All the Best Music Festivals Happening in Sydney and Around NSW This Summer

It’s been 14 years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005. Thankfully, Laneway Festival has just confirmed it will be heading back to its collection of unconventional venues for another year, revealing its jam-packed 2019 lineup. Returning to Sydney next February, Laneway will raise a plastic cup to the middle of summer with one heck of a lineup.

This year’s eclectic program is headlined by two huge Aussie names: indie rock group Gang of Youths and acclaimed singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett. A few big artists are heading Down Under for the first time, too, including English R&B superstar Jorja Smith, neo-soul singer Rex Orange County and American rapper Denzel Curry. You’ll also be able to get down to Camp Cope, Middle Kids and Mitski and sway along to Mansionair, What So Not and Skeggs. If you want to catch Jorja Smith and NYC rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, you’ll have to head along to Laneway — they’ll both be playing exclusively at the festival, with no sideshows.

FOMO — Australia’s clash-free, one-day summer festival — is back for a fourth year. This year, it’s making its return to Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide, and bringing the full festival to Melbourne for the first time ever. Leading the program is famed American-Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj, who released her high-energy, highly acclaimed fourth album Queen just last month — which features everyone from The Weeknd to Ariana Grande, Eminem and Lil Wayne.

Hot on her heels is Mississippi’s Rae Sremmurd, the hip-hop trio best-known for its chart-topping hit ‘Black Beatles’ made in collaboration with Gucci Mane. Meanwhile, Florida’s Lil Pump is heading Down Under for the first time, bringing hits ‘Gucci Gang’, ‘Esskeetit’ and songs from his yet-to-be released album Harvard Dropout, and electro music producer Mura Masa will break up the hip hop and rap with his disco tunes. Also on the schedule is Kali Uchis, making her Australian debut and performing hits off her widely acclaimed album Isolation, along with the mononymous avant-garde Sophie, Australia’s own Anna Lunoe, and Dutch experimental artist San Holo, among others.

FOMO will take over Parramatta Park on Saturday, January 12. $1 from every sale is going to refugee charity Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and, if you can’t afford your ticket in one fell swoop, you can opt for a payment plan, which lets you pay it off via monthly instalments.

After joining Sydney’s events calendar last year, Output Festival is returning for a second year. Music lovers, it’s time to indulge your love of house, disco and techno once more — on Goat Island on Saturday, November 24. The boutique festival’s second effort sees the private island transformed into a one-day, bass-driven dance party, complete with multiple outdoor stages set up throughout the island.

You’ll be dancing your heart out on a private island, sipping craft beers and cocktails, and catching that sun set majestically over the harbour. As far as festival settings go, this one’s downright epic. Organisers have dropped a cracker of a lineup too, featuring local legend Mall Grab for the second year running, plus international acts DJ Seinfeld, HAAi, Nicola Cruz, Amotik and Von Party — and a heap of local talent as well. 2018’s event is also adding a rooftop silent disco and a pre-fest harbour cruise, and will be operating a cashless RFID system for food and drinks.

And, although it won’t be included in the initial $115–119 + booking fee ticket price, details of an after party are set to be announced too.

We’ve made it to the end of the year, and to celebrate, Falls Festival has just gifted us with one helluva lineup. Helping to ring in the art and music festival’s 26th year is a pretty buzzworthy gang of musical mates headlined by American rapper Anderson .Paak. He’ll be taking the stage with his band The Free Nationals, and performing hits off his Grammy Award-nominated album Malibu and maybe a tune or two off his highly anticipated third album, Oxnard Ventura.

He’s joined on the bill by big names like UK foursome Catfish and The Bottlemen, who’ll be debuting some fresh new material at their only Aussie show; Australia’s own Vance Joy; Scottish synth-pop trio Chvrches, who’ll also be here for NYD celebration Field Day; Interpol, fresh off the back of their new album release, Marauder; and Toto. Toto. Yes, the American rock band behind the masterpiece that is ‘Africa’ is heading to Falls. While you’re feeling nostalgic, you’ll also be able to hit up Hilltop Hoods — call dad.

True to form, the Falls 2018 local lineup is equally exciting, and every bit as broad. Homegrown acts hitting the stage include the dance-ready Flight Facilities, Melbourne’s psychedelic King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Sydney producer Touch Sensitive, Gold Coast native Amy Shark and Heaps Gay DJs & Friends back for another year.

