2025 LINE-UP

Andrea Kirwin & Claire EvelynnAndrea Kirwin is an Australian-Fijian Singer-songwriter based on the Sunshine Coast, QLD, who has been performing at Folk Festivals across Australia and New Zealand for almost 2 decades. With a warm stage presence, soulful sound and a...

Anya Alchemy Anya Alchemy is an emerging singer-songwriter hailing from the Dandenong Ranges, whose soulful, raw vocals and bold songwriting leave a lasting impression. With a remarkable ability to connect deeply with her audience, Anya brings her unique blend of pop,...

Bess Atwell  (ENG)Brighton-based artist Bess Atwell heads to Australia for the first time in 2025! Upon the release of her Always, Already album - Bess Atwell’s missive as a songwriter became fully formed, marking her as one of Britain’s most assured young voices. At...

BONNY LIGHT HORSEMAN (usa)Over the years, Bonny Light Horseman has accumulated many miles on the collective odometer of life. The band’s core trio – Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson, and Josh Kaufman – has amassed an incomparable collected resume. Mitchell is a...

Briscoe SistersYalanji trio Briscoe Sisters bring language and song to the stage, fusing gospel with their yalanji spirituality. Celebrating over 2 decades in the industry, Briscoe Sisters have been recognised as Port Fairy’s Maton’s Young Talent of the Year (2005)...

Brian NankervisBrian Nankervis is a producer, writer and performer. He is a co-creator, producer, co-host and writer on ‘RocKwiz’. Brian also co-hosts ‘The Friday Revue’, on ABC Radio Melbourne. From 2021 to 2023 he hosted ‘Songs and Stories’, on national ABC radio....

THE BROTHER BROTHERS (USA)The Brother Brothers are the indie folk duo of Adam and David Moss. The identical twins were born and raised in Peoria, Illinois and originally based in Brooklyn, but have been ultimately and profoundly shaped by a life surrounded by travel...

Caelo Caelo ("Kay-Low") is a singer-songwriter originally hailing from lutruwita/Tasmania.  Writing harmony laden alt-rock and folk songs, he released his debut EP 'Something New' in November 2022, with singles 'Morning Comes' and 'Tongue Tied' receiving  ABC and...

 Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall ConcertThe great CAT POWER is coming to Port Fairy Folk Festival, performing Bob Dylan’s lifechanging set in Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert. Almost 59 years to the day, Bob Dylan’s most...

Charlotte Von Tunk Charlotte is an up-and-coming solo artist and proud member of the Find Your Voice Collective. In 2024 at Port Fairy Folk Festival, Charlotte launched herself as a captivating performer, singing the track 'Royals' with the accompaniment of Fanny...

CHARM OF FINCHESAustralian sister duo Charm of Finches delivers intricate folk-pop that is simultaneously graceful and darkly bewitching. Their seamless blood harmonies traverse melancholy and wonder in equal measure. They return to Port Fairy with a full band...

 CHECKERBOARD LOUNGE Inspirational front man Carl Pannuzzo (drums and vocals), master guitarist Shannon Bourne, Hammond virtuoso Tim Neal, and ineffable bassist Zoë Frater, are Checkerboard Lounge, breathing fire, virtuosity and improvisation into classic soul and...

CHIKCHIKAChikchika features renowned Oromo singer-songwriter Muluu Baqqalaa with Tigrinya vocalists Anbessa Gebrehiwot and Haftu Reda. Accompanied by traditional Eritrean and Ethiopian stringed instruments, the krar and masinko, Chikchika weave important stories of...

Clare Sands (IRE)A sixth generation fiddler & bilingual singer, Sands has been wowing audiences around the world with her groundbreaking style and infinite warrior energy. Electrifying live performances see Clare on fiddle, guitar, percussion, vocals &...

Daisy KilbourneDaisy Kilbourne is a soul-stirring artist hailing from the spirited small town of Daylesford, with a heart firmly rooted in the music of the '70s. Born into a musical family, Daisy's talent and love for song run deep, inspired by the legacy of her late...

