Culture Jam To Host Final Questival Event
“Like many events, rising costs and last-minute sales have made the past two years harder than ever,” organisers explain.
Questival (Credit: Supplied)
It’s been 15 years of wild times and immersive events, but with an uncertain future laid out before us, Culture Jam, the organisers of Questival, have revealed that this year’s event will be its last.
Taking place at Kryal Castle in Wathawurrung/Ballarat from May 3rd to 4th, Questival is a two-day themed experience which takes place across the castle grounds. “Assemble your clan, gather your costumes and journey into a world of adventure, characters, dancing, quests, arena games immersion and camping under the stars next to the castle,” a press release urges.
However, while the event is one that allows attendees to forget about the outside world and immersive themselves in a state of fantasy, the impending aura of finality will be hanging over this year’s event, with organisers confirming this year will be the final Questival for the foreseeable future.
For its farewell edition, Questival is taking on the all-too pertinent theme, The Dying Of The Light. “The theme is no accident—it’s a metaphorical nod to climate change and a struggling festival scene,” organisers explain. “The question is: how do we keep the magic alive?”
As such, attendees can expect Questival to go out with a bang. With 40 quests and 50 actors, the weekend affair features arena games, grand rituals, immersive theatre, cabaret, archery, axe throwing, medieval stalls, food, and camping under the stars.
Add in live Romani, Klezmer, and medieval bands alongside otherworldly live electronic events, and it's a mesmerising affair set to transform all and sundry.
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Culture Jam have been running events for 15 years now, creating myriad memories and experiences along the way, ranging from building a mock off-grid town, throwing a pirate radio boat party in a storm beside Sea Shepherd’s Steve Irwin, and even transforming an old cotton mill into a post-apocalyptic world.
However, even with such a cult following generated along the way, growing uncertainty of the festival atmosphere has necessitated an end for Questival.
“Like many events, rising costs and last-minute sales have made the past two years harder than ever,” organisers explained. “For this reason, this year’s Questival will be our last multi-day festival.
“A return to urban, pop-up community events feels more relevant in this climate. There’s a collective uncertainty about the future, and urban community gatherings and art feel really important right now.
“We’re asking, if it were the end of the world, how would people want to come together?” they add. “This is an exciting question to answer creatively and we’re already brainstorming creative new ideas for urban takeovers.”
While Culture Jam won’t be exiting the event space in its entirety, those who have been putting off the notion of visiting Questival are certainly urged to do so while the chance is still on offer.
Tickets to this year’s final event are on sale now.
This piece of content has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body
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