Music festivals

Melbourne is a world-class music city, boasting a cornucopia of headline festivals, unique venues and out-of-town regional experiences where you can dance until sunrise breaks. For every kind of music-lover, Melbourne has something special to offer. 

After the last two years of COVID-19 cancellations and postponements, Victoria's music industry needs all the support it can get. Luckily, we're all happy to help.

There's a plethora of festivals across the year featuring local favourites to international stars. Delve into this year's showcase of live music and look forward to the next.

January

Ocean Sounds
7 January 2023
Part of the ALWAYS LIVE program, Phillip Island hosts this all-day concert headlining John Butler and sunset coastal views.

So Frenchy So Chic
15 January 2023
Lose yourself at the So Frenchy So Chic lineup with a bistronomy menu of French delicacies and the So Frenchy So Chic DJs. It's just as the name suggests.

February

Riverboats Music Festival
17–19 February 2023
On the banks of the Murray River in Echuca Moama, Riverboats is the perfect spot to plonk a picnic blanket and kick back to local and international acts.

St Jerome's Laneway Festival
11 February 2023
Join the cool crowd by the Maribyrnong River for this too-big-for-a-laneway festival featuring local and international acts.

St Kilda Festival
18–19 February 2023
It's free, fabulous and on the beach. What more could you ask of a summer festival? Bands include new local acts and established favourites.

March

Brunswick Music Festival
5–13 March 2023
Kicking off with the Sydney Road Street Party, this long-running festival sees known-and-loved local acts and artists from around world at indoor and outdoor venues across Brunswick.

Port Fairy Folk Festival
10–13 March 2023
Much more than just a music festival, the Port Fairy Folk Festival is an institution. Four days of top quality local and international acts take over this charming coastal town.

Golden Plains
11–13 March 2023
Located at the celebrated Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, the annual Golden Plains rivals its bigger sibling, the famed Meredith Music Festival.

April

Surround Sounds
7 April–8 May 2023
Surround Sounds is a month-long festival celebrating Geelong and the Bellarine's live music and cultural heritage scene. 

Rainbow Serpent Festival
21 January 2023
Rainbow Serpent Festival trades the usual paddocks in Lexton, western Victoria, for the big smoke in 2023. Head to Port Melbourne Industrial Centre of the Arts for this one-day alternative lifestyle, music and arts festival.

Groovin the Moo
2023 dates TBC
Bendigo hosts Groovin the Moo in April with two outdoor stages, a big top tent, and bands and performers from across the world.

June

ALWAYS LIVE
June–December 2022
A new statewide celebration of contemporary music, ALWAYS LIVE showcases the talents of rising stars and big names with everything including arena-style shows, intimate performances on rooftops, and in laneways and cosy venues.

July

Winter Sounds
14–16 July 2023
Enjoy a weekend of intimate performances across Daylesford and the surrounding hills.

Winter Blues Festival
27–30 July 2023
Winter blues take over the streets and venues of the Port of Echuca heritage precinct, in the best possible way.

October

Marysville Music Weekend
2023 dates TBC
Featuring a killer program that spans across the musical spectrum.

November

Queenscliff Music Festival
25–27 November 2022
Soak up the stunning seaside setting, enjoy excellent local and international artists, and sample fresh food and wine from the Bellarine Peninsula all at once.  

First and Forever
27 November 2022
Catch Busby Marou, Christine Anu, Dan Sultan, Jessica Mauboy and more at an all-day festival celebrating Blak Excellence and First Nations culture and music.

December

Melbourne International Jazz Festival
14–23 October 2022
Hear blistering instrumentalists and soulful singers from around the world over a week of toe-tapping days in venues across Melbourne. 

Ocean Sounds
10 December 2022
Part of the ALWAYS LIVE program, Phillip Island hosts this all-day concert headlining Tash Sultana and sunset coastal views.

Melbourne Music Week
3–12 December 2022
An all-you-can-listen event: Melbourne's CBD gets loud as hundreds of acts hit the stage at dozens of locations across town.

Meredith Music Festival
9–11 December 2022
Held in the iconic Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, this December country festival is a favourite on the Victorian music calendar. Be warned: tickets sell out fast and the 2022 edition will be worth the long wait.

Beyond the Valley
28 December 2022–1 January 2023
Beyond the Valley's annual boutique music moved to Melbourne in 2021 for a one-off NYE event, but this year BTV will see out 2022 and ring in 2023 at its new home at Barunah Plains.

Falls Festival
29–31 December 2022
Check back for more on this headline NYE festival in 2022–23 at its new home at Pennyroyal Plains, 30 minutes from Lorne.