Last December, my family and friends from all walks of life were in attendance, and it was an incredibly special moment for me to experience the festival with them. It meant the world to me to share a brand to which I commit all of my time, with those closest to me, so they understand the magnitude of the event long afterwards.

BEYOND FUN

My partners and I all share musical backgrounds from production to event organisation. As such, we realised that an event along the lines of a large-scale festival could become an important multicultural medium through which we could advocate social responsibility while having fun. But since many commercial music festivals do more damage to the environment, we wanted to deliver an experience that is carbon-neutral to prove that it is possible for large-scale activities to work in favour of the environment.

The Wonderfruit ethos is built upon six pillars: arts, music, farm to feast, wellness and adventure, talks and workshops, and family. These pillars ensure that we curate a diverse programme that is inclusive for artists, speakers, musicians, and DJs from around the region. To do so, we incorporate education and entertainment (or “edutainment”) into the festival, and our guests form meaningful connections and become more mindfully conscious consumers with regard to the natural environment.

Wonderfruit is growing to become an important platform for emerging artists. I book artists from the Philippines every year to showcase our local talent on a global stage. There was one evening where the percussionist duo the Hernandez Brothers performed at sunset at our Solar Stage. The energy was otherworldly with guests kicking their shoes off to dance to their music. I am a proud Filipino at heart and it brings me a lot of joy for people outside of the Philippines to experience talented musicians from our shores.

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE HEART

This year marks Wonderfruit’s fifth anniversary. As part of the celebration, we are moving the event to a nearby site that is rich in biodiversity with a stunning backdrop of forests growing along the banks of a large lake.

As in previous years, we will host casual seminars throughout the day which focus on the initiatives of both local and international eco- warriors which have made a dramatic impact on the planet by way of advancements in natural capital and community engagement.

We have joined the Plastic Pollution Coalition and work alongside the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to further advance our sustainability roadmap. Our platform continues to catalyse creativity to make a meaningful positive impact that brings together a global community. We hope to inspire brands and event producers to make the move towards a sustainable future. 

Due to the global plastic pollution crisis, we enforce a strict zero-plastic policy. In developing countries throughout Southeast Asia, single-use plastic in the form of sachets or water bottles is devastating waterways and oceans. It is estimated that by 2050, the ocean will contain more plastic by weight than fish. In order to create a more environmentally sound event, we ensure that our tableware is compostable, use cups made from bagasse (sugarcane pulp), and we even discount beverages for those who bring reusable cups or bottles. Moreover, we offset our carbon emissions by investing into the Rimbaraya Biodiversity Reserve. With the help of Wonderers, we successfully planted 10,000 mangroves in Thor Heyerdahl Climate Park. Unlike traditional tree donations, we are supporting this initiative entirely by investing into an innovating type of cryptocurrency known as the TREE coin. 

Our emphasis on sustainability extends to the food served at the festival. World-class chefs like Gaggan Anand and the Sühring Brothers create pop-up dinners for once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Local produce is sourced directly from our farm to create world-class meals in addition to supplying our various food vendors on site.

STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY

Every build from large-scale stages to art installations, and even food stalls is made with a combination of sustainable, locally-sourced materials and upcycled items.

For every edition, we collaborate with architects to conceptualise and design our stages onsite. Artist and architect Gregg Fleishman, for example, repurposed his modular art installation from Burning Man as our Solar Stage. This elaborate honeycomb-like structure built without any nails—where guests could climb, relax, or dance on—found new life hosting many genres of music at Wonderfruit.

Likewise, the use of recycled materials can be seen in the structures on site. Bamboo, one of the sturdiest and most sustainable natural materials in Southeast Asia, is central to these structures. The Theatre of Feasts, for instance, is made entirely out of local bamboo to give an open-air feel to Wonderfruit’s banquets.

EVERYONE IS A VIP

We do not offer VIP packages or tickets for the four-day event because we welcome every individual from all ages. Every individual is a VIP in Wonderfruit. It is the first festival of its kind in Asia that has a strong foundation in sustainability and also in a sense where one can attend a yoga class, discover musical acts, interact with immersive art then dine at a pop-up dinner cooked by a Michelin-star chef. Guests who do not want to miss out on all the 24-hour action also have the option to stay at our Boutique Camping, where we offer the comforts of a home away from home in the form of Safari tents with air- conditioning to Airstreams.

For us at Wonderfruit, sustainability is a part of everything we do and we build the experience around it. In doing so, we aim to demonstrate that fun can go hand in hand with social responsibility.

A personal highlight for me was being able to DJ a five-hour set in front of a completely new audience. I walked away from that set with new fans from Europe to Japan!

Additional words: Marga Manlapig | Photos: Katrina Razon

This story was originally published in Philippine Tatler Traveller (Volume 13), available in all newsstands and book stores, and downloadable on Magzter, Zinio, and PressReader.