DIVE INTO DARKNESS at this year’s Winter Wild

Apollo Bay’s eclectic WinterWild festival returns next month with the theme “Visions and Ecstasies”.

Renowned for pushing creative boundaries, this year’s program features drumming, meditation, ice bathing, mind and body workshops and discussion panels on sacred plant medicines.

But at the heart of WinterWild 2019 is an exclusive 50/50 “pathways” gamble – 10 hours of spiritual and physical work beginning at 7am each Saturday.

The catch? Participants enter the experience blissfully unaware of what they’ve signed up for. They must surrender and choose between one of two testing pathways.

WinterWild director Roderick Poole said the festival offers people the opportunity to experience a side of Apollo Bay which is not often exposed.

“It’s just a different world out here in winter. You can connect with nature’s wilder side, and really explore your hidden and darker self.”

The WinterWild evening program kicks off as sunset looms with the festival’s flagship event, DogWatch, a free public performance between 6-8pm showcasing evening street parades, performances and beach bonfires.

This year Part 1: “Immolation” will be held on August 17, followed by Part 2, “Resurrection” on August 30, an
exciting performance including Snuff Puppets.

Festival-goers can plunge into the world of psychedelic rock at the local Mechanics Institute, devour treats at Feastiality, groove in darkness at a seaside dance party or drop into gigs at one of the town’s two pubs.

Acts locked in for this year’s festival include Otologic, Salvador Darling, Seagull, MANTRA, DJ Kiti, Flyying Colours, The Fillmore Brothers, Los Borrachos (Canada) and an Apollo Bay debut performance by baroque musician Max Riebl in Alchemy.

This year’s WinterWild will be held from August 16-18 and from August 30-September 1.

For the full program and to secure your tickets, head to winterwildapollobay.com.au.

To get the latest updates, follow facebook.com/winterwildapollobay.