Ability Fest Returns For Expanded 2024 Edition With Brisbane Debut

It’s official: Ability Fest will make its grand return to Melbourne (Naarm) later this year – and for the first time, it’s being expanded to also take place in Brisbane (Meanjin).

The news arrived today (July 1) in a special announcement from the team behind Ability Fest, promising that this year’s edition will be “bigger than ever”. Not only is the festival expanding to a new city, it’s also being opened up to punters aged 16 and over (where it was previously 18+), allowing even more people to experience Australia’s first and only completely accessible music festival.

• Dylan Alcott: 'Music Was The First Time I Felt Fully Included'

Melbourne’s date for Ability Fest 2024 has been locked in for Saturday October 19, taking place at the idyllic Alexandra Gardens. The inaugural Brisbane edition will be held exactly a week later, slated for Saturday October 26 at Victoria Park.

Info on this year’s lineup and ticket sales are yet to be announced, however a mailing list for early access has been opened – head here to sign up for yourself.

As always, this year’s Ability Fest will be held as a non-profit endeavour, with all proceeds going directly to the Dylan Alcott Foundation “to help empower young people with disability to achieve their ambitions”. Alcott himself developed the original concept of Ability Fest, launching the first edition in 2018.

Last year’s Ability Fest featured performances from the likes of Alex Lahey, Alter Boy, Broods, DZ Deathrays, Hilltop Hoods, Meg Mac, Sampa The Great and more. In announcing it, Alcott said: “I’m so proud to see the path Ability Fest has already paved for inclusive events across the country. First and foremost, our main priority is to create a kick-ass festival that happens to be accessible. And that’s something I think we’ve achieved since launching in 2018.”