Wonderfruit, the festival that’s unlike any other festival around the world, is back this year for another four days of mind-bending culture and activities. Wonderfruit always has a lineup of events that runs the gamut from sustainability to supernatural, and this year is no different. There will be talks and workshops on everything from batik to blockchain; fine dining and street fare; explorations of the human condition and our obsession with plastic; and of course, incredible music from around the world.
It was incredibly hard to choose just five highlights, but here they are. (Also, an activated cat stretch workshop. A unique bath house experience. The Wonder Farm! And the Serpentine Walkway…)
An immersive installation built from beach trash
You just know that A Singing Sea is going to be a powerful experience. Exploring our plastic obsession is an overarching theme for this year’s Wonderfruit, and A Singing Sea does that with a bell-shaped installation by Satit Raksasri, adorned by discarded materials collected from Thailand’s beaches and seas.
A 3D musical environment
Sounds trippy, and also amazing. Polygon Live will be creating a bamboo structure in which advanced sensory technology, holographic visuals and spacialised sound come together. It’s 3D, virtual-reality sound technology, which means musicians will be able to musically move sound around you. Has to be experienced to be believed.
A zero-waste bar
What does zero waste mean when it comes to drinks? Literally nothing will go to waste – bartender Mark Lloyd will be serving up different drinks every day, and all of them will focus on using entire fruits, from skin to seed. You too, can learn the art of zero waste cocktails, at his workshop.
A performance installation of 124 umbrellas
Movement performer Elin Eyborg will be orchestrating a performance installation of 124 handcrafted, hand-painted, cotton umbrellas that will open like flowers in the mornings, and close up in the evenings. The 45-minute performances will be interactive and engaging.
The view from the Dew Flower
Take in the view of the whole festival and grounds from the Dew Flower, a water tower designed by PO-D Architects, inspired by ceremonial pieces from northeastern Thailand. It’s a lookout point, but also functional, collecting water from the air (festival-goers can help out by hopping on swings to shake down the captured droplets).
