The organisers of the NSW Hunter Valley’s Wollombi Music Festival are taking a stand against Wicked Campers, the brand of campervans-for-hire that you often see splashed with grossly misogynistic images and slogans.
Exhibit A.
They’ve made a move to ban the offensive vehicles completely from this year’s event, which is celebrating its 10 year anniversary this September.
Slamming the company’s “pathetically unfunny and misogynistic slogans”, promoter Adrian Buckley has released a statement explaining his decision to turf the proverbial gutters-on-wheels from the festival space.
“As a festival we’ve worked hard to not only grow as an event but also as an event dedicated to doing good things in and beyond our community,” he tells Scenstr.
“We’re great believers in embracing inclusivity and diversity at Wollombi and creating a space where everyone can feel comfortable, safe and enjoy themselves. Love is the driving value of Wollombi. Love for music, love for the arts and love for each other.”
His statement continues:
“For years we’ve had concerns about any Wicked Campers turning up at the festival with some of their pathetically unfunny and misogynistic slogans splattered across its panels. We’ve actively discouraged people from hiring them and encouraged patrons to look elsewhere, but this year we’ve decided to ban them full-stop. Not just if a van has a demeaning slogan. If ANY Wicked Camper turns up at the fest they won’t be welcome.
We know other events like Splendour have voiced their opposition, but we’re not sure if any other festival has banned them outright. We know we’re small, but any impact we can have on changing the culture of demeaning and abusing women disguised as good fun or an example of free speech we will.
We want other festivals in Australia to join us and let Wicked Campers and their sociopathic owner John Webb know abuse of women has to stop and Wicked Campers needs to change.”
Adding to the statement in a Facebook post, Buckley continues: “As festival fans it’s always galled us to see this pathetic company trading off the romanticism of hitting the road for summer festival season, enjoying good times with your mates, freedom & sunshine all at the expense of women all over the country.
“The world is turning, this kind of stuff needs to be called out & we hope others will follow our small lead & do the same thing.”
Read some of Wollombi Music Festival’s Instagram posts re: Wicked Campers below, and you can catch the festival going down from September 27 – 29 (lineup TBA).
