQUniversity once again come on board as our naming rights sponsor for The CQUniversity Village Festival. Over the years, their support has been instrumental in elevating this event to new heights. Together, we have created a thriving platform for arts and entertainment, showcasing the immense talent within our region."

Naming Rights Partner and CQUniversity Associate Vice-President, Kim Harrington, said: “By reaffirming our sponsorship of The CQUniversity Village Festival this year, we affirm our commitment to fostering arts, culture, and community engagement in our region. We are proud to be a driving force behind this celebration of creativity, and we recognise the Festival's significance in promoting local talent, showcasing diverse artistic expressions, and providing a platform to bring acts like INXSive and the Pierce Brothers to our region.”

The CQUniversity Village Festival has become a beloved annual event in Yeppoon with crowds of locals and tourists alike delivering economic and tourism benefits for the region.

CEO of Capricorn Enterprise, Mary Carroll, said: “The festival has a long history of delivering significant economic and social benefits to the Capricorn Coast. It's an event that showcases the region's unique character, supports local talent and businesses, and attracts visitors from around the country.”

Bringing the local community together is integral to the continued success of the festival.

Mayor Andy Ireland, Livingstone Shire Council, said: “The Village Festival fosters collaboration within our community by bringing together people from all walks of life to celebrate arts, culture, and entertainment. We're proud to support the festival again as a Major Sponsor and excited to see it grow into the Winter event of choice in Queensland.”

Expression of Interest for Artists & Buskers Applications are now open for local musicians – solos, duos, and bands – of all calibres to apply to join the headliners weekend. Interested talent can complete the application form at The CQUniversity Village Festival website until midnight Friday 2 June 2023. This year, The festival has a strong emphasis on supporting original music artists and this will be reflected in the full festival program set to be announced in July.

The CQUniversity Village Festival 2023 is not-for-profit made possible thanks to the support of Tourism and Events Queensland, CQUniversity, Livingstone Shire Council, plus many local business, community organisations and hard-working volunteers.

The CQUniversity Village Festival is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and features on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar.

For more information please visit: thevillagefestival.org.au