August 16th, 2022Find Your Wings theme for ChillOut 23

CHILLOUT has unveiled its theme for 2023 – Find Your Wings.
Festival director Emma Ireland said the theme came from the discovery of the bright-eyed brown butterfly at the Grove of Gratitude at Wombat Flat, Lake Daylesford.
The grove was an initiative of the 2021 ChillOut organisers with 100 trees and shrubs planted and dedicated by LGBTQIA+ groups to those who have made a difference in their organisations and communities.
Ms Ireland said the butterfly, long thought to be extinct in the area, had recently been rediscovered.
“So it was partly from that, and also because we are all coming out of our Covid chrysalis and finding our wings.
“It is a really lovely theme, and we are excited to have the wheels rolling again and to start working towards the festival.”
Ms Ireland said next year there would be more events outside – “bigger safer events” – and also more smaller events, which she calls “little pockets of joy”.
“We will have a great capacity to have more fun outdoors and the bush dance is a great example of that. It has traditionally been packed in the town hall but people need more space and don’t necessarily want hot, sweaty venues.
“This time we have the town hall and Victoria Park happening with events on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. There is just so much more capacity. There is also a new women’s event on the Saturday night.”
Ms Ireland said she had a few headline acts lined up and would be talking about them, and next year’s ambassadors, by the end of the month – when festival passes will go on sale. The 2023 program will be out by November.
The passes were limited and were for the main shows – for people who don’t want to miss out when events sell out, she said.
New to 2023 are movie screenings and the Youth Soundshell, a free event, is back on the calendar.
The Local is ChillOut’s media partner so stay tuned for more details as the festival ramps up!