This year, too, an impressive 48 percent of acts performing have female artists and, while it’s not quite half — and there are still lots of other minority groups that are underrepresented — it’s a start. As always, the tunes are backed by a colourful curation of art events, performances, pop-ups, markets, wellness sessions and gourmet eats. It’s all happening over New Years at the usual spots in Tassie’s Marion Bay, Lorne in Victoria, the North Byron Parklands and the Fremantle Oval Precinct, WA.

Grab your diary. Call your mates. Reserve your horse. Secret Garden has just announced its dates for 2019. And we’re happy to tell you that Australia’s beloved, grassroots, made-for-mates-by-mates festival will be taking place over 48 hours, across Friday, February 22 and Saturday, February 23.

You have less time, however, to scrape your cash together. Tickets are on sale now and they always sell out. As usual, we won’t know anything about the lineup or festival program until tickets are sold out. But, we can tell you that, as always, Secret Garden will bring you an immersive experience, a long way out of the city, within a magical natural setting transformed into a wonderland.

You’ll find yourself wandering through a forest maze, getting lost in massive installations, discovering unexpected pop-up performances and coming across tucked-away parties in custom-made rave caves. Maybe even getting married. All we know for sure? As always, you’re invited to wear your craziest, most dressed up fancy dress. Start planning.

The annual reason to not entirely obliterate yourself on New Year’s Eve, Field Day, has announced announced one of its most all-round thumbs-up inducing lineups yet, with one big name at the top: Cardi B. With a shiny new album brimming with singles, Cardi B is heading Sydney for her very first show to play live pickings from newbie Invasion of Privacy.

She’ll be joined on stage by fellow Americans Migos, the insanely popular Rüfüs Du Sol, Scotland’s synth-pop Chvrches, Australia’s beloved beats duo Flight Facilities and electro legend Bonobo, among one heck of a killer lineup. Local legends aren’t scarce this year, either, with the likes of Amy Shark, Mallrat, Alice Ivy and more locked in for NYD sets.

Returning to The Domain on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2019, Field Day proves once again that some lineups are worth skipping the last NYE UDL for.

It’s not every festival feels like a country weekend fete that just happens to be headlined by say, Courtney Barnett. Fairgrounds, Australia’s country boutique camping festival descends on the small NSW town of Berry each December. Taking over the local Berry Showgrounds, Fairgrounds boasts all the trimmings of a major music festival with the essence of a local fair. And this December, it’s back for another two-day round.

Running over November 30 and December 1, the two-day festival is making a triumphant return. In a huge coup for the small festival in its third year, it’s secured big-time festival favourites Courtney Barnett and Vance Joy to headline, alongside local legends Pond, Winston Surfshirt and more. Oh, and British punk poet Billy Bragg, US alternative rock band The Breeders and Zambian hip hop singer Sampa the Great will also join the lineup from across the globe.

With a strong focus on the local NSW South Coast area, Fairgrounds isn’t just about the tunes. Last year local nosh, market stalls and the local swimming pool played equally starring roles at this multifaceted festival — something we’re sure made Berry residents pretty happy. Between dips in Berry’s local pool (within the festival grounds), punters feasted on local delights, including fresh rock oysters harvested less than half an hour from the festival site. The festival’s super-popular long-table dinners will return, too, which take place overlooking the live music.

Since first unleashing its specific flavour of festival fun back in 2014, Lost Paradise has become an end-of-year staple — and the Glenworth Valley event returns from December 28, 2018 to January 1, 2019 for another packed year.

The fest’s fifth annual lineup will see more than 50 acts take to the stage across a huge five days, with artistic experiences, talks, workshops and classes also part of the camping festival. Of course, it’s the music that’ll tempt festival-goers to make the journey an hour out of Sydney. With The Kooks, Tash Sultana, Joey Bada$$, Pnau, Dune Rats and M.I.A. leading the charge — the latter in her only New South Wales show — there’s plenty to get excited about.

Attendees will dance their way between four stages, all returning from 2017. Arcadia is where the main action is, Lost Disco will focus on bass, techno and dance music (and eye-catching visuals by 3D mapping artists), and Paradise Club will party on right into the night with DJs and surprise guests. Then there’s My Mum’s Disco, which not only features a digital jukebox pumping out 15,000 nostalgic beats and guilty pleasures, but sing-alongs and more to accompany the tunes. Think bingo, karaoke and the general feeling that you’re hanging out at a mighty huge Aussie backyard shindig.

