A guide to Victoria’s best festivals this month

Foto, film and fiction make up this months festival offering across Victoria this month.

As the sun returns into view and the flowers start to bloom, festivities across the state begin to rise. This month, towns are taken over by renowned artists, writers, makers, musicians and animals as talents are put on display.

Ballarat becomes a bold gallery setting, Torquay is taken over by wombats, the Yarra River is an environment for events, and fellow Victorian river, the Murray is crawling with country artists.

Explore the biggest and best festivals happening across Victoria this month below.

Keep up to date with what is happening in and around regional Victoria here.

SummerSalt

 

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SummerSalt presents another series of sun-kissed events in 2025 with a fresh and sunny line-up. Liverpool-based honourary Australian’s, The Wombats return to headline the outdoor beachside festival, bringing with them a stack of new tracks from their hotly anticipated sixth studio album, Oh! The Ocean, set for release on 14 February 2025.They will be joined by Australian indie giants DMA’s, Ball Park Music, Del Water Gap, Bea and her Business, and Ra Ra Viper. Get ready to bask in the good vibes of this glittering live music experience coming to Torquay’s Commons.

When: Saturday 20 September

Where: Torquay Commons, Torquay

Mildura Country Music Festival

More than 40 artists take to 14 venues across nine days during the Mildura Country Music Festival. The festival celebrates the diversity of country music in the north west of Victoria. Taking over the Murray River-side town, Mildura Country Music Festival runs from 13 to 21 September featuring a lineup of Jade Hurley, The Parle Brothers, The Silverline, Brian Letton, Kerrigan Labrooy, Grant Luhrs, Venessa Waara, Jefferson Smith, Joe Musico, and so many more. From Wentworth Wharf to Australian Inland Botanical Gardens, the town will be alive with music and entertainment.

When: 13 – 21 September

Where: Various Venues

Birrarung Riverfest

 

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The Birrarung Riverfest is back this September school holidays, with over 60 events across 23 days, stretching along the entire Yarra, Birrarung River. The festival has grown into one of Melbourne’s major cultural and environmental events, inspiring connection to Country, action for the river, and collaboration across communities. Riverfest is presented by the Yarra Riverkeeper Association (YRKA), a major community voice for the Birrarung for the past 20 years.

When: 6 – 28 September

Where: Along the Yarra River Melbourne

Port Fairy Literary Weekend

 

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The Port Fairy Literary Weekend is running for its fifth year in September 2025. Authors from all over Australia are travelling to South West Victoria for a series of intimate and wide-ranging discussions. They have over 30 visiting authors and over a dozen events, plus special events, a gala dinner, and free family events all weekend.

When: 12 – 14 September

Where: Reardon Theatre, Port Fairy

Ballarat International Foto Biennale

 

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The Ballarat International Foto Biennale (Ballarat Foto) is a world-class arts organisation delivering an internationally significant photographic arts festival, activating the city of Ballarat and enriching the cultural landscape of Victoria and Australia, every two years. This year’s impressive program includes the world premiere of French photojournalist Catherine Leroy’s collection in Catherine Leroy: One-Way Ticket To Vietnam 1966 – 1968, an exhibition of Robert Mapplethorpe’s works through the curatorial lens of editor Edward Enniful OBE, and a step into the fashion world with Campbell Addy headlining the festival.

When: 23 August – 19 October

Where: Festival Hub at the Ballarat Mining Exchange, Ballarat

Makers Film Festival

 

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Sovereign Hill’s The Rare Trades Centre and Gold Rush Centre are the hosts of the 2024 Makers Film Festival. The Makers Film Festival is an international short film festival celebrating craft – makers, making, and materials. The biannual festival is making its way to Ballarat, featuring 14 films from around the world including collaborations from Australia, Canada, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Through film, explore the craft practices of organic fashion, incense-making, terrazzo files, glass, ceramics, puppetry and automata, and more.

When: 13 September

Where: The Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades, Ballarat

Horsham Agriculture Show

 

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The Horsham Agricultural Society hosts a traditional agricultural show over five hectares of land, with views of the Wimmera River; their historic buildings will be open for action. Where else can you watch a sheep being shorn, a maze to be explored, cakes to be beaten, scarecrows to be exhibited, miniature goats to be judged and fireworks to finish but at an agricultural show? Sideshow Alley will be filled with rides and games to thrill all ages. Showbags will accompany the rides starting on Saturday evening and again on Sunday. The family-friendly event is perfectly timed to round up the school holidays.

When: Saturday 28 September, Sunday 29 September

Where: Horsham Showgrounds, Horsham

Discover more events taking place in Victoria here.