Wonderfruit is an annual gathering that explores wonder through art, culture, music, and nature taking place at The Fields at Siam Country Club, outside Pattaya in Chonburi Province, Thailand. With an emphasis on experiences that explore the relationship between the mind and nature, the event features a farm, musical performances, art and architectural installations, talks, workshops, wellness activities, and feasts by renowned chefs. The event was launched in December 2014, produced by Thai-based production company Scratch First; the second iteration expanded from three to four days and took place a year later. Wonderfruit 2016 was originally scheduled for 15–18 December 2016. Due to a period of mourning in Thailand following the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, however, it
Wonderfruit is an annual gathering that explores wonder through art, culture, music, and nature taking place at The Fields at Siam Country Club, outside Pattaya in Chonburi Province, Thailand. With an emphasis on experiences that explore the relationship between the mind and nature, the event features a farm, musical performances, art and architectural installations, talks, workshops, wellness activities, and feasts by renowned chefs. The event was launched in December 2014, produced by Thai-based production company Scratch First; the second iteration expanded from three to four days and took place a year later. Wonderfruit 2016 was originally scheduled for 15–18 December 2016. Due to a period of mourning in Thailand following the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, however, it was postponed to 16–19 February 2017. Wonderfruit returned later that year for its fourth iteration in its usual winter position over 14 to 17 December 2017. December 2018 saw the event move a kilometre east of the original site, to a larger, more topographically diverse space; the fifth edition took place from 13 to 16 December 2018. The sixth edition of Wonderfruit was staged from 12 to 16 December 2019, with a program stretching from midday Thursday 12 December to the afternoon of Monday 16 December, effectively spanning 99 hours without breaks. The festival announced it would return for its seventh year from 10 to 14 December 2020, before announcing a 12-month postponement to an undisclosed date in December 2021 due to travel restrictions and social distancing measures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. In lieu of a full gathering due to border closures, Wonderfruit created a smaller, localised event targeting domestic audiences in Thailand: Moobaan Wonder. The revised event was scheduled to be held across five weekends in December 2020 and January 2021, but ultimately ended after just two weekends following a resurgence of COVID-19 inside the country. Notable musical acts have included Richie Hawtin, Roots Manuva, Izzy Bizu, Wild Beasts, Lianne La Havas, Rudimental, Young Fathers, De La Soul, Woodkid, Little Dragon, José González, Seth Troxler, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Submotion Orchestra, Chris Levine x Jon Hopkins (the iy_project), The Faint, Blonde Redhead, Goldie , Four Tet, Floating Points, Massive Attack's Daddy G, Busy P, Breakbot, Acid Pauli and Nightmares on Wax. Controversy was caused in the first two years with no-shows from billed performers Chet Faker (2014) and Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def (2015). In addition to music, the event places significant emphasis on art and culture. The event features projects like Musicity, which, together with the music historian Nick Luscombe, reinterprets the sounds of Bangkok's most iconic spaces and landmarks, and Wild Minds, a series of guided meditative soundscapes by Howie Bee that looks to unlock the inner qualities of the mind. There are numerous site-specific installations representing Wonderfruit’s ethos on-site as well. Significant sustainable architecture projects have been contributed by Ab Rogers from Ab Rogers Design in the UK, who designed and built a communal dining hall called Theatre Of Feasts and a natural onsen called Bath House. Adam Pollina worked on several builds across the site over the years, and Gregg Fleishman returns annually with a new iteration of a geometrical structure called Solar Stage. That said, regional designers and architects are featured more prominently in The Fields, such as Boonserm Premthada who often works with materials like elephant dung, and MPD Studio, a design team known for their impressive use on bamboo for concepts. A design competition held in 2019 saw designers, architects and creators from all over the world submit ideas for a sustainable pavilion. Alongside architectural design, local and regional artists' thoughtful art installations make up much of The Fields' aesthetic.
