Australia is spoilt for choice when it comes to festivals that try to cover to a wide array of tastes, offering an eclectic lineup and every food stall under the sun in a sprawling paddock.
Some festivals, on the other hand, decide to do things a little differently, and each year we’re also treated to an assortment of events that devote themselves entirely to catering to much more specific tastes.
Whether it’s a laser focus on a particular genre, or just providing an experience you can’t find anywhere else, these are some of the niche Aussie festivals to add to your bucket list.
Out On The Weekend
Celebrating All Things Americana
Taking its name from one of the most beloved cuts off Neil Young’s iconic Harvest album, you know what you’re getting with Out On The Weekend. The entire festival is a meticulously curated Americana experience, from the lineup, which this year features the likes of Marlon Williams & The Yarra Benders, Robert Ellis and Lindi Ortega, to the food and beverage options, which extend to offerings from Mesa Verde, Beatbox Kitchen and more.
Out On The Weekend kicks off this weekend at Seaworks in Williamstown, so if you have a fondness for all things classically American, check it out here.
Lost Lands
The Family-Friendly Falls
Coming to you from one of the co-founders of the legendary Falls Festival, Lost Lands is a genuinely family festival experience unlike any other. With offerings that will excite kids as much as parents, this boutique camping experience offers a superb music lineup but also activities that will entertain and stimulate the young and the… older.
Taking place over two nights at the spectacular Werribee Mansion, you can experience music, art, installations, food, wine, and entertainment, including an outdoor cinema for when you and the kids need a place to unwind.
Chopped
Ratrods & Rockabilly
Slick your hair back, dress to the nines, and bring your hotrod down to Chopped. In one of the Australian music scene’s most unique twists, one of the country’s biggest and best car shows is also one of its best music festivals, offering a unique combination of ratrods and rockabilly you won’t find anywhere else.
In addition to putting an incredible array of automative masterpieces on display, Chopped brings together a carefully curated lineup of bands that will rev your engines as much as the classic cars you’ll be surrounded by at every turn.
Dashville Skyline
An Idyllic Alt-Country Experience
Taking its title from the iconic Bob Dylan album, Dashville Skyline is one of several events held at Dashville in Lower Belford, NSW. This music festival hotspot may not be as well known as Byron Bay, but it’s certainly got a reputation for itself as the location for some of Australia’s best family-friendly boutique music events – it even has a resident llama.
Dashville Skyline held its inaugural event last year and received acclaim for perfectly celebrating the roots of Americana, psychedelia, and alternative country music in idyllic surrounds.
Sydney Blues & Roots
An Eight-Year Institution
A case of doing exactly what is says on the tin, Sydney Blues & Roots is a glorious exhibition that boasts a towering assortment of the best emerging and established artists in each genre. Taking place in the beautiful Hawkesbury region of North West Sydney across a variety of intimate venues, it’s been running for eight years now, and shows no signs of slowing down.
You can even enjoy some of the music on board a paddlewheeler boat cruise, and continuing the grass-roots theme, there’s a busking competition – definitely plenty of reasons for any roots, blues, or just plain music lover to get out of the CBD.
Dogapalooza
Dog-Lovers’ Heaven
One festival that has really looked outside the box is paradise for both punters and pups, Dogapalooza. While not the most obvious choice at first glance, people who adore their dogs aren’t exactly a small segment of the population, and finding people who love both mutts and music isn’t that hard of an ask at all.
This year, Melbourne’s first dog-friendly music festival saw a crowd of punters bring their pups along to socialise to the sounds of artists like Thelma Plum and Leah Flanagan, perusing all sorts of dog-related stalls in the sunshine.
