Presented by City of Port Phillip, the festival opens on Saturday 14 February with First Peoples First, a powerful celebration marking 20 years of First Nations-led programming. Running from midday until 9pm, the day brings together an exceptional line-up across the Main Stage presented by 10 and the Optus Stage at O’Donnell Gardens. Leading the charge is 2025 ARIA Award winner BARKAA, whose commanding presence and razor-sharp lyricism promise one of the weekend’s most electrifying sets. She is joined by the thunderous rock force Selve, Noongar electropop artist Boox Kid, Wiradjuri artist Ruby Mae, and Melbourne alternative rock outfit The Terrifying Lows.
The Optus Stage continues the depth of programming with Bunhungura Alternative artist Drifting Clouds, Top End bilingual outfit James Range Band, local favourites Charlie Needs Braces, and Ngiyampaa folk artist Pirritu. The day closes with a moving sunset ceremony, Kummargii Yulendji Gadabah (Together we rise up with knowledge), anchoring the celebration in culture, connection and community.
On Sunday 15 February, the much-loved Big Festival Sunday takes over St Kilda in full force, with multiple stages activating the foreshore and beyond from noon until 9pm. Headlining the Main Stage overlooking the bay are some of Australia’s most enduring names, including multiple ARIA Award winner Jessica Mauboy, pub rock legends Mental As Anything, and dancefloor icons Sneaky Sound System. They are joined by reggae-dub collective Sub-Tribe, surf-leaning garage heroes The Grogans, and ethereal R&B standout DEVAURA.
Elsewhere, the Catani Gardens Stage delivers an eclectic run featuring Australian Music Prize nominee Grace Cummings, psychedelic crowd-pleasers Babe Rainbow, groove-driven Close Counters, Afro-disco duo Wrong Way Up, and raw punk siblings FRENZEE. The Optus Stage shifts from family-friendly favourites Easy Peasy and The Mik Maks into evening sets from The Rest Is History, MONROE, and the smoky-voiced Meghna.
Fresh talent is also firmly in focus, with New Music Competition winners Velvet Bloom returning to open the Main Stage, alongside a diverse field of emerging artists across the New Music Stage. From soul, pop and indie-rock to electronic jazz and genre-blurring experimentation, St Kilda Festival’s 45th year promises a lineup as expansive as the foreshore itself.
