Off the Grid is a solar powered celebration of music, art and creative ways to change the world. The annual music festival aims to do more than help you party, they’re committed to reconsidering cities and the lives they home. Recognising the world’s resources are running out, and we’re largely turning a blind eye to our decaying planet, they’re all about everyday activism.
Last week, thousands people descended on Melbourne CBD on the longest day of the year to prove a festival can be an eco, and educational, event. With sound systems completely run on solar panels, they managed to host a 10-hour party marathon without sending any material to landfill. Their dreams extend beyond the dance floor though, they’re aiming to eventually help power the whole city — one solar project at a time.
We headed down to talk to partiers about the way they’re working to make the world a better place and ensure the future is green and beautiful.
What’s your name? Jacob.
What are you wearing? Nike shoes and jacket, Neuw pants and a Savers tee.
What attracted you to Off The Grid? I initially bought a ticket but then I got asked to bartend which brings me to this present moment.
How are you personally contributing to keeping our planet green? I use green bags when shopping, Keep Cups for my coffee. I’m conscious of how I dispose of waste that is not biodegradable.
What would you like to see more sustainable and environmentally friendly? Cigarette butts made out of organic matter, use of plastics cut down.
What musical acts are you looking forward to? The Senegambian Jazz Band were gorgeous.

What’s your name? Emina.
What are you wearing? A Kowtow jumpsuit, Puma platforms.
What attracted you to Off the Grid? The whole concept is really great, and the music. Love NOZU.
How are you personally contributing to keeping our planet green? I’m vegan! I recycle and do all the things, I’m just very conscious of waste.
What would you like to see made more sustainable and environmentally friendly? Festivals! I hate how you have to buy bottled water at festivals, all the waste is fucked. More renewable energy, thats why I like Off the Grid because they’re actually trying to do something different.
What musical acts are you looking forward to? NOZU and Bendy Ben, the dancer from Chunky Move is a friend of mine.

What are your names? Joseph and Oliva.
What are you wearing?
J: Everything vintage and Converse.
O: My dads shirt from the 70s, Djour Jeans.
What attracted you to Off the Grid?
O: I worked in an eco-friendly hotel in Queenstown and I met Ross who runs Off the Grid there, he told me about the festival and I thought it sounded awesome!
How are you personally contributing to keeping our planet green?
J: I recycle.
O: I have my own compost and I rarely use plastic.
What would you like to see made more sustainable and environmentally friendly?
J: More clean renewable energy, it doesn’t seem very sustainable the way we’re going currently.
O: Food! Australia is like a mini America, everything is so mass produced.
What musical acts are you looking forward to?
O: JNETT and Andy Frost!
J: Chunkymoves as well.

What’s your name? Kirsty.
What are you wearing? My sister’s old vintage jeans, a vintage swimsuit, a bumbag I designed for Client Liaison, my mother’s vintage robe, teeth necklace and a vintage cap!
What attracted you to Off the Grid? The concept is great, it’s nice to have some guilt free partying!
How are you personally contributing to keeping our planet green? I don’t consume or waste a lot, I don’t drink or smoke, I buy a lot of vintage clothing.
What would you like to see made more sustainable and environmentally friendly? Packaging is ridiculous! Working as a designer when things get delivered everything is wrapped in so much unnecessary plastic.
What musical acts are you looking forward to? Love NOZU!

What’s your name? Daisy.
What are you wearing? Vogue sunnies, Daisy top, MinkPink pants, ripoff platform Converse.
What attracted you to Off the Grid? I got asked if I wanted to go by a friend, didn’t really know what it was, looked into it, there are good DJs, it’s in the middle of the week which is fun, and it’s solar powered!
How are you personally contributing to keeping our planet green? Try to recycle, I’m always picking up litter if I see it, turning off lights, try and plant trees.
What would you like to see made more sustainable/environmentally friendly? More accessible bike lanes, I wanna ride to uni but it’s frightening and there are too many cars. More water fountains so you don’t have to buy bottled water.
What musical acts are you looking forward to? JNETT and András.

What’s your name? Rosie.
What are you wearing? Uniqlo tee, vintage Levi’s shorts and jacket, Nine Richie vintage sunnies, Doc sandals and a Witu bag.
What attracted you to Off the Grid? The way that they’re putting the idea into practice with sustainability and being ambitious with it, also the community mindedness.
How are you personally contributing to keeping our planet green? I try to be conscious about buying second hand wherever possible, buying eco friendly products for the house, being really conscious about not wasting food and buying it ethically.
What would you like to see made more sustainable and environmentally friendly? Transportation, more bike lanes! And greener energy policies from the government.
What musical acts are you looking forward to? NOZU and JNETT.
What was your favourite discussion of the day? The last talk (Timothy Hill and Bronwyn Johnson), it was about the importance of optimism with active change.

What’s your name? Paddlebrush.
What are you wearing? My new Nokia phone keychain, my best friends favourite t-shirt, thrifted pants, they’re a bit big.
What attracted you to Off the Grid? I just think that the way everything is going at the moment, it’s really exciting that people are organising these kinds of events that are trying something different and bringing people together with music and new technologies. There’s a really good sense of community.
What would you like to see made more sustainable and environmentally friendly? Definitely move away from fossil fuels, less coal mines. More people questioning what we do in everyday life and how we live our lives is pretty important. I would like to see Australians entering a more cyclical economy, appreciating what we have instead of creating more stuff.
What musical acts are you looking forward to? Everything!
Credits
Photography Lekk Porter