Ability Fest Confirms 2026 Return, Relocates To New Melbourne Venue

"Taking over a venue like The Timber Yard – a space known for world-class electronic acts – shows that accessible events can compete at the highest level," explained Dylan Alcott.

Ability Fest

Australia’s premier accessible and inclusive music event, Ability Fest, returns this year—taking over a new venue in Melbourne.

Founded by Paralympic gold medallist and 2022 Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott AO, Ability Fest returns on Saturday, 11 April, with a fresh venue and format, brought to life in partnership with Untitled Group and supported by the federal government’s live entertainment initiative, Revive Live.

This year, Ability Fest will be held at The Timber Yard in Port Melbourne. Still to come? A back to its roots, all-electronic line-up.

Ability Fest 2026 will charge $60 for tickets. The accessible and previous purchaser pre-sale opens on Wednesday, 25 February, at 10 am AEDT, followed by a general pre-sale at 12 pm AEDT—sign up here for pre-sale access.

General ticket sales will be available on Thursday, 26 February, at 12 pm AEDT. You can find more ticketing information on the Ability Fest website.

“There’s more than 5.5 million Australians living with disability; if we’re not designing spaces with us in mind, we’re excluding more than one in five people from fully participating in our communities,” Alcott explained.

He continued, “Ability Fest has always been about proving that accessibility and incredible experiences aren't mutually exclusive; they're essential. We want to show that accessibility at large-scale festivals isn’t just possible, it's achievable.

“Whether it’s a field, a warehouse or any space between, we’re building the blueprint for what inclusive events should look like. Taking over a venue like The Timber Yard – a space known for world-class electronic acts – shows that accessible events can compete at the highest level.”

Nicholas Greco, Managing Partner at Untitled Group, added, “It’s amazing to be part of Ability Fest’s return and to help bring the festival to a new venue and format this year. We’re looking forward to bringing this event to life with an electronic line-up while continuing the festival’s strong focus on accessibility.”

Crafted with inclusion at the forefront, Ability Fest features elevated viewing platforms, quiet zones, sensory areas, AUSLAN interpreters, and live captioning. The events also include dedicated parking and pick-up/drop-off zones, accessible bathrooms, a designated area for assistance dogs, free companion tickets for carers, and more.

Since the festival’s 2018 launch, 100% of proceeds have gone to the Dylan Alcott Foundation, which funds programs for young Australians with disabilities. Ability Fest has raised over $1.5 million for the foundation to date.