In-between catching live sets and making shapes, Lost Paradise offers patrons a heap of other activities, including three days of chats and sessions at the fest’s Shambhala Fields. Everything from African dance and forest bathing to hula hooping and massage is on the agenda, as well as a dedicated yoga and meditation tent. Or, hang out in Hammock Haven, find something to read at the Lost Library, take a ride on an art car, go shopping at the Lost Bazaar bohemian fashion markets or head to the new Holy Cow Chai Tent. It’s a carnival-themed space that’s all about chilling out over breakfast bowls and — as the name suggests — brewed chai, plus other beverages.

Still on the food and drink front, Lost Village boasts communal tables for dining and an array of cuisines for feasting upon. On-site craft beer container bars will serve up craft booze, while Milky Lane and Cold Rock are on the culinary lineup menu alongside dim sum, pizza, Japanese and Southern-Indian street-food, and more.

The second biggest country music festival in the world — after Nashville, nonetheless — Tamworth attracts tens of thousands of boot scooters every January. It’s a ten-day shindig that takes over the entire town with outdoor concerts, pub gigs, bands, singer-songwriters, buskers, whip crackers, sheep dogs and every other element of country living you can think of. Best of all, much of the program is free. So, if you’re on a budget, park your tent at Riverside Park and go wandering from gig to gig, without spending a cent.

Every night, Toyota Park hosts a massive free concert under the stars, including the Toyota Star Maker Grand Final and the Toyota Busking Championships. Alternatively, splurge on a major show, like the Golden Guitar Awards (where pretty much all the best country stars of the year play a song or two). Or, if you’re more into country mixed with contemporary sounds, check out the Cake & Cordial Sessions, which feature indie singer-songwriters, or Late Nite Alt, where secret acts play until 1.30am. Last year’s crop included Henry Wagons, Shane Nicholson, Harmony James and the Wilson Pickers.

If you’re already planning summer road trips, here’s one that gives you music and beaches. Happening in the pretty North Coastal twin towns of Forster-Tuncurry on Saturday, January 12, Grow Your Own will bring together a stack of Aussie talent. Leading the program are Sydney rockers DMA’s and The Preatures, alongside Hockey Dad, who hail from Windang, just south of Wollongong.

Also travelling from down south is Totty, who recently signed to the Dune Rats label, while singer-songwriter Mallrat will come down from Brissie to perform a set from her debut EP, In The Sky. Look out, too, for Jack River (aka Forster local Holly Rankin) who is not only performing, but running the event as festival director.

In between getting down to the music, check out a myriad of art installations, bars and offerings from local growers and producers. Tickets come in at under $100.

In February 2019, the Central Coast’s Mountain Sounds heads into its fifth incarnation, after selling out four years in a row. Headlining the music program are Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett, Sydney-based electronica act What So Not and folk siblings Angus and Julia Stone, followed by a plethora of 2018’s favourite acts, including Thundamentals, Middle Kids, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and Stella Donnelly.

Despite its popularity, Mountain Sounds has stuck to its ethical guns. The festival is all about transporting you to another world, where music, art, culture, nature and sustainability rule. In between checking out the music, immerse yourself in installations, jump rope, grab a paint brush and wander around pretty, pretty Mount Penang Gardens. If you can manage it, wake up early for sunrise (or stay up all night). A cornucopia of tasty food and drinks will keep you fuelled all weekend long.

The King has risen. Head out to Parkes in January and you would be forgiven for thinking you’re in Graceland — if there’s anything this town is known for (apart from that dish, of course) it’s the Parkes Elvis Festival. Pull on your blue suede shoes and get ready to find yourself a hunk, a hunk of burning love.

The festival takes place over five days during the second week of January to coincide with the King’s birthday (January 8, as if you didn’t already know). Over 25,000 visitors flock to the town to see international and national Elvis tribute artists battle it out to be named the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist. There’s also a Miss Priscilla competition, rock ‘n’ roll dancing, busking, a midnight show and a finale concert. It’s the biggest tribute to The King in the southern hemisphere, and this year’s theme is ‘All Shook Up’ — celebrating the famed song and all things 50s.

The Parkes Elvis Festival is officially endorsed by the King’s estate, Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc., so you know it’s legit. Stop talking about it, and just do it this year. A little less conversation, a little more action.