Festival Postponed – New Date: Saturday 30 August
Unfortunately, due to predicted poor weather this weekend, we’ve made the decision to postpone the Wardell River Festival to Saturday 30 August.
We know many of you were excited to join us and we’re committed to delivering a great day full of music, art, food, community stalls and fun – rain-free!
Please update your calendars – and stay tuned for updates and program announcements. Thank you for your understanding and ongoing support!
~Team Wardell River Festival
The Wardell River Festival is a free, family-friendly celebration of community, culture, and creativity on the banks of the Richmond River. Featuring live music, art, food, markets, and kids’ activities - Join us for a joyful day in Wardell that brings our riverside regions together.
The Community Art Competition invites people of all ages and skill levels to creatively interpret this year’s theme:
“The Richmond River – Our Place”
Artists are encouraged to reflect on their connection to the river—its history, culture, environment, and community. Works can be painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, sculpture or photography.
Categories
1. Open Section (ages 16+)
2. Junior Section (ages 15 and under)
Each section will award:
🥇 First Prize
🥈 Second Prize
🌟 People’s Choice Award (combined across both sections)
Key Dates
Entries Close: Thursday 24 July 2025
Drop-off Location:
Wardell Neighbourhood Centre, 3 Sinclair Street
Exhibition: Saturday 26 July at the Wardell River Festival
Winners Announced:
During the festival afternoon program
Live Music
YOUTH BANDS
BELLA FRANKIE
RIVER DRIVE
BRIGHT VIOLET
Kids Activities
Screen Printing :
Workshop activity with local artist Jude White at Wardell CORE. We will be creating artworks featuring designs from our Wardell Youth Project. Come along between 1 and 4 pm
Lantern Making :
Make your own lantern
Face Painting :
Weed wise :
A creative look at our riverine environment with Rous Water
Sunshine Sugar Cooking Competition
Judging Criteria
Use of Sugar products
Taste and originality
Presentation and creativity
Local storytelling / community connection
Judges will be selected from the sugar industry and community sectors.
Categories
1. Sweet
2. Savory
3. Junior Section (ages 15 and under)
Each section will award:
🥇 First Prize
🥈 Second Prize
Winners Announced:
During the festival afternoon program
Entry Details
Entry is free.
all entries must be clearly labelled with name, age (for Junior), ingredients and brief description.
all entries not collected at the completion of the event will be discarded.
A maximum of 2x entries per personal will be accepted
Riverside Rummage
Clear out, cash in, or trove for a bargain!
Join us for Riverside Rummage – Wardell’s ultimate community garage sale by the river!
Pre-loved treasures
Handmade crafts & plants
Clothes, books, tools, toys & more!
A relaxed, feel-good afternoon of browsing, bargain hunting, and community spirit.
Wardell River Festival
1:00 – 5:00 PM
Free entry | Stallholders welcome (registration required)
Bring a table, a tarp or just yourself and get ready for a riverside rummage adventure!
Register now to book your stall.
Food and Drinks
Wood Fire Pizza by Wardell CORE
Food Trucks
Ice cream and soft serve
Coffee cart
Wardell River Festival 2024
On behalf of Wardell CORE we would like to thank the Wardell community and extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation for the involvement and investment in the Wardell River Festival to all our partners, supporters, volunteers and participants. Your support contributed immensely to the success of this event, and we cannot thank you enough for your generosity.
The Wardell River Festival was a resounding success, with approximately 450 punters visiting throughout the afternoon. The kayaking adventure, which allowed over 30 participants to experience the beauty of the Richmond River and Bingal Creek wetlands, was particularly well-received. Additionally, 60 community members had the pleasure of enjoying a sunset river cruise along the Richmond River, further enhancing the festival's appeal.
We are incredibly grateful for the invaluable contribution of the volunteers from the Ballina on Richmond Rotary Club and their supporters who worked tirelessly to make this day a memorable and enjoyable experience for all attendees. Their partnership has been instrumental in the success of this event, and we eagerly anticipate the opportunity to collaborate with this great team for next years event.
Looking ahead, we are excited to begin planning for next year's festival and welcome your involvement. Together, we can work towards making the Wardell River Festival even bigger and better, creating lasting memories and strengthening our community bonds.
If you would like to be involved in planning, preparing and running this community event, please get in touch :
contact Joel Orchard - Project lead
wardellcore@gmail.com or 0424 73 8899