DAVID ARDEN David Arden is an accomplished First Nations musician and songman who has worked alongside some of the most respected names in the Australian music Industry. David has toured extensively both nationally & internationally having spent five years as lead...

David francey (can)David Francey, a Scottish-born Canadian songwriter, is "one of Canada’s most revered folk poets and singers", Toronto Star. Originally from Ayrshire, Scotland, he relocated to Canada at a young age, later becoming a carpenter by trade Francey...

DEAN OWENS & THE SINNERS (SCO)Award-winning troubadour Dean Owens and his band will transport you to a sepia stained downtown cantina with songs from his stunning Sinner’s Shrine album (recorded with musicians from Calexico) and brand new 2025 release Spirit Ridge...

DON WALKERDon Walker is an acclaimed Australian musician, songwriter, and author, best known as the principal songwriter and keyboardist for Cold Chisel, one of Australia’s most iconic rock bands. With Cold Chisel, his lyrics for hits like “Khe Sanh,” “Flame Trees,”...

THE EAST POINTERS (CAN)Adding to their volumes of East Coast myth-making, The East Pointers’ forthcoming anthology of celebratory anthems and incendiary tune sets is a natural evolution of playing to ‘hometown’ crowds of thousands the world over, full family kitchen...

ELSY WAMEYOKenya-born Elsy Wameyo has emerged as a force to be reckoned with, a chameleonic artist pouring life’s experiences into dynamic pieces of art. 2022 saw the release of her debut EP, ‘Nilotic’, a self-produced fusion of soul-infused hip-hop and alt-R&B...

FELICITY DOWD Felicity Dowd is a nomadic troubadour and storyteller spinning tales and melodies across the country. 2024 Toyota Starmaker Grand Finalist, Youth Artist of the Year at the Australian Folk Music Awards (2023), NSW Folk Federation Young Artist of the Year...

FESTIVAL CHOIR The Festival Choir began in 2006 in response to desire from the audience to engage with the music more actively.  Since then, we have sung with more than a thousand Festival ticket holders and connected them musically with many of the festival's...

FIND YOUR VOICE COLLECTIVE PRESENT 'SONDER'Come and meet a diverse panel of songwriters, representing the full spectrum of humanity, sharing the personal songs and stories that have shaped them. Featuring members of the Find Your Voice Collective and hosted by Tom...

FIND YOUR VOICE COLLECTIVE SING JOE COCKERTrue to their legendary reputation of large-scale celebrations of community and humanity, the Find Your Voice Collective channel Joe Cocker’s infamous 1970 album, Mad Dogs & Englishmen into an unforgettable live...

FLYNN GURRYHailing from the small coastal city of Warrnambool, along the shores of Australia’s Great Ocean Road, Flynn Gurry is starting to make some big waves. With his independently released 2022 debut EP Weather & Dogs? racking up over 150k streams in just over...

Grassy Strings (IND)Grassy Strings weave together traditional tunes and bluegrass standards, even incorporating Indian songs in different languages for a truly unique sound. Their talent isn't just captivating audiences in India – Grassy Strings has been making waves...

Gusto GustoFinalists for the 2023 Australian Folk Music Awards’ Artist of the Year, Gusto Gusto is West Preston's best dressed band, playing music to make you dance. A flamboyant seven-piece show with a hefty dose of audience participation and non-stop dance tunes, we...

HANA & JESSIE-LEE'S BAD HABITSSewing twang, lyrical wit and late-night musings into a country-soul heart, Hana and Jessie-Lee’s Bad Habits craft sauntering, hook-laden tapestries steeped in rock-and-roll swagger. Hana's searing, sophisticated and effortlessly...

HANNAH ALDRIDGE (USA)Hannah Aldridge grew up on the muddy banks of Muscle Shoals. A reckoning between her coming-to-age in the South and a lifetime of trying to create an identity outside of it, her songs strike a delicate balance between rebellion and self-discovery....

