Music

Alongside visiting artists, the 2025 festival will again showcase the cream of local musical talent, introducing songs written in collaboration for the event with senior elder Hazel Walgar. Songs are written in community workshops with traditional Baiyungu stories forming the basis of contemporary songs. The songs written for the inaugural festival in 2023 told the traditional story of the meeting of Willara and Jirndarl, the sun and the moon, culminating in the solar eclipse. Workshops leading up to the 2025 festival are underway and have created new music to be performed at the event by the festival band.

With musical direction from David Hyams, the band features Baiyungu woman and Traditional Owner of Ningaloo coast Hazel Walgar on vocals, David Hyams on guitars, Grammy award winning pedal steel player Lucky Oceans, virtuoso bassist Roy Martinez, Kill Devil Hills drummer Todd Pickett and Traezehl Kelly on digeridoo. As well as performing its own set, the 2025 festival band will provide backing for festival headliners Shane Howard and Fred Ryan.