FESTIVAL ONE
WHAKANGAHAU KOTAHI
24-27 JANUARY ‘25
HARTFORD, KARAPIRO

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1. Introduction 2. What is the soul lounge?3. What we provide4. Our spaces5. Connect6. How to support us7. Register for assistance/support
Inside The Soul Lounge Marquee
The inside of the marquee is shown with dividers pulled back to join different sections.
In the front, several people can be seen sitting on sofasaround a table with a variety of items placed on top.
More people can be seen scattered arouind the space in the background. There are chairs and a powered wheelchair also.
There is bunting hanging from the ceiling and a TV switched on in the back right corner.

The Soul Lounge at Festival One - Breaking Down Barriers Together

Welcome to the Soul Lounge at Festival One.

When a friend and I started Festival One ten years ago, a very dynamic lady by the name of Kylee made herself known! (No surprise to those of you who know her). We first met outside The Music Box stage on a super hot Waikato day as the festival was in full swing. Kylee was thrilled to be able to be at a Festival like this, and brimming with ideas, suggestions and ways to make Festival more friendly for those with differing abilities. By the end of that Festival we’d agreed to stay in touch and get working on it. Which we did. Over the years that morphed into Kylee’s idea of The Soul Lounge - a dedicated space to make accessing a large event like this easier for those who might otherwise find it very difficult. Over the years we got better and better. Kylee met Mike - or was it the other way around? - at Festival and a whole other story story started alongside. Awesome! Along the way we jointly won a couple of awards for accessibility. A great honour.

Then we moved site. Away from the organised and paved Mystery Creek to a gorgeous piece of green fields farm that has been gifted to us to use for Festival One. To be frank, the move is glorious on many fronts, but it has made some things from a Soul Lounge perspective more challenging  - particularly movement around the site for Soul Lounge attendees. Are we working on that? We sure are, but it will take us a few years to catch up to where we were at the old site.

So what does that mean for the Soul Lounge at Festival One 2025? It means that the Soul Lounge itself will be as you are expecting it to be. We have moved the position from last year to place it more centrally for easier movement, but still away from too much noise. We are building a revised Soul Lounge platform beside the sound desk at The One Arena, but we do realise that until we can get more groundwork done getting there will be challenging for some. Apologies. We are working on it. The new Soul Lounge location is closer to the heart of Festival One - The Market, with the Bank, shops, food vendors and general market carry on. And of course there will be all the marvellous things on at the Soul Lounge that you would expect.

Plus - we are doing one more thing differently. If access to stages is harder at the moment, why don’t we bring some of the acts to the Soul Lounge instead? Well … we are. So stand by! Special Soul lounge concerts.

Looking forward to seeing you there in 2025 and going on this journey of constant improvement together. Thanks for your understanding, and will be keen to hear all your feedback so we can catch up to where we were in new circumstances, and then get even better.

G - Festival One Director.

What is the soul lounge?

What we do

At The Soul Lounge, our focus is on creating an accessible and inclusive space at Festival One.

We've carefully crafted The Soul Lounge to serve multiple purposes—it's a lounge, a tenting area, a vibrant community hub, and a place where individuals with disabilities, neurodiversity, differing abilities, illnesses, and injuries can find a welcoming home.

Our commitment is to further accessibility and ensure that as many as possible are included in the Festival One experience.

Who we are for

All festival-goers are welcome to visit our space. We provide specific support for those with access needs, differabilities and disabilities. This includes injuries, illnesses (chronic, acute and invisible), neurodivergence and intellectual differences, mental health issues, anxiety, and sensory sensitivities. We also provide support for caregivers and caregiving families.

Why do we do it

The Soul Lounge was established with a clear mission—to break down barriers to participation, particularly for those with disabilities and differing abilities.

We uphold our values of Tautoko (Acceptance), Aroha (Love), Awhi (Embrace), and Whakatapoko (Accessibility) as the guiding principles of our mission.

We aim to ensure that all individuals can enjoy and partake in festival life, both now and in the future. This journey is about fostering a sense of acceptance, love, and accessibility within the vibrant festival community, where everyone is invited to belong and connect.

What we provide

  • Accessible bathrooms and showers
  • Charging stations for medical equipment
  • Mobility parking
  • Quiet zones with various activities
  • Sensory zone and sensory tent space
  • Medication storage fridges
  • Food for those with equal access needs (pre-registration only)
  • Access to basic kitchen facilities for individuals with restricted diets due to medical needs (limited capacity available, please contact us in advance)
  • Raised platform at the main stage, with nearby accessible bathrooms
  • Dedicated volunteers to help you enjoy being at the marquee and main stage.
  • On-site orientation walkabouts onsite

If you require additional assistance or support, please contact us. We are more than willing to work with you to help you address any unique or individual barriers or circumstances you may face. We have a range of items we can access as needed. The earlier you get in touch the easier this is to do.

Unfortunately, we can not provide

  • Toileting or personal care
  • Heavy lifting (if you need a hoist or assistance transferring between mobility aids, please bring a support person)
  • Medications or medical procedures (basic First Aid is available near The Soul Lounge)
  • Safekeeping of your financial belongings
  • Support workers, oversight, overnight care, and one-on-one assistance around the site.

Other important informatioN

  • Any individual camping with The Soul Lounge under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult guardian camping with them in The Soul Lounge area also.  
  • If you are bringing a child with a disability, please register them for both The Soul Lounge and the Kids Space. We have a close working relationship with Kids Space to ensure a positive experience for your child.

