Backstage pass

What began as a 22nd birthday in a paddock with a group of mates is now the biggest multiday camping music festival in the state.

Held in the north of Tasmania each February, Party in the Paddock is not just a festival – it’s a wildly creative celebration of the Tasmanian spirit.

At the heart of the festival are three friends – Jesse Higgs, Ryan Limb and Alec Mclelland. “We call it the perfect triangle,” says Ryan. “We’ve got the mind, the body and the spirit.” Together, the trio bring artistic flair, logistical smarts and sheer determination to pull off what they describe as "organised chaos".

Each year the lineup attracts international names and newcomers, with more than half the program featuring local artists. There’s music, of course, but also comedy, drag, yoga, workshops, cultural spaces, political talks, live podcast recordings, skateboarding and even bull riding. It’s as creative as it is unpredictable.

Growing pains

Over its 14-year journey, the festival has survived council crackdowns, personal loss, financial pressure and a pandemic.

In 2013, just days before the second-ever event, a close friend of the founders passed away. "It was a very hard decision to go ahead with the event,"  says Jesse.

As an ongoing tribute to their friend, they kept the festival going.

It grew steadily each year until reaching a “mini-Woodstock moment” in 2015, when thousands more people showed up than expected.

Jesse recalls hastily negotiating with a farmer to “snip this fence” so they could fit everyone in. "Thousands of people just rolled into this unprepped paddock filled with rocks."

It was wild. You know, those were the wild days.

Perched on his car, Jesse looked around and thought to himself, “This is out of hand. This feels like Falls Festival. And I don't really know how to run this.”

He climbed down, ran up to Ryan – who was just a punter in those days – and asked for help. Ryan officially joined the team the following year. “And thank God he did, because I probably would have just gave up at that point,” laughs Jesse.

From haybales to headliners

The trio has an innovative approach to programming, allowing the independently-owned festival to thrive.

“We're not some huge corporation,” says Jesse. “We are independent young people that are really trying to have a crack and we're doing it for the local community.”

There is a real sense of responsibility to make sure Party in the Paddock stays Tasmanian owned and operated.

The festival team has booked global headliners such as Lily Allen, the Darkness, Rudimental, Aurora, Milky Chance and Grouplove – and championed homegrown acts like Amyl and the Sniffers, King Stingray, G Flip and Hermitude. How do they do it? The good old-fashioned way – they write the artists a letter inviting them to Tasmania.

A purpose-fuelled party

Beneath the glitz and glamour, the festival is grounded by its sense of purpose and connection.

“We have a really lovely relationship with the local Tasmanian Aboriginal community. And we’ve been working with different members of the community now for the last 10 years,” says Jesse.

Each year, the festival hosts a ‘Mob Space’ tent and two Welcome to Country ceremonies – one for staff during set-up, and another once the event is in full swing.

“It’s just such a humbling experience to remember that our Western civilisation has only been in this country for a very small amount of time, comparative to what that beautiful culture has,” says Jesse.

The festival actively encourages guests to take care of the festival grounds, operates its bars and food operations with almost no single-use plastic and diverts a huge amount waste away from landfill thanks to its gamified bin system.

The ethos has always been really important to us: ‘d***head-free PITP’. Also, ‘keep the paddock pristine’.

The festival is designed to be an inclusive experience with accessible viewing areas, campsites and amenities for people with limited mobility and people who use wheelchairs. Festival-goers who may need time out from the festivities can access a dedicated sensory-friendly area.  And for campers seeking a calmer festival experience, there is the “Mellow Meadow” campsite – perfect for families attending the event.

The festival has come a long way from a few hundred friends dancing around a haybale stage in 2012. Years later, you can join 13,000 odd revellers letting their hair down at the annual Party in the Paddock. It's a big ask to run a festival but this Tasmanian celebration shows no signs of slowing down.