Harriet WraithArmed with just an acoustic guitar and her compelling voice, Harriet Wraith’s boldly minimalist sound masks the depth of her intricate songwriting, marked by authenticity and emotional undertone. Her music weaves folk, pop, and blues influences into a...

HassallHassall is a singer-songwriter & self-confessed rambler from the bottom right corner of regional Victoria. Stirring together addictive countrysoulsex-esque vocal hooks, taboo topics & lyrics relatable in the way you don’t wanna admit, she emerges into a...

Hat Fitz and CaraFile them under “Convict Rhythm and Roots” in your record collection. While the singer-songwriters are both multi-instrumentalists, it's Fitzy's weathered vocals and soaring blues-soaked guitar combined with Cara's pounding drums and soulful...

THE HIGH STREET DRIFTERSThe High Street Drifters, a bluegrass quartet based in South Australia and Victoria, are leaving an indelible mark on the music scene. Drifting around the country since 2021 they are fast making a name for themselves combining their commitment...

Hundo MilliHundo Milli is an 18 year old indigenous Australian Hip-Hop/Pop artist based in Warrnambool, Victoria. Hundo released his debut single (EATERS) on the 3rd of June in 2022, and since then has performed in many venues across Australia and has also been...

Jad PinnoneAnchored by a resonant voice, exhibiting the best of a storyteller and expressing his influences stemming from his Shilha Moroccan and Italian cultural roots, Australia’s Jad Pinnone is a sonic poet, blending ambient blues, folk and soulful R&B-infused...

Jeff LangJeff Lang is one of Australia’s most influential and iconic musicians. With a career spanning three decades, Jeff Lang has released over 30 albums, won 3 ARIA Awards and written a book, amongst many other achievements. The guitarist, songwriter, vocalist and...

Jenny Mitchell (NZL) Jenny Mitchell is a gifted storyteller with the grit and experience to wear her heart proudly on her sleeve. Originally hailing from NZ's Country Music Capital of Gore, her music is full of warmth, truth and family harmonies - think the best of...

JIMI HOCKING Folk legend Rick E Vengeance, assisted by his wife Leanne, launched the Sunday Singout around 1997. The two would guide the crowd at the Guinness Tent (now the Shebeen) on a journey of classic and often tongue in cheek songs which included members of the...

JOHN SMITH (ENG)He was dubbed the future of folk music by Pentangle’s John Renbourn, but singer-songwriter John Smith’s unique synthesis of styles puts him halfway across the Atlantic. The Living Kind is his masterpiece in American atmospherics: a true musician’s...

Jon Muq (UGA/USA)For Jon Muq, a singer-songwriter born in Uganda and now living in Austin, Texas, music is part of a larger conversation he’s having with the world and everybody in it. Drawing from African as well as western musical trends and traditions, he devises...

Jordie LaneWith his back catalogue of albums featuring in many top 50 albums' lists, 4 stars from Rolling Stone and numerous AIR Awards, Australia-born and Nashville-based acclaimed artist Jordie Lane releases an electrifying new album Tropical Depression. Debuting at...

Jorja CateJorja Cate is a 15-year-old singer-songwriter with a passion for music. Finding inspiration in artists like Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan, and Tate McRae, Jorja has been writing and playing music since a very young age. Music is more than just a passion for...

Joseph LimBased in Warrnambool, Victoria, Joseph Lim is an 18-year-old independent singer-songwriter. Writing and producing his songs from scratch, Joseph is here to share his passion for music and storytelling. While often collaborating with other local artists,...

KATIE SPENCER (ENG)Progressive singer-songwriter and guitarist, Katie Spencer, was raised in the flatlands of Northern England. Her landscape has always been that of open skies and widening rivers. Industry still shapes the city here. The people, as with the land, are...