Our spaces

The Soul Lounge Marquee is shown across the front of the picture against a dark blue evening sky.
The side panels are drawn back to create 6sections of the marquee where the light from within shines out.

The Soul Lounge Marquee

Our primary community hub, The Soul Lounge Marquee, is where you can connect, relax, and socialize with our team and fellow festival-goers. Inside, you'll find comfy seating with sofas, chairs, and beanbags, fans, a hydration station, an art and book corner, various games, and live feed broadcasts from the One Arena. Enjoy engaging guest speaker events and occasional guest artists. Outside the marquee, there are picnic tables, beanbags, and outdoor games for unwinding and connecting during your Festival One experience.

The inside of The Soul Lounge Marquee is shown angling towards one end of the space. A table can be seen in front with a variety of games anditems placed on top. There are several arm chairs and beanbags to the centre and left, and a sofa with more armchairs along the right wall. In the back corner, a TV and speakers can be seen. Hanging from the ceiling is bunting and a string of round lamps.

One Arena Platform

Designed for accessibility, the One Arena Platform ensures a great view for those in wheelchairs and those with mobility and access need requirements with the support of our volunteers nearby. This can also serve as a space for neurodiversity, and those who may feel overwhelmed from the crowds. Our Soul Lounge Volunteers will be on hand to assist whenever the stage is open for performances. Comforts include deck chairs, power for charging mobility equipment, and easy access to assistance. An accessible bathroom is nearby. The platform area also serves as a gathering point for The Soul Lounge community and transport meet point for support to and from the Soul Lounge Marquee.

People sit in chairs and wheelchairs side by side in a row with a lady standing to the right of them. They are facing to the left of the camera.They are on a raised platform with a bar across the front. Below them, a lady can be seen sitting in a row of camp chairs. Behind them, a building is seen to the left and large scaffolding just off centre, with trees either side.
The back view of the platform shows a mixture of people standing and sitting in wheelchairs or mobility scooters.  They are facing away from the camera. In the background, the main stage is shown with a high backdrop, bright lights and a large TV screen to both sides.

Rest Zone

Our quiet rest space in the overnight marquee is available for those with disabilities or illness who need a cool, peaceful place to rest during the day. It's closely monitored to maintain a quiet atmosphere, ensuring access for those who need it.

Sensory Space

Within the main marquee, our Sensory Space provides a calm environment for reading, drawing, coloring, and other activities. Upon request, access to sensory boxes is available, filled with fidgets and sensory tools. For those deeply overwhelmed, our exclusive sensory tent offers a tranquil retreat, accessible by permission only. It provides a serene space with sensory chairs, headphones, soothing lights, and a secure area for personal reflection.

Tenting / Accommodation:

We offer various accommodation options, including tents and caravans. For those who cannot stay in a tent or caravan, we have limited space in a marquee with single beds. Hospital beds can be arranged based on need and capacity.

Meals

For those camping with The Soul Lounge who need support with meals due to access needs, we may be able to help you with this, so please get in touch with us.

Hiring of gear

We have a small selection of camping gear available for hire. This is not guaranteed due to the small stock and is first in first served. If you are needing to hire gear, get in touch with soullounge@festival.one as soon as you can and we will do our best in assisting you with your requests.

Festival One 2025

It's crucial to recognise that Hartford Farms is a year-round working farm with cattle, which results in varying levels of accessibility from year to year. The accessibility at this location differs significantly from our previous venue at Mystery Creek. Please be aware that this year at Hartford Farms, not all stages are accessible to our disability community, and site accessibility will vary based on individual needs and your comfort with uneven terrain.

We understand that every person's disability experience is unique. We are fully committed, in partnership with Festival One, to building a highly accessible event in the years to come.

Why should you attend the festival this year? Because we're dedicated to creating a sense of community where we can collectively shape the future we desire. We invite you to embark on this journey with us, starting from where we are and believing in what's possible for our future events at this venue.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. We value your input and thoughts as we navigate this journey together towards greater accessibility + inclusivity.

How to connect with us

A man sits in a modified tricycle facing to the right of the camera. He is wearing a helmet and orange high-visibility vest. An orange flag extends up to the left. To the right of him, a woman sits in a powered wheelchair facing towards him. She is wearing a dark tshirt with a purple high-visability vest on the back of her chair. In the background, a green tent is shown with a flap door propped open towards the blue skies up above.

Email:  soullounge@festival.one

Facebook – The Soul Lounge at Festival One

Instagram — The Soul Lounge at Festival One

Register: You can register with us by completing the form below. This helps us to prepare for and ensures we can cater for anyone’s specific access needs.

register for assistance/support

How to support us

Spread the word

Tell others in your community about us

Like us on Facebook – The Soul Lounge at Festival One

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Volunteer with us

Find more information here

Register for assistance/support

We love having the Soul Lounge as an integral part of Festival One.

For 2025, the team would love to hear from you if festival environments aren't within reach for you, or if you require assistance/support. We'd love to get to know you, have a chat, and see where we can help to make your attendance at Festival a reality. Why do I need to complete this form?

Although you do not have to provide us with any information to attend Festival, we are better able to cater for your needs if we are aware ahead of time. By connecting with you in advance, we are able to offer a more personalised service suited to your individual needs, and we are also able to ensure we have enough equipment to cater for the Festival One community.

Register here
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