Last year, the City of Yarra's annual Leaps and Bounds Music Festival was finally able to showcase an electrifying program of in-person gigs after the good ol' pandemic put a dampener on things back in 2021.
With all of that far, far behind us now, this beloved local music event is back with another stellar line-up. Running from July 13-16, this year's festivities will showcase homegrown talent in venues right throughout the City of Yarra (the LGA that covers suburbs like Abbotsford, Carlton North, Fitzroy, Collingwood and Richmond). From electronic and hip hop to jazz and rock, all genres are covered – and if you're feeling the financial pinch, many gigs are free.
The festival will be opened and headlined by Gumbaynggirr and Yamatji woman and renowned performer Emma Donovan, with a fundraiser gig for the Archie Roach Foundation. It will also feature local talents, Kiwat Kennell and Kee'ahn.
Other program highlights include performances by Cash Savage, Thando, ZÖJ, Porpoise Spit, Ayebatonye and many more. Cinema Yarra will present a series of music documentaries (like Gurrumul), and the Smith Street Dreaming program is back, which celebrates Koorie history in Collingwood and Fitzroy and features some of the top Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.
While many of the events are free, some do require a ticket and booking. Head to the website to check out the full program and figure out how to cram as many of these fun events into your schedule as possible.
