After the successful staging last year in Newcastle, Great Southern Nights' Gig Trails is back in 2026 returning to Newy as well as adding outdoor events in Wollongong (Port Kembla) as well as Sydney inner suburbs Chippendale and Newtown-Enmore.
The perfect choose-your-own-adventure for music- and food-loving patrons, each district will offer unique, walkable gig trail experiences with punters able to wander from venue to venue, interacting with street performers, buskers and enjoying pop-up performers, providing an immersive festival-like experience.
Almost every nook and cranny will be used to create signature spots on rooftops and in laneways, offering surprise performances and intimate acoustic sets. Small businesses will also activate interactive workshops, art exhibitions and creative opportunities.
Great Southern Nights have also added over 110 gigs to the 2026 programme in venues across Sydney, South Coast, Newcastle, Northern Rivers and Wollongong.
These will be a combination of free and ticketed shows and encompass everything from emerging to established artists with highlights including Touch Sensitive, Husky, Tropical F... Storm, Maple Glider, Darren Hanlon, Letters To Lions, Bootleg Rascal, Radio Free Alice and so many more.
"By activating more Gig Trails in live music pockets, we're creating spaces where emerging artists share the stage with established acts and whole neighbourhoods come alive," CEO of ARIA, Annabelle Herd says.
"Grab some friends and wander the streets following the sound of music spilling out of venues, stumbling across solo sets under streetlights and sharing the joy of live music with the artists bringing these precincts to life."
Midtown Newcastle will host its own multi-venue live music trail on 1 May with 11 venues involved offering live music, a karaoke rickshaw interactive tour, a courtesy bus to help you get around.
The following weekend, the little laneways, hidden nooks and beloved bars of Chippendale will come to life on 9 May. Discover pop-up performances, acoustic sets, roving entertainment and much more.
That same day, but a little further south, Port Kembla will host its very first Gig Trail featuring record label pop-ups, art, street performances and more. The curated walk will see patrons wander and interact with creatives.
"Port Kembla is currently in such an exciting phase with creativity and innovation booming," General Manager of The Servo, James Spink says, "hosting a Great Southern Nights Gig Trail really solidifies that momentum and energy we feel, really presenting Port Kembla as the genuine cultural destination that it is to a much greater audience."
Sydney's indie creative centre Newtown and Enmore will then transform on 16 May into a haven for music fans with unique activations in some of the district's most iconic small businesses.
"The State's 24-Hour Economy calls them 'vibrant, co-ordinated precincts', but I like to think about them as 'pockets of fun'," 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, Michael Rodrigues says.
"Supported by our Office through our Uptown programme, local businesses are coming together, getting organised, and working as a team to bring their local areas to life.
"This co-ordinated approach has delivered results in Greater Sydney with areas like Newtown/ Enmore and Chippendale as examples. I am excited to see this approach take shape beyond the metropolitan area. Both Midtown in Newcastle and Port Kembla are stunning locations to co-host Great Southern Nights – by locals, for locals."
Great Southern Nights programme takes place across NSW 1-17 May, 2026.
Great Southern Nights 2026 Line-up
3%
Amber Lawrence
Angel White
Augie March
Baker Boy
Ball Park Music
Beddy Rays
Bliss N Eso
Boy Soda
Cloud Control
Denzel Curry
Dope Lemon
Dune Rats
Electric Fields
Emma Donovan
Genesis Owusu
Golden Features
Gordi
Hannah Joy (Middle Kids)
Hatchie
Hellions
Jack River
Jaguar Jonze
James Reyne
Jess Hitchcock
Jessica Mauboy
Jet
Jk-47
Jon Stevens
Kah-Lo
Kasey Chambers
Kath Ebbs Presents Cowboy Country
Keli Holiday
Kita Alexander
KLP
Larissa Lambert
Lime Cordiale
Lisa Simone
Maddy Jane
Maple's Pet Dinosaur
Matt Corby
May-A
Meg Mac
Memphis LK
Missy Higgins
Ninajirachi
Pania
Paul Kelly
Peking Duk
Pete Murray
Playlunch
Regurgitator
Sara Berki
Shane Howard + Shane Nicholson + Sara Storer
Sons Of The East
Steph Strings
The Cat Empire
The Chats
The Colliflowers
The Cruel Sea
The Grogans
The Jungle Giants
The Living End
The Terrys
The Vanns
The Whitlams (Orchestral)
Thelma Plum
Them & I
Thundercat
Trials
VV Pete
WAAX
What So Not
WILSN
Young Franco
Plus more to be announced!
