Summer Sundays Bring Big Tunes and Blissed-Out Vibes Back to Ballarat

Free music takes over Ballarat Botanical Gardens this January!

There are many things Ballarat does well — gold rush history, spooky night tours, artisan crafting, cosy cold weather — but when January rolls in, the city switches modes and becomes a sun-drunk celebration of music, mates, and seriously good eats.

Summer Sundays is back at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens for another four-week run of free live music, local flavour, and those perfect late afternoon adventures that make you want to sprawl out on a picnic rug and forget the world exists.

Summer Sundays

When: 4, 11, 18 and 25 January 2026, 3pm – 7pm

Where: Ballarat Botanical Gardens, Gillies St, Wendouree VIC 3355

Keep connected to your live music scene here.

 

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For four glorious Sundays, the Gardens turn into a makeshift festival ground where jazz meets indie rock, Afrobeat melts into alt-country, and kids, grandparents, music nerds and sunscreen-smothered twenty-somethings all dance like nobody’s filming them. It’s the kind of event that feels a little magical: soft grass underfoot, towering trees for shade, food truck aromas drifting through the crowd, and live music echoing across Lake Wendouree. Best of all, it’s completely free, which means your biggest decision is simply who’s on ice cream duty and who’s lining up for dumplings.

Week One: Salsa Heat, Soulful Feels, and Rock ’n’ Roll Roar

4 January, 3pm to 7pm
Summer Sundays kicks off with a sizzling first-week lineup that sets the tone early. Quarter Street bring that red-hot 1970s New York salsa energy, guaranteed to get even the shyest hips moving. Daisy Kilbourne follows with her folk-rock-soul fusion that feels like a warm hug wrapped in a guitar line. Then comes Nasal Spray with the kind of no-frills rock ’n’ roll that smells faintly of sweat and rebellion. For something truly grounding, proud Yorta Yorta artist Madi Colville-Walker delivers a set celebrating resilience, culture, and the stories that carry us forward.

Fuel your dancing with snacks from local legends such as The Dumpling Man, Mr Squidgy, Big Cookie Co., Luigi’s Gelato, and more. Don’t forget the Garden Bar, where you can sip regional wine, local brews or a summery gin while lounging in a bean bag like a relaxed festival deity.

Week Two: Soul Queens, Alt-Country Heroes, and Local Indie Gems

11 January, 3pm to 7pm
The second Sunday leans into big feelings with Ella Thompson, whose velvety-soul-meets-modern-pop sound could charm the leaves off the trees. Andy Golledge, Sydney’s reigning alt-country wildcard, brings swagger and twang in equal measure. Ballarat’s own Blue Ren floats into the mix with earthy indie-folk, before The Black Sea Country Club rounds things out with nostalgic storytelling and retro flair.

The food trucks return loaded with flavour from paella to baked potatoes and everything in between, and naturally, Luigi’s Gelato is back for round two because summer demands it.

 

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Week Three: Indie Euphoria and Glam-Tinged Dreamscapes

18 January, 3pm to 7pm
Week three brings some of the most addictive indie sounds of the season. Cousin Tony’s Brand New Firebird headline with euphoric horns and the kind of live energy that makes strangers instantly become best friends. Little Guilt deliver dreamy indie-pop bliss, while Hemlock Wilde bring whimsical glam-inspired tunes that shimmer in the afternoon light. Father–daughter duo Freya and Tom McGowan wrap the day with heartfelt originals that hit you right in the feelings.

Grab something delicious from Woodside Food & Co., Smoke On The Weir, or Flying Chillies. It’s the perfect fuel for sky-raised singing.

Week Four: Latin Fire, Electro-Pop Sparkle, and Indie Edge

25 January, 3pm to 7pm
The final Sunday goes out with a bang. El Bembe ignite the gardens with fiery salsa, merengue, and bachata rhythms. Queenie, an ARIA-charting powerhouse, brings her magnetic stage presence. Square Wave Bounce fill the air with shimmering synths and dreamy electro-pop, and Fishwife closes out with genre-bending indie rock steeped in new wave edge.

The food options are stacked including paella, curries, donuts, espresso, gyros, dumplings, and even more gelato ensuring you leave with both a full heart and a full stomach.

 

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Summer Sundays isn’t just Ballarat’s favourite live music tradition, it’s an all-in community celebration with zero barriers to entry and maximum good vibes. Pack a picnic blanket, gather your favourite humans, and head to the Botanical Gardens every Sunday in January. Sunshine, music, ice-cold drinks and four weeks of joy? Ballarat has summer absolutely sorted.

Find out the full range of music and food offering at Summer Sundays Ballarat here.