Four summer days of folk, world, roots, bluegrass, gypsy and Celtic music, plus poetry, comedy and dance – what a joy!

Artistic director David De Santi, who has participated in the festival every year as a volunteer since its inception in Jamberoo in 1986, confirmed that the festival is the biggest musical event of the region with a playlist of more than 155 artists, arriving from every corner of the world.

Set in the spectacular northern Illawarra Escarpment in Bulli Showground, the festival has 11 on-site venues and is a family friendly village with action from early morning to late night.

It offers superb music from 160 international, national and local artists performing in over 400 concerts plus a colourful array of international food stalls, craft stalls and the festival bar.

There is camping onsite and top quality accommodation nearby.

The Green Music Train provides an environmentally sound way to get to the festival.

The festival commenced on Thursday with a Charity Concert and concluded on Sunday evening with a huge finale with the Festival Choir, Orchestra and special guests.

In 2019, the Illawarra Folk Festival celebrated 34 years of presenting live music in the Illawarra region.

There was an eclectic mix of personalities and artists who came to Bulli for a weekend which represented much more than simple folk music.

De Santi, with his accordion and accompanied by his band, has played more than 20 concerts over the years since the first festival.

He said that every summer the principal scope of the event is “community and participation”.

“We could be a lot more commercial and get much bigger acts involved,” he added.

“But we have around 50 local artists and the rest come from all over Australia, with 15 international acts.”

Just like the other 350 volunteers, De Santi is not paid for his work.

The Bluescope engineer dedicates hundreds of hours to the festival each year for the simple joy of folk music.

Also to his name is a compilation book of music, called Zumpa: A folk musician’s Italian tune collection, which includes 63 traditional and popular folk songs from Italy, including tarantellas, saltarellos and old tunes.

De Santi’s parents are from Vallo Della Lucania in Campania.

The IFF involves both non-local attendees plus residents who live in the north of Wollongong.

Musicians often play on the streets during periods of inactivity; it’s normal to hear the sounds of a violin late at night.

But as De Santi and other fans of the Illawarra Folk Festival testify, the 12,000 people who participate are a friendly crowd who love music and art in whatever form it is presented.

One of the frequent festivalgoers is Campbell “Swaggie” Irvine, who has been travelling around Australia for 40 years.

The itinerant poet is easily recognisable in a cowboy cap with long white hair and a beard, and a wrist full of coloured bands which are festival entrance tickets.

Nick Hartgerink, volunteer at IFF, said that he has seen Swaggie in Bulli many times over the years, “a character famous for travelling from one festival to another to recite his poetry, maintaining the traditions of poets and swagmen alive and claiming to have remained fascinated by Australian bush music after seeing the band Bushwackers play in New Zealand in the early ‘70s.”

With the festival now over, De Santi and his band Zumpa will play on Sunday, February 2, at Davies Park Market, in West End, Brisbane.