P.E.I. duo to play at Australia's Woodford Folk Festival over Christmas

Mother and son musical duo Teresa Doyle and Patrick Bunston have an unusual Christmas lined up:they'll fly out the morning of Dec. 25 to perform at the Woodford Folk Festival in Australia.

Island acts have been rocking the festival for the past few years including the East Pointers, IrishMythenand Paper Lions this will be Doyle andBunston'sfirst time performing in Australia.

"It's an incredible privilege to get to play atWoodford," Doyle toldCBCRadio:Mainstreet'sAngela Walker.

Woodfordannually attracts 120,000 festival-goers to its six-day festival near Brisbane, Australia.

"I've really wanted to play atWoodfordsince I started playing music," Bunston said.

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He recalls playing in an East Coast Music Week showcase a few years ago with some friends in a band called Lark, and being excited that the first business card they received was from Chloe Goodyear, the head of programming for the Woodford festival.

"It's pretty exciting for me to sort of have that come full circle," he said.

Part of Canadian contingent

They'll join 2,000 performers at the festival, including a record number of international acts and other Canadian groups.

The East Pointers are returning for a third time, along with husband and wife led six-piece Digging Roots, Indian-Tanzanian-Canadian storyteller Alysha Brilla and folk-rootsduo The Small Glories.

"Joining forces for one of two special showcases in Canada: Songs For Happiness, these acts from the Deep North will share a favourite song or tune that brings them happiness, as well an introducing their own heart-lifting work," says a post on the festival's blog.

"I think one of the reasons we get invited to folk festivals is because they can put us in a lot of different slots," Doyle said. They'll play six days in a row including a children's show, bar shows, an evening show of chanting music and the Canadian showcase.

The twohope the festival will open even more doors for them.

"Woodford just has a worldwide reputation," said Doyle. She'll continue on to a festival in Tasmania after Woodford, while Bunston will fly hometo start his last term at UPEI.

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