St Kilda Festival has confirmed its return for 2026 with the first five acts unveiled for what is shaping as one of the biggest editions in the event’s long and storied history. Set across two days on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 February 2026, the iconic free festival will once again transform Melbourne’s bayside into a celebration of Australian music, culture and summer.
Leading the first announcement are Jessica Mauboy, Sneaky Sound System, BARKAA, Selve and Peter O’Doherty and Reg Mombassa performing as Mental As Anything for the first time in decades
Big Festival Sunday on 15 February will be headlined by Jessica Mauboy, one of the most significant figures in Australian pop and R&B of the past two decades. Since emerging in the mid-2000s, Mauboy has built an extraordinary career as a singer, songwriter and actor. She made ARIA chart history as the first Indigenous Australian solo artist to debut at number one on the ARIA Album Chart and has since accumulated six Top 10 albums, 16 Top 20 singles and 21 Platinum accreditations. Her impact extends beyond the charts, with acclaimed film roles in The Sapphires, Bran Nue Dae and Windcatcher, a high-profile coaching role on The Voice Australia, international touring alongside Beyoncé and representation of Australia at Eurovision in 2014. Her Gold-certified single Give You Love featuring Jason Derulo remains a standout moment in a career defined by crossover success and national pride.
Joining Mauboy on Big Festival Sunday are Sneaky Sound System, a duo synonymous with Australian dancefloors for nearly two decades. Since breaking through with their self-titled debut in 2006, Sneaky Sound System have maintained a consistent presence on festival line-ups and radio playlists. Their ability to balance contemporary electronic production with classic pop sensibilities has kept them in demand across Australia, New Zealand and Asia, with newer material proving just as popular as their early hits. Their return to St Kilda underscores the festival’s tradition of pairing legacy acts with artists who continue to evolve.
Also appearing on Sunday are Mental As Anything, whose reunion represents a significant moment in Australian music history. Original founding members Peter O’Doherty and Reg Mombassa are reuniting to lead a new lineup under the Mental As Anything name, bringing one of the country’s most beloved catalogues back to the stage. Inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, the band enjoyed 25 Top 40 hits in Australia, including enduring classics such as The Nips Are Getting Bigger, Too Many Times and Live It Up, the latter continuing to receive regular airplay in the UK and Europe decades after its release. Their inclusion adds a powerful sense of continuity to the 2026 program.
Saturday 14 February is dedicated to First Peoples First, a cornerstone of the modern St Kilda Festival that centres First Nations artists and community events across stages at South Beach Reserve and O’Donnell Gardens. Headlining the day is BARKAA, whose rapid rise has marked her as one of the most important voices in Australian hip hop. A Malyangapa, Barkindji woman, BARKAA broke through with the raw and incisive For My Tittas before Our Lives Matter brought her national recognition. Her debut releases arrived at a moment of social tension and resonated widely for their honesty and urgency. Opening 2025 with performances to crowds of up to 90,000, BARKAA has cemented her reputation as a commanding live performer and cultural force.
Also featured on First Peoples First is Selve, a six-piece rock band from the Gold Coast fronted by Jabirr Jabirr man Loki Liddle. Selve have built momentum through relentless touring, including an Australia-wide run and a debut EU and UK tour in 2024. In 2025 they reached a new milestone by recording their sophomore album Breaking Into Heaven at Abbey Road Studios, an achievement that signalled their growing international profile. Their subsequent national tour further established them as one of the country’s most compelling live rock acts.
Beyond the headline performances, St Kilda Festival 2026 will again include family entertainment, community activities, market and food stalls, carnival rides and the return of the New Music Competition. The competition offers emerging artists a platform on the New Music Stage, with the audience-voted winner receiving a cash prize and a performance slot at the 2027 festival. Entries are set to open in mid-August.
The full program for St Kilda Festival 2026 will be announced in January, with further details to follow closer to the event.
Since its beginnings in 1980, St Kilda Festival has grown into Australia’s largest and longest-running free music festival. Presented by the City of Port Phillip, it now attracts hundreds of thousands of attendees each year and regularly features more than 70 bands and artists across multiple stages. Beyond its cultural impact, the festival delivers substantial economic benefits to Victoria, with the 2025 event generating more than $40 million and drawing approximately 350,000 people to St Kilda and surrounding areas.
St Kilda Festival 2026 Dates And Ticketing Details
St Kilda Festival 2026 will take place on Saturday 14 February and Sunday 15 February 2026 in St Kilda, Melbourne.
The festival is a free event presented by the City of Port Phillip. No tickets are required.
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