Every summer, thousands of young people make their way to one of Perth’s biggest music festivals, Wildlands.
For some, it is about seeing their favourite artists. For others, it is the atmosphere, the friends and the memories that are made.
However, as music festivals across Australia face increasing challenges, Wildlands continues to attract large crowds. So, what is keeping people coming back?
For Wildlands attendee Ruby Hobbs, the answer starts with the music.
“I have been attending Wildlands for as long as I have been allowed to, so since I was 18,” Hobbs said.
“What keeps me coming back every year is that they have great lineups and always bring in different artists compared to other festivals, which makes it so unique and exciting,” Hobbs said.
But the attraction extends beyond the music. Hobbs said the festival’s range of stages and atmosphere gives attendees the freedom to shape their own experience throughout the day.
“I think Wildlands is unique because you have so many cool stages with different vibes, so you can always choose what you want to see and have breaks from things,” she said.
For Hobbs, however, Wildlands is about more than the music. The festival also provides an opportunity to connect with friends and feel part of a wider community.
Hobbs said, “I think it brings a sense of belonging when people love an artist and Wildlands brings them to Perth.”
“It’s also a great chance to get together with your friends and bring a bit of a community together.”
That sense of community is something Wildlands head promoter and DJ Santi Ricaurte Toro believes has contributed to the festival’s success.
Ricaurte Toro, who will also perform at Wildlands in 2027, believes the festival’s connection with Perth’s local music community has also played a role in its success.
“I think it helps a lot because it gets the community involved a lot more, rather than just selling ads,” he said.
Wildlands’ ability to understand its audience may also be a key reason it has continued to thrive.
Ricaurte Toro, believes the festival has remained successful by paying attention to what younger audiences actually want to hear.
“I believe it’s because they have a really good pulse on what’s popular at the moment,” he said.
According to Ricaurte Toro, festivals that fail to keep up with changing tastes risk losing younger audiences who are unwilling to spend money on artists they no longer connect with.
For a festival competing for the attention and money of young Australians, staying relevant can be just as important as securing a ‘big name’ lineup.
Wildlands has also become a significant part of Perth’s electronic music scene, according to Ricaurte Toro. Bringing new artists to the city can introduce audiences to music they may not otherwise encounter.
“People discover new artists, which eventually leads to growth in the music scene, especially the electronic music scene, which is really good,” Ricaurte Toro said.
For Hobbs, that combination of music, atmosphere and friendship is what makes the festival memorable.
“I would tell people who are yet to attend a Wildlands festival that it is immaculate vibes, music, food, and friends,” she said.
“I’ve created so many memories there that I will never forget.”
Those memories may be one of the biggest reasons Wildlands continues to draw people back. Although artists and lineups change each year, the experience of attending with friends remains.
As other festivals struggle to maintain audiences, Wildlands’ success suggests that a festival needs to offer more than a collection of artists on a stage.
It needs to give people a reason to return.
For thousands of young people, Wildlands has become more than a festival. In an industry where staying relevant is increasingly difficult, its ability to evolve while giving audiences a reason to return could be the secret to its success.
Ava Tavolaro
Ava Tavolaro - a journalism and broadcast media student with a passion for sports media.
