STORY BY MAHMOOD FAZAL, PHOTOS BY CHILLOUT FESTIVAL

ChillOut Festival is more than a fabulous celebration of expression, dance and drink - it has become the the bedrock of Daylesford’s LGBTIQ+ community. ChillOut is recognised as a culturally important LGBTIQ+ pride event, supporting and representing queer pride for all regional people.

Early organisers wanted to emphasise the country feel of Daylesford. The event was also an important way of profile-raising for the gay and lesbian community in Daylesford as well as the wider Hepburn Shire region. From humble beginnings at a picnic in the mid 90s, ChillOut has flowered into Australia’s largest queer country pride festival.

This year Michele Bauer will take the reins as Festival Director for ChillOut 2020, bringing with her over twenty years of international experience working in festivals - including a stint as the interim CEO of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and Mardi Gras Arts in 2016.

I helped manage Carnival Day last year,” says Michele, “I love the Potbelleez, they were so fantastic. I went for drinks at the Daylesford hotel afterwards and just though the vibe is really happening here.”

Last year, we stumbled across the Masonic Hall during ChillOut festival where Bliss Bomb were performing a comedy burlesque show that was described as tongue-in-cheeky comedy cabaret. There was crooning, cocktails and glittering pirouettes.

This year, the festival theme is Through the Looking Glass, Alice in Spa Wonderland and the invitation on the website states: If you’re an Alice, or a Red Queen, or perhaps even a pair of Tweedledees or Tweedledums, adventure awaits however you choose to express yourself.

Michele insists that this year things will be bigger and better, especially on Carnival Day. “We've revamped the whole thing. We've turned it on. We have listened to the feedback and really incorporated a lot of feedback from the community.”

There will be a Dolly Parton inspired world- record attempt for the longest line of dancing drag queens, a record attempt for Australia's largest human rainbow and a catalogue of extravagant parties. “We wanted it to be so much more than just a music festival. We want it to be more involved. We’ve dropped the price, we have a lot more stalls and you can BYO.”

In the Daylesford area, we focus on health and well-being. As much as the partying is great, in LGBTQI+ community we are mature enough now to have sophisticated conversations about our own health and well being,” explains Michele. “ChillOut wants to be a positive influence by offering programming that supports a healthier community and working to create a more positive narrative.”

The festival works with Raising Rainbows, an initiative that empowers young LGBTQI+ youth in regional Victoria to be proud of who they are and feel safe in their communities by raising rainbow flags in local schools. As 80% of LGBTQI+ bullying happens in schools, ChillOut will be collecting donations for the project throughout the festival.

Chillout Festival
5 - 9 March 2020 info@chilloutfestival.com.au