Real Festival draws record attendance and unforgettable moments

Wednesday, 20 September 2023

The incredible line up of free live music, performers, workshops, market stalls and food vendors drew a record crowd to Real Festival held at Tench Reserve, Nepean River over the weekend.

Festival organisers Penrith City Council, are thrilled to announce that this year's event, held from 15 – 17 September, exceeded all expectations, drawing 50,000 attendees over the course of the festivities.

After a challenging few years and the postponement of this much-loved event, Real Festival made a triumphant comeback, rekindling the spirit of the community and delivering an unforgettable experience for attendees of all ages. The festival grounds were abuzz with excitement, creativity, and unity as families, friends, and art enthusiasts converged to celebrate the festival's long-awaited return.

Penrith Mayor Cr Tricia Hitchen said this year’s Real Festival was a fantastic success.

"I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Council staff, volunteers and every member of our community who contributed to making this year's Real Festival a resounding success. Your dedication and support have made a significant impact, Cr Hitchen said.

“The success of this year's event would not have been possible without the
support of our wonderful sponsors and I would like to thank Destination NSW, Busways, KIIS FM, the Blue Mountains Gazette and The Western Weekender.

“As Real Festival bids farewell for this year, Penrith City Council are already looking ahead to the future 2024 program. The success of the 2023 event has set the stage for even greater things to come, and plans are already in motion for the next instalment of this much-loved festival,” Cr Hitchen said.

Keep up to date with the 2024 dates via the Real Festival social pages:

Facebook.com/realfestivalpenrith
Instagram.com/realfestival

Information contained within this news release was correct as at Wednesday, 20 September 2023.