Heavy Congress Postponed To November 2025

The Yarra Valley’s Rochford Winery was set to host the first-ever sound system-based event in regional Victoria later this month (29 March), but this year’s Heavy Congress has been postponed to November.

Heavy Congress previously announced that it had locked in twelve incredible crews made up of DJs, MCs and live performing artists to take over the Yarra Valley: D.I.Y. HiFi, Dub Divination, Echo Chamber, El Gran Mono, Goody’s HiFi, Heartical Hi Powa, Housewife’s Choice, Solidarity, System Unknown, Tribe Sound System, Tuff Tone, and Virus.

The festival has been postponed to Saturday, 1 November, with organisers citing challenges securing artists’ visas and lower-than-expected ticket sales.

However, to make it up to punters, event organisers have announced an exclusive offer for ticketholders. Event organisers are offering current ticketholders entry to this year’s Heavy Congress and the 2025 Jamaican Music and Food Festival.

“Due to challenges with international artist visas and lower-than-expected ticket sales, event organisers have made the difficult decision to postpone,” a statement from festival organisers reads. “However, this extra time allows us to bring you an even bigger and better Heavy Congress in November 2025.”

The statement continues, “To show our appreciation for ticket holders, all current Heavy Congress ticketholders will now receive entry to two incredible events:

• Heavy Congress on Saturday November 1, 2025, at Rochford Winery

• The Jamaican Music and Food Festival, Saturday December 6, 2025, at Seaworks, Williamstown.

Punters who can’t make it to the new date can request a refund via Eventbrite.

Festival organisers added, “We look forward to welcoming you to Heavy Congress 2025, where 12 of the biggest sound systems in the southern hemisphere will unite for 10 hours of bass, beats, food and wine.

“With DJs, MCs, and collective energy, it’s set to be an unforgettable celebration of sound system culture. We encourage ticketholders to take up this exclusive double-event offer and join us for an epic year of music and culture in 2025!”

To purchase tickets for this year’s Heavy Congress, head to Eventbrite.

Discussing why the festival team chose the Yarra Valley as their location for this year’s event, festival organiser Stick Mareebo said:

“Melbourne has become the undisputed capital of sound system culture in Australia, and our city’s international reputation for embracing diverse subcultures has made it a natural incubator for this amazing movement.

“Australia boasts more than 50 active sound systems, with Melbourne alone housing more than half of them - that is why we have chosen Victoria for the first ever Regional Festival.”