The Red Tent Festival

"The Red Tent Festival offers women the gift of embracing all aspects and experiences of pregnancy, childbirth and beyond, so that we can blossom and move forward, to welcome the possibility of positive and fulfilling birth experiences for all women."

On Saturday 7 November, the Federal Hall, Church and surrounding area will be transformed into the first Red Tent Festival to be held in Byron Shire, a celebration of women and birth.

The festival incorporates a variety of workshops and films that will help women process previous birth experiences, prepare for birth and be informed of many aspects of maternity care. These will be followed by the main event, a very special, intimate and inspiring night featuring 8 local women bravely sharing their unique birth stories

The event evolved out of local midwife and festival organiser, Suzanne Weir’s love of listening to birth stories. When Suzanne heard about the Be Bold Organisation, a movement initiated in New York that encourages women in each community to come together and share their birth stories, she decided it was definitely something she wanted to have here in her home town. After gaining the support of the Northern Rivers Maternity Action Group, The Red Tent Festival was born.

The festival has been kept women-only in accordance with the cultural customs of Aunty June Gordon, a Widajabul Elder who will be one of women telling her birth tale in the evening. The Be Bold organisation also encourages such events to be women only to encourage intimacy and trust within the audiences so that the story tellers are free to speak honestly about the sometimes challenging experience of pregnancy and birth.

The festival will be officially opened at 2pm. There will be something for everyone, with the festival grounds filled with various talks, workshops, birthing films, art-space, information stall and yummy Middle Eastern food and drinks. The day will focus on positive pregnancy messages and birthing experiences.

The intimate evening of birth stories begins at 6pm and will feature a variety of women sharing their diverse and very personal experiences in childbirth. In the first of its kind for this region, the night promises plenty of tears of joy, inspiration, sadness and complete awe at what it is to experience childbirth.

Being the first of what organisers hope will be many Red Tent Festival’s in years to come, nu mbers for both the workshops and the special evening have been limited so women are encouraged to purchase tickets early to avoid disappointment.

Women of all ages and stages of life are welcomed to participate in the full program of workshops, films and birth stories. Separate tickets for the afternoon or evening sessions are also available.

All proceeds from the festival will go towards the Northern Rivers Maternity Action Group, an organisation dedicated to providing all women in the Northern Rivers with their preferred birth choices.

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