Kook JoeyKook Joey (Joanna Kozbanis) is an Australian singer-songwriter known for crafting music with a tranquil and soothing ambiance. Joanna’s musical style is deeply rooted in folk; however, her latest works have been drawing inspiration from the music she has been...

KRISTIN HERSH (USA)The inimitable Kristin Hersh is a musician's musician, a songwriter's songwriter, and an innovator's innovator. Her first band, Throwing Muses, began recording and playing out when they were just 14 years old and they're still going - 2020's...

KUTCHA EDWARDSFrom the wings of a darkened stage drifts the evocative, slightly haunting sound of clap sticks. A stoically paced figure slowly emerges singing in his traditional language. This signals the introduction to a Kutcha Edwards performance. He uses his...

LA MAUVAISE RÉPUTATIONFrench jazz & swing virtuosos La Mauvaise Réputation are Australia’s most authentic interpreters of the wild rhythms and passion of 1930s Parisian hot jazz and the beautiful melodies of classic French chanson - sung en français bien sûr. Join...

LEAH SENIORAustralian-based folk singer Leah Senior silences audiences with vivid lyricism and a voice that soars with a disarmingly honest Sandy Denny-like clarity. Leah Senior effortlessly weaves together spring-baroque pop with crisply picked, wistful folk. Her...

LIAN HUSI TIMORLian Husi Timor in English means, 'Sounds of the East.' Members of Warrnambool's vibrant and emerging Timor Leste community created this group for a debut Folkie performance in 2023. Initially as a way to open the door here in Australia for a unique...

Lindigo (REU)For 20 years, the Lindigo group, led by Olivier Araste, has been Reunion Island's most popular Maloya group. Their approach goes beyond nostalgia, using their roots to build the future—this is the essence of "Maloya Power." With over 1,500 concerts, seven...

LITTLE QUIRKSAustralian folk-rock songbirds Little Quirks produce an unforgettable explosive energy, that transports their audiences into a smile inducing state. With an all-female front and youthful love for performing, a fresh unbridled joy emanates in every...

LUCY FARRELL (CAN)Odd, unconventional melodies, sophisticated song-writing and bewitching clarity; Kent-born, Canada-based Lucy Farrell’s voice is made elegant with sparse, careful accompaniment on tenor guitar and occasionally viola, carving out a unique niche for an...

Meghan Maike & The Cactus Flowers In true country tradition, this Canadian singer-songwriter found inspiration on the road - from Montreal to Mississippi, and now Melbourne. Born into folk and honed in country, Maike’s influences (from the greats; Emmylou, Gram,...

MICK THOMAS' ROVING COMMISSIONMick Thomas has been a staple of Melbourne’s music scene for well over 30 years. Raconteur, troubadour, balladeer and poet, he is best known as the song master of icons Weddings Parties Anything. His band The Roving Commission featuring...

MISSY HIGGINSMissy Higgins is one of Australia’s most beloved singer/songwriters. She has struck a deep and enduring chord with her irresistible melodies and ‘arrow through the heart’ lyrics, delivered by a striking voice that clearly means it. Since being Unearthed...

Muireann Bradley (IRE)Muireann Bradley is a 17 year old folk and blues guitarist and singer from Ballybofey in County Donegal. She specializes in performing acoustic fingerpicking country, piedmont, and ragtime blues styles from the 1920s, 30s and 40s as well as later...

Mulga Bore Hard Rock Meet Mulga Bore Hard Rock. They are a six-piece band of brothers and cousins hailing from the remote central Australia desert community of Akaye, two hours northeast of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. This group of teenagers, ages 15-20...

NIAMH BURY (IRE)Niamh Bury is one of the most exciting new voices on the Irish folk scene, nominated for ‘Best Emerging Artist’ at the RTE Folk Awards in her first few months out. Her debut album, Yellow Roses released March 2024 quickly stirred hearts and received...

NICHOLAS NORTHEASTBeginning his music journey in musical theatre, Nicolas Northeast has performed with the Warrnambool Holiday Actors for years and is now moving into the world of contemporary music. The 19-year-old is based in Warrnambool and is heavily influenced by...

