St Kilda Festival is one of Australia’s largest free music events and a much-loved celebration of our city’s creative heartbeat. Each year, the festival brings cultural, social, and economic benefits to St Kilda and beyond by supporting live music, local businesses, and community connection.

Council is reviewing the festival’s format and priorities to ensure it continues to reflect what matters most to our community from 2027 onwards. This review will help Council balance the festival’s benefits while managing local impacts and budget constraints.

More engagement will take place with local traders, festival attendees, and industry representatives to ensure a wide range of perspectives inform Council’s decisions.

We’re asking for your feedback on what you enjoy about the festival, what could be improved, and what priorities should guide its future.

Your input will inform decisions about size, format, programming, and accessibility.

Important to note:

  • Council is committed to supporting arts and culture, but all services, including events, are subject to annual budget processes.
  • First Peoples programming remains a core Council commitment and is not part of this review.
  • Operational details for the 2026 event (such as parking, traffic, and noise) are out of scope for this engagement. For information on this year’s event, visit the St Kilda Festival’s website