More Than 90,000 People Attended Great Southern Nights Events In 2026

More than 90,000 fans attended gigs and festivals put on by the Great Southern Nights team this year, organisers have confirmed.

The 2026 vibrant musical program took over 215 different venues across metropolitan and regional NSW, with 320 gigs booked, four Gig Trails, two new Live Fest events, and the return of Groovin The Moo giving punters plenty of bang for their buck.

Collectively, events such as Live Fest Dubbo and Tamworth, Groovin The Moo and River Sounds Festival attracted more than 16,000 attendees. Meanwhile, the Gig Trails in Midtown Newcastle and the Sydney precincts of Chippendale and Newtown, as well as the debut in Port Kembla, drew an estimated 5,500 visitors across venues and precincts.

Some of Australia’s most loved musical names appeared on the Great Southern Nights line-up, including Paul Kelly, Missy Higgins, Peking Duk, Thelma Plum, Lime Cordiale, Meg Mac, Genesis Owusu, WILSN and many others. This year’s bill was home to 634 artists – a 43% increase on last year’s line-up – with 2,000 individual performers on stage and approximately 1,000 music industry crew making everything happen smoothly.

The artists performed on stages in Sydney, Western Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, the South Coast, the Northern Rivers, and the Central West regions, transforming the venues and streets into entertainment precincts.

With so much happening across the state, Great Southern Nights was a leading driver of increased demand for accommodation, restaurants, bars, and cafes across NSW.

Reflecting on the success of this year’s Great Southern Nights, the state’s Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Steve Kamper, said the initiative is a “shining example” of the government’s mission to bring entertainment precincts back to life across New South Wales.

“Great Southern Nights is a shining example of how we’re bringing entertainment precincts back to life,” Kamper said. “This year’s event delivered unforgettable live music experiences for local and visiting music fans right across our communities.

“Events like Great Southern Nights energise the nightlife of our cities and regions, providing vital support to local businesses and jobs. I congratulate the team at ARIA for delivering another incredible event, and thank all the artists, venues and fans who turned up the volume to create such a memorable experience for NSW.”

ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd added, “Great Southern Nights puts a live music soundtrack at the centre of incredible experiences across New South Wales, bringing great artists to stages right across the state while delivering real benefits to local communities.

“From booked-out accommodation and busy pubs, bars and restaurants to thriving small businesses and energised main streets, live music drives visitation and creates momentum wherever it goes. Audiences aren’t just going to gigs; they’re discovering new towns, exploring different parts of NSW and experiencing the culture and character that make each community unique.

“At the same time, the program supports the artists and venues that keep our music scene alive. When music gives people a reason to travel and explore their own backyard, everyone benefits.”