Sydney Road
Various
Merri-bek dwellers are spoiled for choice when it comes to musical talent, and never more than during the annual Brunswick Music Festival, when international and local acts come together for a celebration of great music.
2026 marks the 38th year of the festival, and you can look forward to eight jam-packed days, featuring more than 40 gigs across the suburb and surrounds.
Everything kicks off with the famous Sydney Road Street Party on Sunday, March 1. This free one-day festival takes over Brunswick’s main road – which happens to be the longest continuous shopping strip in the southern hemisphere. Expect roving performers, amazing beats and pop-up acoustic sets, with rhythm happening everywhere you turn.
The festival is also bringing in a whole lot of international headliners, with each one providing a special something. From French disco lord François K and Cretan sibling-duo Xylourides to Japanese hip-hop powerhouse DJ Krush, the globe is well represented.
You can also expect to get down with a heap of homegrown talent, dance to the uproarious bellow of Horns of Leroy's big brass brand, and hop through a series of epic, special sets at some of Brunswick's best live music locales, including Howler, the Retreat and Jazzlab.
This year, there'll also be an exciting return of the Merri-Bek 'Neighbourhood Noise' program. Creative spaces like Brunswick Library, Next Wave, Balam Balam Place and Blak Dot Gallery are all set to fling open their doors and become home to live performances, activations and exhibitions. Spoiler: expect punk at the library.
Brunswick Music Festival will conclude on Sunday, March 8, with a free concert running from 2-8pm. This inclusive, community-wide event will feature Fred Leone X Radio For Ghosts, Allysha Joy, Cool Out Sun, Jace Clayton and Pirritu.
The line-up is so vast that we recommend exploring the website to find the gigs that best fit your taste. Thankfully, many events are within walking distance so you can easily set up a gig crawl. Find out more and book your tickets via the website.
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