If you’ve ever found yourself boogying away the June long weekend at McLaren Vale’s iconic Day Dance festival with your friends around you and a glass of wine in hand, then I’m sure you’ve already booked a ticket for this year. But if the world of Day Dance is something you’ve yet to stumble across, please, let me enlighten you.
The much-loved McLaren Vale festival is returning this June long weekend for two huge days of music, food, wine and wonderfully chaotic energy across Simon Hackett Winery and neighbouring venue Tipi Lane. So if your ideal long weekend the tunes of Nelly Furtado, Fleetwood Mac and Fatboy Slim, then this is totally calling your name.
Running on Saturday, June 6th and Sunday, June 7th, Day Dance has built a cult following since launching in 2017, and honestly, it’s not hard to see why.
The festival describes itself as a place for people who return empty glasses to the bar, give the thank-you wave in traffic and politely stand back from the baggage carousel. In other words, good people who also happen to love breaking it down on the dancefloor.
Saturday will be the ultimate 2000s throwback party, with organisers dubbing it the festival’s ‘mums gone wild’ edition. From 10am to 5pm, Simon Hackett Winery will transform with dance anthems, indie classics and enough throwback tunes to unlock memories you forgot existed. Expect everything from Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Soulja Boy and Destiny’s Child through to The Killers, Vampire Weekend and Childish Gambino.
Sunday takes things up another level, with the festival expanding into neighbouring venue Tipi Lane, adding another stage overlooking the Willunga Hills, a massive 450-square-metre marquee and six different music themes spread across both venues. Festivalgoers are encouraged to roam or dance freely between the two sites all day long.
Music lovers can jump between everything from ‘Straight Country Bangers’ and ‘1980s Power Ballads’ to indie classics and current pop hits from artists like Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter and Drake.
Alongside the tunes, there’ll be local wine, food vendors and the kind of relaxed McLaren Vale atmosphere that somehow makes even the biggest dancefloor feel like a backyard party with friends.
And for those wanting to leave the car at home, return bus transfers are available for $35 from The Highway, The Havelock and The Ramsgate Hotels.
With final release tickets now on sale, Day Dance is shaping up to be one of the most fun ways to spend the June long weekend.
Day Dance
Where: Simon Hackett Winery and Tipi Lane, McLaren Vale
When: Saturday June 6th and Sunday June 7th
For more information, click here.
