Thailand is never short of festivals, all year round. From EDM, nostalgic, broken heart to song for life festivals, we've become both immune and suspicious whenever the word "festival" comes up, as one often looks, feels and sounds like another. But Wonderfruit Festival, taking place from Dec 19-21 in Chon Buri, aims to change all that.
Damian Lazarus.
Not only will Wonderfruit be bringing world-class musicians and deejays, as well as plenty of local performers, the festival will also be inviting its attendees to focus on the themes of sustainability, social responsibility and life-altering experiences.
Besides the obvious inclusion of music and art, the two main staples of music festivals around the world, Wonderfruit's festivalgoers will be asked to seriously consider eco-farming, family activities, design, architecture, film, theatre, natural ventures and workshops.
Jamie Jones.
Spearheaded by Pranitan Phornprapa, co-founder of Scratch First, and Jo Vidler, the festival director of the wildly successful Secret Garden festival from the UK, Wonderfruit is not aimed at one particular group of people, but rather at festivalgoers from all walks of life with a focus on environmental issues and sustainability.
The site construction — from the materials and the process — and overall festival execution will be as eco-friendly as possible, without compromising on comfort and convenience. Wonderfruit encourages attendees to carpool and be aware of the setting, in order to cement an eco-mindset among the fun-loving revellers.
"I want to create useful, fun content. It's a social enterprise to instil social responsibility. I like the fun stuff like everyone else, but I want to have a soulful event. Many times I attend events and functions, I feel like there is no meaning behind them. If we can make money from it, the money will be returned to the community, to what we believe in," said Pranitan.
"The sustainable part is not just the festival itself, but also the values we're trying to promote with the festival. We want to have a meaningful gathering, and we want people to understand that there's more content and more significance to a festival than just music and art. That's what we're trying to advocate."
The elusive spiritual connection, a sense of camaraderie and self-betterment also play an integral role in Wonderfruit.
"It's not about what you wear, who you hang out with, or what you do for a job. We want to stress that it's the human interaction we need from each other to make any kind of changes in your life, whether in a governmental or an environmental way. And we can do that by getting different walks of life connecting with each other," said Vidler.
"For the first time, people that actually don't get to meet will be in one place together and they might actually have more things in common than they think. The festival will also show how not to be wasteful in your life; emotionally or with your love and tangible things.
Francesca Lombardo.
"In most of the events you go to, you're a spectator. You watch, and you are entertained, but we're asking people to get involved, and be a part of the entertainment."
Despite trying to shift the focus away from the musical line-up and live music experiences, Wonderfruit has secured one of the most interesting festival line-ups that this region has possibly ever witnessed.
The artist selection is clearly not based on mainstream demands, but rather on curated tastes and sonic values. So far, the festival has confirmed Little Dragon, Fat Freddy's Drop, Woodkid, De La Soul, Jose Gonzales, Hercules & Love Affair, Nick Mulvey, The Gaslamp Killer, Hugo, Francesca Lombardo (live), Jamie Jones, Seth Troxler, Damian Lazarus, Soul Clap, Subb-an, Pillow Talk (live), Ali Love (live), Carl Craigichards, Sunju Hargun, Citizen, Son of Sun (live) and Boris Rubin, alongside local heroes such as T-Bone, Burin Boonvisut, Apartmentkhunpa, the Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band, Yellow Fang and Stylish Nonsense across four stages. More names are expected to be revealed closer to the date.
Hugo.
Architectural design falls under the helm of Duangrit Bunnag, Singh Intrachooto and Design Qua. The permanent fixtures will be turned into other useful venues such as summer schools or kids' camps when not in use for the rest of the year. Participating artists include Wit Pimkanchanapong, Rukkit, Atelier Rudee, Adam Pollina and Shrine On. B-Floor takes over the theatre side, while the cinema operations will be overseen by respected curator Gridthiya Gaweewong.
Other activities include food demonstrations, tips on foraging, farm tours, wine tasting, various workshops, theatre, cinema, keirin racing, mountain biking, fun runs, horse therapy and sound bathing. Unlike the usual festival protocol, children and families are encouraged to join in Wonderfruit.
"Family is very important. Learning with your children is a meaningful experience. We will have activities that engage both parents and children, which can be a bonding experience for family members. There will also be a nanny service, so you can leave your kids with the nannies and pick them up the next day," said Vidler.
Hercules and Love Affair.
Food will also play an important role at Wonderfruit. Participating caterers include Never Ending Summer, Disco Dogs, Burnt Ends (Singapore), Sloane's Artisan and Quince, along with other street food favourites. Highlights on the gourmet escapade includes feasts from Nahm's David Thompson and Appia's Paolo Vitaletti, who will cook using some of the products picked from the festival's eco-farms and farmers' market.
"We want people to be more concerned about where food sources come from and whether it's toxic or not. I can see that the organic industry is growing, but it can only continue to grow by consumer demand, in demanding changes in the way we cultivate foods. We want to create that awareness," said Pranitan.
Woodkid by Mathieu Cesar.
Camping in Thai festivals has never been particularly popular, partly owing to the extreme heat as well as the usual convenience and safety issues. Wonderfruit is also aiming at changing this perception, however, by offering three types of camping options and relying on the cooler weather that comes with the mountainous terrain of the Fields At Siam Country. The first option is an open camp site, where people can bring their own gear to set up. The second choice provides basic tents and the most luxurious option features air conditioners and private toilet facilities.
"Camping is a big part of the experience. The entertainment is all day round. We have carefully programmed the whole festival from the moment you step on site to the moment you leave. You don't need to stay off site," said Vidler.
With a rather thoughtful undertone, Wonderfruit is clear that it will not discourage revellers from the sort of mindless enjoyment usually experienced at music festivals.
"You can have fun and still be socially responsible. Being responsible without having fun is not fun. We want to make it fun," said Pranitan.
"You're meant to leave Wonderfruit reinvigorated and having learned something. We're going to explore consciousness, invention and science and much more," Vidler added.
Ticketing details
Wonderfruit Festival will take place at The Fields At Siam Country, Chon Buri, from Dec 19-21.
Ticket costs 6,000 baht for adults (20 years old); 4,000 baht for teens (12-19 years old); 16,000 baht for family (two adults and two teens) and 16,000 for a part pass (six adults). Kids up to the age of 11 get in for free. Tickets are available at Thaiticketmajor, Ticketmaster, See Tickets and Resident Advisor.
Visit www.wonderfruitfestival.com for further information and future line up announcements.
Wonderfruit
