FIKA: FESTIVAL EDITION!

April is the month of public holidays. The month of which immersing oneself into the minutiae of time management, reviewing of pay slips, improving schedule efficiency, dissecting interstate migration patterns and corresponding financial fluctuations brings joy and exhilaration to millions of Australians across the land as they find the perfect combination of maximum time off, spending minimum annual leave, and cheapest airfares and accommodation. It’s a huge feat which often results in sheer exhaustion and near collapse come take off time, and much of the holiday is spent sleeping and rueing their obvious mistake of not incorporating the high cost of brain power in the calculations.

But we (that’s you and me) know better. Your regular fika has primed you for a month of enjoying the crisp autumn air, the crunch of burnt orange leaves underfoot, eating peach pies, and listening to sweet pan-flute melodies skip through the grassy fields.

Which brings us to the theme for April’s fika – the music festival! It’s the perfect way to use up that expertly crafted leave, there’s so much on, and the perfect weather to do it in. So we’ve gathered a collection and hopefully there’s one near you. If not, gather a group of friends who are musically inclined, and make them play in your backyard. After 40 minutes or so, move onto someone else’s backyard and make them play again. It’s a multistage DIYapalooza!

But just so I don’t completely neglect the other beloved components of fika:

Drink: something from your coffee camping pack (what do you mean you don’t have one? Get one) ie your Aeropress Go, Porlex, camping stove, billy can.

Eat: Le Snacks or two minute noodles.

Listen: to the music.

Read: The festival programme guide.

NSW

Blues and Roots Festival

Blackheath Chamber Music Festival. It’s classic. Classical.

This is Just A Tribute. A festival of tribute bands. A festival like no other, except the original.

VIC

Gippsland Country Music Festival

NT

Parrtjima – A Festival In Light Light installations, workshops, music and film in the Red Centre. How beautiful.

WA

Wild Freo A music, arts and cultural festival. About animals. Yes please!

Out Of The Woods

QLD

CIRCFest I was in the circus once. I like to bring that up as often as I can. Circus is great and magical and you should go.

ACT

National Folk Festival. Full of folk music, folk storytelling, folk-dancing. I’ve been once and wanted to go back ever since!

SA

Groovin the Moo

Now it’s over to you, get out and out your fika to work.