Wide Open Space Festival

01/12/2024

Huddle in everyone.

We have some sad news to share with you.

We have had to make the difficult decision to cancel Wide Open Space in 2025. The financial risk was too much for us to handle and with only half of our budgeted grants coming through, we just couldn’t make it happen this year.

We want to thank the amazing and awesome crew who have been understanding, although disappointed that we have had to cancel next year’s event.

We thank the Ryder family for allowing WOS to happen on Eastern Arrernte land, without whose support we would never have started it and Marie Ellis for cultural guidance and connecting us.

We want to thank NTMEC, for the ongoing support, who did award us a grant that we will not be utilising. We look forward to your support in the future.

We want to thank Ross River Resort for working with us to date and we look forward to seeing what the future holds..

We want to thank 8CCC Community Radio 102.1fm - Alice Springs & Tennant Creek, MusicNT and Off The Leash for your on-going support and for all you do for the music and arts community in Central Australia and the Northern Territory.

Thanks to CUB/Asahi for your support for the beers over the years.

Thanks to all of you who have created the reason for WOS, without you turning up whether to play, perform, dance, build, pack down or to party - we wouldn’t have got this far.

We don’t know what the future holds for WOS but if it is to continue then it will need energy and guidance from people across the Alice Spring and WOS community.

We are keen to work with those who are willing and able to help transition WOS to a new structure that can leverage more sustainable funding. So, if you want to make WOS 2026 happen then get in contact.

Much love, stay safe this summer season and please, go out and support music venues and festivals wherever you are.

We love you and will miss you next year, but this is not yet goodbye.

WOS Directors
Jimmy and Rodney

23/10/2024

If you're in Victoria around New Years Eve, you'll probably bump into a bunch of WOS crew and similar community vibes down at Tanglewood Festival.

Looking forward to some fun times with some of the best.

Grab your tickets here:

Tanglewood Music & Arts Festival is a boutique festival that brings you over 30 hours of local, live acoustic, bands & electronic musicians.

23/10/2024

Who would put their hand up to attend Wide Open Space in 2025? Tag the friends you think might want to come if we can make it happen at Ross River again May 2-4 2025.
Photos by Oliver Eclipse Photography

19/08/2024

Wide Open Space Festival is shocked and saddened by the news of one of our own WOS family passing suddenly and tragically.
It’s taken a few days to be able to find the words. None seem like that hold enough weight or truly express how sad and shocked we’re feeling.

Steph Born has been a key part of WOS over the past few years. Working in the background as part of the Operations team, keeping it all safe, keeping it together. We, like many of her family and friends from across the country are mourning our dear friend and crew member. We send love and condolences to her family in Victoria and the Tanglewood community.

Steph was someone you could depend on, if she said she was going to do something, it would be done. She was a caring, considerate and compassionate soul, always working towards the greater good for everyone involved.

This year at WOS, Steph worked in Ops, Markets Manager, Safety Officer and Crew Kitchen Boss for the packdown. She just got in and did what needed to be done. She brought her Mum (Kathy) and brother (Leigh) and extended Tanglewood family up to WOS this year.

We're all hurting and grieving the loss of our dear friend. We love you and we're so sorry you're gone. You'll live on in our hearts forever, but for now - we're all grieving and still shocked that you're no longer here.

02/07/2024

Great to see LJ Devlin and her business Triptic being recognised for the leadership, innovation and shear determination to build the capability, capacity and profile of the events sector in the Northern Territory.

You're a legend and we love you!

https://jointheterritory.nt.gov.au/work/further-employment-opportunities/small-business-and-startups/testimonials/lj-devlin?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2wsamRYQwWaw_-rCX7xLn3Q6VIO1MrrwhGKqu0f0mU68relj3dU7ejU5M_aem_rq_6jtpYzluThhelF4mBEA

“The Territory has truly been a game-changing experience for me.

28/06/2024

What a night that WOS!

Thank you so much to MusicNT for the NT Music Award for Best Metro Festival!
We are so proud to be nominated among some awesome Territory festivals and to win is such a wonderful acknowledgement of the years of work, love and passion that has gone into this festival.
This award recognise all the hard work of so many within the Alice Springs community, as well as so many incredible interstate friends who have helped us make Wide Open Space the special festival that it is.

Massive shout out to the fellas with the vision that was WOS, Jimmy Cocking, Rodney Angelo & Scott De Large, you started something beautiful ❤️

To the crew who’ve worked their guts out for the last few years to WOS to this point, we can not thank you enough.

To all the artists and performers who have contributed so much to this festival over the years, there’s no festival without you.

To the Alice Springs community for all the years of dancing up a dust storm, we love you.

Thank you Music NT for celebrating and supporting Territory Music. It was wonderful to see so many Mparntwe artists not just nominated, but winning awards!
Big shout outs to The Wanted Gems, Katanga Junior, Paul Ah Chee, Dave Crowe Music, Greg Barnes and a massive shout out to our bro Marc Peckham for winning Somg of the Year!

Such a creative hot spot the Centre is!

26/05/2024

Can't believe it's been 3 weeks since that stunning Sunday at Wide Open Space Festival!

Relive the unforgettable moments with our Sunday highlight video, full of incredible music, good vibes, and good times.

Who else is still riding that festival high? 🙌

25/05/2024

Wonderful write up about this years Wide Open Space Festival from Scenestr! Their writer really got around to seeing soooo much over the weekend and really enjoyed the local Alice Springs acts holding it down over the weekend.

Live review of 2024 Wide Open Space music festival, staged at Ross River Resort, Central Desert, 3-5 May, 2024.

16/05/2024

Great shots of WOS by Swoosh2v