Sunshine Coast teenagers (and parents) are being called to grab the glitter and get ready for a fun-fuelled festival on the banks of Lake Kawana on Saturday 6 May 2023, with Nurture Festival bringing live music performances from acclaimed artists such as Hatchie, DOOLIE and Mayah. 

Festival organizer and endED Co-Founder and Chairman, Mark Forbes is thrilled that the event date is set after last year’s event being so well received.

“The festival is unique as it aims to bring together teenagers aged between 12 and 18 to have a fun day of music and activities, but also to connect them with a supportive and ‘nurturing’ local community that offers young people with tools and resources equipping them for mental health and wellbeing challenges,” said Mr Forbes.

“We are encouraging people to bring along the family or come with a group of friends and enjoy top artists such as Hatchie, DOOLIE, Mayah, Tony Hobart, Greatest Hits, and Emma Beau, participate in workshops or activities such as skateboard art, yoga, taking to the lake outrigging, drone-racing competitions, silent theatre with headphones provided and visit our Speaker’s Corner that will have a full program of engaging presenters.

“Nurture Festival holds the powerful potential to save a young person’s life by providing a unique and direct connection and pathway to the support they need on their mental health journey.”

“Not only bringing our kids together, this event also recognizes how important it is to include parents and carers into the conversation.”

The festival was launched last year as a response to the devastating mental health statistics surrounding young people nationally and the need for them to be connected to appropriate support services.

Rates of suicide on the Sunshine Coast are 9.1% higher than the Australian average, in additional to this, research shows eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses and we’ve seen a 60% increase in restrictive eating and a 30% increase in binge eating since the on-set of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Key headline act and Sunshine Coast singer-songwriter performer, Mayah will be performing for the second year in a row and also taking to the stage in the Speaker’s Tent with her mum Karen Clarke – an author, Transformational Mindset Coach, and Director of ‘Simply for Success Pty Ltd’.

“Nurture Festival is so much fun and there are heaps of opportunities to hear awesome live music, but it is also about connecting like-minded people and raising awareness for key mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing challenges that can face teenagers,” said Mayah.

“Nurture Festival is a welcoming and safe space where kids can just be themselves in a fun, judgement-free and expressive way.

“Music is such a transformative way to bring people together and we are hoping that people will walk away from the day feeling empowered and well-supported.”

Karen and Maya will be speaking alongside a program of guests in the Speakers Corner, including  Jenna with the Pink – a body positivity advocate with a one million strong following on TikTok, Aspy Jones, The Atomic Beau Project, EndEd.

Mr Forbes is excited that this year sees the festival having fostered partnerships with eight local schools and 25 community groups, all of who will be attending on the day and hopefully attracting an anticipated 2000 people.

“It is our wish that we reach out to as many young people as possible to let them know that despite the problems that they might be experiencing either at home or school, they are not alone and that there are lots of places to turn in a time of need,” said Mr Forbes.

“This event might just be the place to find that new best friend, create long-lasting memories or connect more closely with your family.”

Nurture Festival is an entertainment packed, drug and alcohol free, safe space for first time festival goers and families.

Tickets are amazing value at only $19 for general admission plus special offers for families and bigger groups. Buy two kid tickets for $38 and get two adult tickets free. Buy 10 tickets for $152 and get two free.

Every Nurture Festival ticket purchased before 6 May automatically places you in our amazing raffle to WIN a week on K’gari at the Footsteps on Fraser valued at $5000.

For more information and to book tickets, visit www.nurturefestival.com.au.

Speaker & performer profiles

Jenna with the Pink

Jenna with the Pink is an Adelaide-based presenter, content creator and TikTok sensation with over 1 million followers. Her content is primarily targeted towards tween and teen girls who admire her confidence, self-love, and positive messages.

As a previous Miss Universe Australia finalist and former model who struggled with an eating disorder, Jenna is passionate about promoting body positivity and self-acceptance among her audience. Her experience has helped her connect with young girls who may also be struggling with their self-image, and she uses her platform to encourage them to love and accept themselves for who they are.

Jenna’s advocacy for fighting period poverty has also gained her a large following. Her funny and engaging videos tackle common female experiences, making her relatable to her audience.

Jenna is a trusted voice in the online community, and her messages of empowerment and self-love have struck a chord with young girls.

Mayah and Karen, Heart to Heart

Mayah and Karen are a Sunshine Coast mother-daughter duo who have teamed up to share their knowledge and experience on various topics related to family dynamics, finding your voice, effective communication, and being heard. Karen is an author, Transformational Mindset Coach, and Director of ‘Simply for Success Pty Ltd.’ She is also certified in NLP, Hypnosis, and Time Line Therapy® by the ABNLP and TLTA. Karen is passionate about helping people experience sustainable behavioural change and works closely with a local not-for-profit supporting individuals and families in crisis.

On the other hand, Mayah is a talented singer-songwriter. She is a pop and rock artist with over 500,000 streams on Spotify. One of her latest songs, ‘Loved & Lost,’ is a beautiful exploration of grief and has over 90,000 views on YouTube. Mayah is also a strong advocate for mental, emotional, and social well-being, and her music reflects these values.

Mayah and Karen’s topics of discussion include bullying, social media, relationships, empathy, and self-awareness and self-care.