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The inaugural Summer Festival of Lord Howe Island will be held from 27 January to 2 February 2019 with a packed program of live music, guided adventure activities, adventure races, yoga classes, cooking classes, wine tastings, long picnic lunches and amazing dinners. 

The highlights include:

1. Intimate evening performances from multiple ARIA award winner, Jeff Lang, who’s described by Rolling Stone Magazine as “Australia’s best roots-music musician”

2. Yoga classes with yoga-guru to the stars, Charlotte Dodson

3. Cooking classes and wine tastings with Tom Kime, a protégé of Rick Stein, Ruth Rogers and David Thompson, and author of six excellent cookbooks

4. An invitation to compete in the inaugural Three Peaks Adventure Race and a chance to win a free seven night stay at Pinetrees Lodge for two people Director of Pinetrees Lodge, Luke Hanson, says “imagine everything that Lord Howe Island is celebrated for, in perfect summer weather, with a great Australian musician, and you’ll understand just how good our Summer Festival will be”.

While Lord Howe is well-known for its pristine World Heritage beaches, mountains, forests and coral reef, it’s never been a destination for high quality live music due to luggage restrictions on the small Qantas Dash-8 planes that service the island. This time, thanks to support from Qantas, the island will have an exceptional new dimension through the performances of Jeff Lang.

Luke Hanson says “I’ve seen Jeff Lang play at big music festivals and at the Sydney Opera House, but I never thought I’d see him play at sunset on the Pinetrees Boatshed deck. It’s literally a dream come true”.

Also new to Lord Howe during the Summer Festival is the Three Peaks Adventure Race, which will test the endurance, strength and navigation skills of the competitors. The race is open to people of all ages and most levels of fitness, and will use a handicap system to ensure a close contest and entertaining finish. The winner will be invited back to Pinetrees Lodge, free-ofcharge, with a friend, to defend their title in 2020.

The last week of January is the best time of year on Lord Howe – the days are 27 degrees, the ocean is 26 degrees and the kids are back at school. Luke Hanson says “if people are looking for an incentive to visit Lord Howe, then the Summer Festival is the perfect opportunity”.