The Gum Ball

The Gum Ball is an annual music festival held in secluded bushland at Bedford in the middle of the Hunter Valley each year.

It is a family-friendly weekend event filled with music, arts, food, beers, markets, yoga, and much more – becoming one of Australia’s most anticipated camping and music festivals.

The festival was started in 2005 by a man known as Magpie, who still runs it to this day, alongside his wife Jess and a bunch of hardworking friends and family, mostly musicians. The Gum Ball really is the perfect festival for those who may have given up on festivals, whether it be because you felt too old, society scared you or having kids makes it difficult. People have discovered this little gem as the answer to ease back into the game. Ask anyone who has been, and they’ll tell you just how achievable it really is.

The best bit about The Gum Ball is in the discovery. It’s not a festival where you go to see the biggest names in show business and mark which acts on the timetable you’re going to try and see.

Sure, The Gum Ball hosts some pretty incredible acts – you can take a look at the festival’s history to see that. But the magic is in a festival where you don’t even need a timetable. You just exist in this comfortable space where you get to experience the journey of music from start to finish. You can wander, relax, and come and go as you please. It’s all there right in front of you, pulling your attention when you see fit to give it.

The Gum Ball mixes musical genres and styles, from rock and soul to hip-hop, country and in between, over two stages, side by side, to create a flowing festival feast of music and dance.

Along with its musical element, The Gum Ball offers gourmet food and market stalls, yoga, skate demos, creative workshops, indigenous learning, live art, and a very popular late-night silent disco.

The kids are covered too with the KIDS FESTIVAL PROGRAM at the ‘House of Big Dreams’ kids zone. Here, you will find the kid’s crèche, a variety of kid-friendly workshops and fun activities, plus their very own silent disco.

All tickets include the option to camp, and you can bring whatever camp set-up you like. However, if you have a camper or caravan over 20ft, you will need to register and purchase a pass. They also offer boutique-style accommodation in the form of GLAMPING as an optional extra.

Young Gums

Young Gums is an incredible opportunity for young creatives to get an insight into the music and events industry. Now in its fourth year, they are once again looking for a bunch of kids who are super keen to immerse themselves in what could very well be their new projectory.

Young Gums is a mentorship program led by the good people at Dashville and supported by The Gum Ball’s professional and creative community of musicians, artists, technicians and event managers. A project, which is dedicated specifically to high school students aged between 13 – 17 years, targets emerging creatives in regional NSW who are interested in music festival production and performance.

After its success over the past few years, the team from Dashville will continue with the program in 2024, providing a nurturing environment for the chosen few who want to delve into a hands-on learning experience in a live festival environment over 5 days.

During the course of the five days, the students will engage with a range of qualified industry professionals – from musicians to lighting technicians – through a series of workshops, tutoring and one-on-one mentoring, learning the ins and outs of what it takes from set up to showtime. With the support of a Musical Director, the students will carry out daily rehearsals in preparation for a group performance on the main stage during the last day of the festival.

With The Gum Ball in full swing from Friday through Sunday, at the conclusion of each day’s program, there will be time to enjoy the festival’s evening performances with family.

Food & Drink

Ruby’s Pizzeria will be open and serving everything from coffee to pizzas, but they will also have a wide selection of food trucks and stalls serving delicious treats all weekend. From Vegan to hardcore carnivorous food, from breakfast right through to dinner, and snacks in between, we got you covered.

The Gum Ball is a BYO event (STRICTLY NO GLASS), but they also have a top-shelf bar and licensed area inside the arena for those who like an ice-cold tap beer or cocktail.

All persons under 18 must be accompanied by a legal/responsible guardian at all times during the festival. No event entry will be permitted to unaccompanied minors at any time.

With discount bundle options available for families, it’s recommended that you get your money’s worth and camp for the whole weekend at this unique and annual festival. Don’t miss your opportunity to witness an array of up-and-coming artists in a safe and secluded venue in the beautiful Hunter Valley.

Belford is a small town in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, about 171 kilometres north of the CBD via the M1. Public transport options are also available. Singleton is the nearest train station on the Main Northern Line. From there, you can catch a bus to Belford.