. Hoodoo Gurus, St. Kilda Festival, 2023 / Photo – Joshua Braybrook . Photo – TJ Garvie . . PETER GARRETT / Photo – Kane Hibberd . . PETER GARRETT / Photo – Kane Hibberd . . JEM CASSAR-DALEY . . CUB SPORT . . JEM CASSAR-DALEY . . Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, St. Kilda Festival, 2023 / Photo – Joshua Braybrook . CLICK THE PIC TO VIEW THE NEWS
ST KILDA FESTIVAL 2025
kicks off with
first acts announced PETER GARRETT &
THE ALTER EGOS,
CUB SPORT and
JEM CASSAR-DALEY
St Kilda Festival returns on 15-16 February for its annual two-day celebration of Australian music, presenting over 100 artists across multiple stages and expecting to attract more than 350,000 festivalgoers to the iconic foreshore. With Peter Garrett & The Alter Egos, Cub Sport and Jem Cassar-Daley, teasing what’s to come with this year’s impressive lineup, the 44th iteration of the Festival will once again showcase a lineup of First Peoples’ talent on Saturday, followed by the traditional Big Festival Sunday.
Presented by the City of Port Phillip, St Kilda Festival is Australia’s largest free music event, regularly injecting millions into the local economy. This year’s big festival Sunday will run across more stages than ever before, with 10 stages presenting live music throughout the day.
The Big Festival Sunday program will feature Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett with his band The Alter Egos performing a mix of his latest along with Oils classics. Joining them on the main stage lineup is Cub Sport, one of Australia’s most successful pop exports, who will headline the evening from 7pm-8pm with hits from their two No. 1 albums and over 300 million streams.
Saturday’s First Peoples First line-up will feature the rising indie-pop singer Jem Cassar-Daley. As a proud Gumbaynggirr/Bundjalung woman, Jem has become a standout in the Australian music scene, winning multiple accolades, including Best Pop and Song of the Year at the Queensland Music Awards. Her performance is part of a bumper program of Indigenous talent across the Main Stage and Optus Stage at O’Donnell Gardens.
Highlights include culturally focused music, workshops, markets, and the Kummargii Yulendji Gadabah Sunset Ceremony, overseen by N’Arweet Carolyn Briggs of the Boonwurrung Land & Sea Council. Indigenous Outreach Projects will also take over the Palais Forecourt with a full day of dance and cultural activities.
The Festival’s program also features CLIPPED Karaoke at the newly rejuvenated Palais Forecourt, the Bourne Local Markets and live action sports including sword-fighting at St Kilda Triangle, as well as a full day of participatory community dance in the Dance Zone.
Festivalgoers can enjoy the Hare Krishna Vedic Village, the popular Ratha Yatra Chariot Parade, and two stages on Acland Street showcasing Melbourne’s finest street performers. Fitzroy Street will host the New Music Stage, a POOF DOOF activation, and a new stage at the Fitzroy and Acland Street intersection supported by The Prince of Wales. The Optus Stage at O’Donnell Gardens will include a Youth Safe Space with gaming activations from Hovergarden, as well as family-friendly performances until 3pm, followed by a youth takeover with bands selected by Southeast Victoria’s young people.
St Kilda Festival’s New Music Competition will also return, celebrating the next wave of homegrown Aussie talent. The competition has previously launched the careers of Missy Higgins, Baker Boy, and Client Liaison.
This year’s programming has been designed to encourage festivalgoers to explore all that St Kilda has to offer. The festival will close slightly earlier than in previous years, with programming ending at 9:30pm to allow plenty of time to enjoy the local hospitality venues.
City of Port Phillip Mayor, Louise Crawford said: “We’re proud to be bringing back the St Kilda Festival once more, now in its 44th year. This two-day celebration of Australian live music will showcase everything from the biggest names in Australian music to family-friendly activities and entertainment for the whole community. Set against the stunning backdrop of St Kilda’s foreshore, and amongst all the excitement of Fitzroy and Acland Streets, St Kilda Festival will be the place to be this February.”
St Kilda Festival’s diverse program features live Australian music, dance performances, workshops, community group activities, food and market stalls, extended business trading, roving entertainment and a dedicated family-friendly stage. Renowned as one of Australia’s largest and longest running free music and cultural events, the Festival brings significant economic benefits to St Kilda while celebrating and promoting Australian talent. The Festival has seen many formats since its inception more than 40 years ago and currently runs across two-days comprised of First Peoples First, a celebration of First Peoples music, culture and community on Saturday, followed by Big Festival Sunday, the traditional St Kilda Festival day that brings the whole suburb to life. The event regularly attracts more than 350,000 visitors to the foreshore each year.
St Kilda Festival
15 – 16 February 2025Full program to be
announced on 15 JanuarySt Kilda Festival is supported by Revive Live – an Australian Government initiative
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AMNPLIFY – DB
My nickname is “The Amnplifier”. Why? Because around here my focus is on being a conduit for providing greater outcomes that people come here for. My day to day “work” is living in the moment, and I love helping others concentrate on finding their connection to themselves through their experiences.
Why start a music environment? The truth is I love music, I love writing, and I love life. I work with musicians every day, and I feel certain that I will be until they put me in the ground. I have been managing people in businesses of some sort for over thirty five years so along the way I have developed some “wisdom” from my regular and constant “observations”.
Amnplify your experience. That is what we want you to do here, and if you want to let me know why you do, or don’t, shoot me a message on Facebook.
Hope you enjoy yourself here and find something that hits you somewhere.
