Update - 27 February, 2026: The Gum Ball have added more talent to the 2026 line-up.
Please welcome Australian icon Christine Anu, bringing the big sing-alongs to the dance floor on Friday night. Pinky Beecroft, the mystical lead singer from Machine Gun Fellatio will present his new album, as will Sydney folk-jazz multi-instrumentalist Little Green.
The incredible global psychedelic zamrock sounds of Immy Owusu also join the party alongside Newcastle country folk legends Bob Corbett & The Roo Grass Band, who make their long-awaited Gum Ball debut, as do Central Coast troubadour Joel Leggett and Sydney's new disco rock lords Jay Squire & The Loveliners.
The Gum Ball also welcomes back their favourite rascal duo Burger Joint, also brothers of solid rock Marvell, and Tasmanian cinematic rock band Holiday Mystics.
Inbound from Alice Springs Gleny Rae delivers her new album via the big band, The Country Ace Soul Band. Riverina bluesman Col Ray Price will showcase his booty swingin' new project The Nundle Five.
Psych rockers Apocalypse Joe & The Coyote crawl out from the Bellinger River and from somewhere out in gypsy lands of Victoria the reputable party band Ungus Ungus Ungus will also be Gum Ball Bound. Scroll down for complete line-up.
After hosting their biggest festival to date this year, and staple of Australia's independent music scene for two decades, 2026 will mark The Gum Ball's 21st birthday when it returns 24-26 April.
Situated at Lower Belford (Wonnarua) in the Hunter Valley, The Gum Ball's first artist announce features a swag of Australia's finest indie operators, with the headline band being 2022 alumni act King Stingray, who were an almost unknown act when they last featured at the family property of Gum Ball founder-organiser Matt 'Magpie' Johnston.
The 2021 Unearthed Artist Of The Year winners would go on to collect the Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist award at the ARIA Awards latter in 2022 as well as winning the Australian Music Prize.
Now fully-fledged stars, King Stingray's arsenal includes such belters as 'Milkuman', 'Get Me Out', 'Let's Go', 'Camp Dog' and 'Hey Wanhaka'. Their return to The Gum Ball is another example of a high-profile act giving back to the grassroots of where they developed.
Another high-profile artist will camp at The Gum Ball in 2026, with indie pop-rock artist Meg Washington joining the bill fresh from a busy 2025 that saw her release her first album, 'Gem', in three years.
Last month Meg shared album single 'Natural Beauty'. "It is the song at the heart of 'Gem'," Meg says.
"It took a long time to write. It's the only piano song on the album and is written as a sort of list of various complaints I have about being an artist inside a capitalistic world. I never imagined I would use 'superannuation' as a lyric, but the songs always find a way to startle me."
The Gum Ball will also host Australian rock songwriting royalty with Don Walker tapping on to join the 21st celebrations. As a founding member of Cold Chisel, Don wrote some of their biggest hits, including 'Khe San', 'Flame Trees' and 'Cheap Wine'.
Another band who have crafted a global audience, country rockers Kingswood will also partake in The Gum Ball. Last month they released their new single 'Last First Kiss'.
"This new tune is an earnest, romantically charged country rock ballad that captures the feeling of finding forever in one moment," the band posted. "We hope that like your special someone, it'll have you dancing round the kitchen full of hope and wonder."
Other highlights of the 2026 bill include indie punk-rockers act These New South Whales, who just dropped their fourth album 'Godspeed' that is built on a backbone of new wave, melodic hardcore and Brit-pop.
"The songs go on either side of that," guitarist Todd Andrews says. "They can go heavier or lighter, but stylistically it's the central point for us."
Then there's Aussie bluesman troubadour William Crighton, the ARIA Award–winning singer-songwriter to release his new album 'Colonial Drift' in March; that project features writing contributions from Midnight Oil's Rob Hirst, who reflects on the collaboration.
"It's been a real honour for me to co-write a few tracks with William Crighton for his new album. In the manner of Midnight Oil, William's context and subject matter have always been uniquely Australian. William's voice is an emerging national treasure, still growing in gravitas, intensity and power."
Don't sleep on the likes of Jazzparty, Joan & The Giants, Dana Gehrman and Alter Boy as well as veterans like The Vasco Era, Davey Lane and Bluebottle Kiss.
With the additional prelude concert (23 April) to be announced later on and a second line-up announcement due for late January, The Gum Ball is an incredible live music escape, designed for all ages and inclinations, boasting an enviable reputation as one of the best laid-back festivals in existence.
The festival's alumni also includes the likes of Mudhoney, Hoodoo Gurus, The Herd, Sampa The Great, Ben Lee, You Am I, Tex Perkins, Baby Animals, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Kim Churchill, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, and The Preatures.
The festival's survival is a remarkable tip of the hat to the community that abounds this cultural institution and as the music industry becomes increasingly overcome by big business and artificial intelligence, community festivals such as The Gum Ball are as crucial as ever – a place for true human connections, fond memories and most importantly, audience development for both the local and nationwide grassroots music scene.
The Gum Ball takes place at Dashville Lower Belford (Hunter Valley) on 24-26 April, 2026.
The Gum Ball 2026 Line-up
King Stingray
Christine Anu
Don Walker
Meg Washington
Kingswood
These New South Whales
William Crighton
The Vasco Era
Jazzparty
Davey Lane
Mylee Grace
Bluebottle Kiss
Immy Owusu
Sub-Tribe
Brown Spirits
Little Green
Marvell
Pinky Beecroft
Burger Joint
Mess Esque
William Alexander Presents A Diggers Tribute
The Roadtrippers
Joan & The Giants
Dana Gehrman
Alter Boy
Milly Strange
Warbaby
Timothy Nelson
Bob Corbett & The Roo Grass Band
Holiday Mystics
Jay Squire & The Loveliners
Col Ray Price & Nundle Five
Gleny Rae & The Country Ace Soul Band
Joel Leggett
Apocolypse Joe & The Coyote
Ungus Ungus Ungus
Benji & The Saltwater Soundsystem
Regikay
Fähm
Chain Daisy
Kev Sev
Izzy Maeve & The Wizards
Dashville Progress Society
Mc Ben Quinn
