Coolangatta Is Turning Back the Clocks to the Golden Oldies for a Festival of Music, Motors and Misty-Eyed Nostalgia This June
Tune your radio to the good ol' days when Australia's biggest nostalgia festival returns for 2026.
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There's no quantifiable period for an era being "nostalgic", but there's an undeniable connection between that word and the age of the golden oldies. The 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s have an identity that lives on in so many ways, and that identity is the beating heart of Cooly Rocks On — the annual festival of nostalgia that's returning for another run from Wednesday, June 3 to Sunday, June 7.
Cooly Rocks On comes down to music, motors and lifestyle. The great pillars of the yesteryear identity it imbues across the five-day runtime. If you like your nostalgia in the context of the garage and motor show, you're in for a treat with the Cooly Rocks On Show 'N' Shine, proudly presented by Autoglym. It's a car show for the ages, with over 900 vehicles on display across two kilometres. Beyond the main parade, greasemonkeys and motorheads can take part in a swap meet of vehicular goodies and car runs to themed events.
On the musical side of things, the golden oldies were quite the era, and Cooly Rocks On puts that front and centre. Throughout the festival, the soundtrack will stay golden with a packed lineup of rock 'n' roll swing and rockabilly artists plus tribute shows for Elvis, Fleetwood Mac, The Bee Gees, Queen and Joe Cocker. A number of headline shows for the biggest and best tribute acts are taking place throughout the week, but you can browse the full artist lineup here.
If you prefer a more up-close and personal gig, a few choice venues are leading the party. The Cooly Sands Hotel is going full rockabilly with a three-piece 50s band, and beloved local surf rock band The Rockin' Daddy will bring the noise to the Greenmount Surf Club. Down at 4 Pines Brewery, you'll find an acoustic set from the Sunshine Coast-hailing The Bowery Boys, and Eddie's Grub House is mixing it up every Thursday to Sunday with live music from 8pm.
And if you're simply in it for the lifestyle, the festival is offering plenty of ways to live it up like it's yesteryear. A headline event is the Moonlight Swing Dance on Thursday, June 4, inside the Elvis Marquee. Only here can you swing the night away to the tunes of Sam Ghezzi and His Dreammakers, known for their especially high-energy performances.
Otherwise, you can visit a daily nostalia market to pick up any particularly snazzy retro finds and vintage goodies. If you're already stocked on the vintage style, or if you want to take in the fashion icons in attendance, you'd best bookmark the Pin-Up Pageant, welcoming all walks of life across three rounds of classic and rockabilly style done properly.
The fun is all in prime position in Coolangatta, just next to the airport if you're travelling from interstate. There's no shortage of good places to stay in the area, with a full directory available on the Cooly Rocks On website. You'd better start booking, since the festival is two short months away.
Cooly Rocks On takes place from Wednesday, June 3, to Sunday, June 7. For more information and to view all ticketed experiences, visit the website.
Images: Mackenzie Sweetnam