NICK CHARLESWith dazzling fingerpicking and a lifetime’s stories and songs gathered or written on the world’s musical highways, it’s no surprise that Nick Charles has long been labelled internationally as “Australia’s virtuoso of acoustic roots and blues”. During his...

Old Man Luedecke (CAN)Old Man Luedecke is one of Canada’s best loved and most intriguing roots singer-songwriters. Known for his masterful banjo playing, he was born and raised in Toronto and now lives rurally on the south shore of Nova Scotia. With a storyteller’s...

PETER GARRETT & THE ALTER EGOS Peter Garrett is one of our most prominent living Australians. A renowned activist, former politician, and lead singer of Midnight Oil is a long-time campaigner on a range of local and global issues. He served as president of the...

RAY DIMAKARRI DIXONRay Dimakarri Dixon, a musician and advocate from the Marlinja community in the Northern Territory, began his musical journey with the Kulimindini Band in Elliott. He later formed the family band Rayella with his daughter, Eleanor Jawurlngali,...

RUTHIE FOSTER (USA)Ruthie Foster's musical journey is as eclectic and vibrant as her soulful voice. Born into a gospel-rich family in Gause, Texas, Ruthie was influenced by her mother, grandmother, and artists like Gospel Keynotes and Blind Boys of Alabama. Initially...

SIMON JOYNER (USA)Simon is widely regarded as one of the great singer-songwriter's of our generation. Two albums released locally, Pocket Moon and Songs From A Stolen Guitar. There will be a reissue of his third album, 1994's The Cowardly Traveller Pays His Toll (30th...

síomha (IRE)Independent Irish musician Síomha (pronounced She-vah) dances the line between folk, jazz and neo-soul effortlessly taking audiences on an unexpected and unforgettable journey with her soulful melodies. Her debut album Infinite Space, described by The...

SKERRYVORE (SCO)Over the last 19 years, Skerryvore have brought their high energy performances to audiences across the globe. They are the only band to have been awarded Scotland’s ‘Live Act of the Year’ on 3 occasions. Their 7 studio albums demonstrate the wide range...

THE SOUTHERN OCEAN SEA BANDPort Fairy’s own Southern Ocean Sea Band have been taking audiences on journeys into local historical stories and legends for eight years now. They were born directly from the late Danny Spooner’s annual Shanties at the Wharf sessions....

Tallulah GraceTallulah Grace has become renowned for an effortless magic that permeates her songwriting. Her ‘incomparable, just magical’ (Triple J Unearthed) EP, *Observe You*, is a poignant and personal release that blends sweet strings with gentle harmonies to...

TALISK (SCO) One of the most talked-about folk bands of the 21st century, Talisk have been tearing apart stereotypes and redefining the genre for almost a decade. With over 15 million streams, 10,000 albums sold worldwide, and sold out shows across five continents –...

TODD RUNDGREN (USA)Born and raised in Philadelphia, Rundgren began playing guitar as a teenager, going on to found and front The Nazz, the quintessential `60's psychedelic group. In 1969, he pursued a solo career, recording his debut offering, the legendary ‘Runt’....

TROY CASSAR-DALEYHailing from a long line of fireside storytellers and a proud Gumbaynggirr/Bundjalung man, Troy Cassar-Daley has shared his extraordinary musicianship with a diverse array of artists, leaving an indelible mark on the country's musical landscape. In...

VIKA & LINDAVika & Linda are the most loved vocal duo of their generation–admired and respected by fans and fellow artists, they’ve been singing together their entire lives. It all began in a church and from church to the charts Vika & Linda have enjoyed a...

WATTY THOMPSON In a gloriously unabashed antipodean drawl, neo-bush balladeer Watty Thompson explores themes of inward and outward love, togetherness, and a desire to strive and live beyond the material. It's affirming, joyous and inspiring, all played out against a...