Falls Festival to take over Fremantle in 2017
June 30, 2016 2 Comments
Falls Festival is coming to downtown Freo! Here is how WA Today wrote it up today:
Erika Vass June 30 2016
… the heart of Fremantle is set to burst back into life with the Falls Music Festival set to make its way west for the first time.
The Falls Festival has been a staple on the east coast for the last 23 years, but it has never made its way across the Nullarbor, until now.
As well as the Myer Building – which currently houses some pop-up shops on the first floor – the Town Hall and the St John’s Anglican Church will also host some of the best local, national and international artists, as well as creative food, performance art and much more over two days in January.
National event producer Paul Piticco said the music festival in Fremantle, dubbed “Falls Downtown” would “flood the streets and forgotten buildings” of the port city.
He said adding Fremantle to the Falls list would add to the rustic and unique feel of the festival.
“The Falls festival’s locations is known for its similar DNA of a laid back, green grassed, beached location feel,” he said.
“However, when we saw Fremantle as a potential location, we fell in love with the urban environment and we’ve wanted to branch out into the Western Australian entertainment market.”
“Fremantle City council suggested to us various locations the Falls Festival could potential set up the venues. We have a new intention of exploring the urban, abandoned walls to indulge the patrons and performers.”
Fremantle is slowly becoming the festival capital of Australia, with the West Coast Blues and Roots and the St Jerome Laneway festivals held in the port city each year.
Mr Piticco was urging music promoters to invest in local and national festivals with many of them struggling to stay afloat over the last few years.
“Over the last couple of years, we have seen a dramatic drop of festivals, whether the festivals move overseas or diminish altogether,” Piticco said.
“We believe that it is the right time to challenge the music and arts industry in Western Australia as the people there are committed to support upcoming and established acts.”
Fremantle mayor Brad Pettitt said the city expected more than 16,000 music-goers to pour into the port city during the two-day festival.
“Not only will it be fantastic for the activation of the Freo centre of town (as the festivals will have pass outs which is great for Fremantle business) but it will further reinforce Freo as one of the festival capitals of Australia,” he said.
“Rooftop Glamping on top of the former-Myer building will be a once in a life time opportunity.”
The line up for Falls Downtown which will run in Fremantle on January 7 and 8 is expected be announced in August.
– with Brendan Foster
About Deputy Mayor of Fremantle blog
City of Fremantle Mayor's Blog 
Excellent coverage (although the people who work hard in the MANY building might not have loved its description as ‘abandoned’ !)
Now, can we somehow make SURE that the Freo train line is not going to randomly get closed exactly at the time the festival is on for some sort of upgrade work or something!
very true!