The 42nd edition of the iconic Festival will take place as a two-day program shifting to a new date – Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 February 2023.
Proudly presented by City of Port Phillip, St Kilda Festival will continue the tradition of celebrating a First Peoples Festival and will showcase more than 50 artists as one of Victoria’s premier free live music events.
Day one is a dedicated First Peoples Festival Day, with a music line up showcasing established and emerging artists from the main stage on the St Kilda beach foreshore, as well as a day of family friendly activities in O’Donnell Gardens.
The second day of the Festival is a large-scale, multi-stage event showcasing more than 50 artists and bands and welcoming an audience historically in the region of 400,000, to St Kilda’s iconic foreshore area.
Port Phillip Mayor Marcus Pearl said: “This year we embraced the return of St Kilda Festival in an extended nine-day program. Next year, we’re proud to see the Festival return to its pre-pandemic form and we can’t wait to see droves of festival goers enjoying the best of St Kilda in summer.”
St Kilda Festival supports a broad range of musicians, from emerging talent to established and iconic performers, with a continued focus on championing Victorian artists.
The annual Festival is a flagship event for the City of Port Phillip and plays a key role in supporting Council’s ongoing efforts to support economic recovery, particularly for local businesses who welcome the economic benefit and visitation that the Festival brings.
The New Music Competition (NMC) will once again be a key feature of the Festival program, giving audiences the opportunity to watch sets from new and emerging talent and vote for their favourite performance for a chance to win a voter prize pack. The winning act will take home prize money and receive an invitation to perform at the St Kilda Festival Main Stage in 2024. The NMC will launch later this year with a call for entries from emerging artists across the country.
The St Kilda Festival is more than just a celebration of live music. It’s also a celebration of our richly diverse community, including the community groups that in so many ways are the heartbeat of our City. Expressions of Interest open on Wednesday 7 September, for community groups in Port Phillip – including local choirs, dance schools and performance collectives – to submit an application for their activities and events to be considered as part of the 2023 Festival program.
The full Festival program will be announced in 2023. To stay up to date with the latest news about St Kilda Festival, keep an eye on the
