WOMAdelaide drop tantalising first lineup featuring Yothu Yindi, Marlon Williams, and Obongjayar

Celebrating it’s 29th edition, WOMADelaide has today revealed the first 49 artists set to delight audiences across the long weekend of 6 – 9 March 2026. Taking over Adelaide’s Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla, the eclectic, exciting and super surprising lineup has blood that runs from Bhutan to the Kimberleys, Cuba and Ukraine.

It’s all headed by our own iconic, trailblazing band Yothu Yindi who will be celebrating 35 years of Tribal Voice. They are joined by Afro-funk of Nigerian, London-based Obongjayar who featured on the Fred again.. smash hit ‘adore u’ as well as the frequent flyer, Marlon Williams, complete with Kapa Haka group Ngā Mātai Pūrua. They join an already announced Baker Boy and Iron & Wine, Irish folk band Beoga and ABC’s Pacific Break winner Mantis from Vanuatu, along with a list of global talent and tastemakers.

WOMAdelaide

When: 6 – 9 March 2026

Where: Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla Adelaide

Other musical standouts over the four days include all-female Gnawa group Asmâa Hamzaoui & Bnat Timbouktou (Morocco), Troy Cassar-Daley (AUS) like you’ve never seen him before, accompanied by a string quartet, Xylourides (Greece), The Zawose Queens (Tanzania), Alogte Oho & His Sounds of Joy (Ghana), Jyoty (UK), Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek (Turkiye), Džambo Aguševi Orchestra (Macedonia), GANNA (Ukraine) and La Perla (Colombia).

WOMADelaide Director, Ian Scobie says of the festival’s exciting return, “Few festivals in the world are able to showcase the breadth and diversity of music, arts and dance from across the globe, especially on such a large scale, while appealing to audiences of all ages and tastes. WOMADelaide is a glorious opportunity to discover new sounds that are soon to be favourites and embrace artists you love.”

Since 1992, WOMADelaide – this extraordinary festival of the World of Music, Arts & Dance – has attracted thousands of visitors from across the country to Adelaide’s incomparable Botanic Park. No two lineups are ever the same and audiences come not only for the music, but to immerse themselves in the full festival experience. The Around the Park program will include stunning trampoline and tightrope works by French dance-circus Cie Hors Surface — Le poids des Nuages & HOME, Damien Droin; artistic hairdressers Osadía (Spain) who turn unsuspecting audience members into walking works of art through colourful makeup and hair; Stan’s Café — Of All The People In All The World (UK) who use piles of rice to represent human population statistics in a powerful emotional experience; and a residency by Born in a Taxi (AUS), presenting five different roving shows.

Minister for Tourism South Australia, Zoe Bettison says of the festival’s significance, “WOMADelaide is one of the most popular and revered festivals in the country, loved not only by South Australians but people from all over the world. It highlights world-class artists and a full festival experience, while attracting visitors to the state, and filling hotel rooms and restaurants.”

Returning in 2026 are WOMADelaide staples and favourites Taste the World – where artists are invited to cook dishes from home, the WoMarkets – a shaded hub of over 40 retail stalls; KidZone – hands-on arts activities for children; the Planet Talks sessions discussing environmental and other global issues and solutions and The Sanctuary Restaurant at Adelaide Zoo.

WOMADelaide’s next program announcement will be in November. Tickets and more information can be found at womadelaide.com.au.