Performers - Out of Hand. Photo © 2025 Adam Purcell - Melbourne Ceili Camera. National Celtic Folk Festival 2025 - Village Tavern - 7 June 2025

National Celtic Folk Festival fires up again for 2026

National Celtic Folk Festival isn't just a festival - it's a cultural immersion, and it's gearing up to soak Portarlington in song and storytelling.

If festivals had a playbook, the National Celtic Folk Festival would have written it. A celebration of music, arts, lifestyle, and culture rooted in Celtic and Folk traditions, it is at once timeless and alive, honouring centuries of heritage while embracing contemporary folk innovation. Each June long weekend, Portarlington on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula transforms into a vibrant hub of cultural energy, drawing thousands of enthusiasts from near and far. In 2026, the festival returns from 5 to 8 June, promising another unforgettable immersion in arts and culture.

National Celtic Festival

When: 5 – 8 June 2026

Where: Across Portarlington township

Keep connected to your live music scene here.

 

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Set in the heart of winter, the festival activates the township with a network of venues that turn every corner into an experience. From high-energy performances to relaxed, intimate spaces, there’s a constant sense of movement and discovery. A diverse range of venues keeps the energy flowing—one moment you’re in the middle of a high-octane set, the next you’ve slipped into a warm, intimate space that feels like a hidden gem.

The foreshore venues thrum with music, movement, and a lively crowd, while smaller spaces offer up-close, unforgettable moments between artists and audiences. Across the weekend, venues evolve—seated concerts give way to packed dance floors, with traditional rhythms sparking spontaneous, joy-filled celebration. Portarlington’s buildings are reimagined as vibrant cultural spaces, hosting everything from powerful live performances to workshops, acoustic sessions, and storytelling. 

For those seeking an informal musical interlude, the Session Bar delivers. By day, it is free-flowing and welcoming, while by night it becomes a ticketed space and comes alive with  sessions, music and warming drinks.

The festival hub is a hive of activity with food stalls and 70 market stalls and an array of culinary delights, alongside demonstrations that showcase Highland cattle, hurling, pipe bands, labyrinth walks, and more. Adding a maritime twist, The Enterprise, a historic tall ship, sails from Melbourne to Portarlington, offering festival-goers a live-music journey across the bay—a rare opportunity to enjoy Celtic soundscapes with water beneath their feet. The festival’s spread across multiple sites provides a unique lens into the township itself, allowing visitors to absorb its charm organically, beyond the confines of a guided tour.

Central to the festival’s enduring appeal is its timing. Nestled into the June long weekend, the event allows visitors to settle into the celebrations without the distraction of work or travel stress. But it is the programming that truly captivates. Each year, a meticulously curated mix of performances blankets the Bellarine, blending traditional Celtic influences with modern interpretations, and featuring both local and international talent.

 

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In 2026, festival-goers can expect an incredible line up on music  with the sounds of Scotland through artists such as Amy Henderson and Luc McNally, Astro Bloc, and Misha Macpherson, alongside the influences of Ireland through musicians Colm Broderick & Niamh Dalton, Johnny Murphy, Brendan Mulholland & Gerry McKeague, Saltaire, Seamus and Caoimhe, and The Bath Street Boys. Local performers including Amaidi, Double Shot Maggie, Fiona Ross, Lucy Wise, The Maes, and Melbourne Scottish Fiddlers contribute to a program that honours homegrown artistry while celebrating global connections. Another unique thread of the National Celtic Folk Festival program is that artists perform multiple times across venues, appearing in concerts, workshops, displays, and forums, ensuring visitors are immersed in a wide spectrum of Celtic culture throughout the weekend.

A festival highlight is Gathering The Hearth, an intimate space for storytelling, music, and conversation, guided by Indigenous storyteller Barry J Gilson. This session embodies the spirit of community, tradition, and the age-old connection fostered around a shared fire. The broader program includes gourmet cooking demonstrations, theatre, workshops, family-friendly activities, visual arts, spoken word, traditional Scottish St Ayles Skiff rowing, and spellbinding dance performances.

Adding theatrical weight to the weekend is Hell Ship: The Journey of Ticonderoga, Michael Veitch’s critically acclaimed show chronicling the 1902 survival and love story of the eponymous ship’s journey to Melbourne—a compelling narrative that complements the festival’s mix of history, music, and storytelling.

 

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The 2026 National Celtic Folk Festival continues to build on a winning formula: a seamless blend of artistry, tradition, and communal celebration. It is a festival that invites participation, connection, and discovery, offering an authentic  experience while transforming the Bellarine Peninsula into a vibrant cultural stage. Each performance, workshop, and gathering reaffirms why this festival has become a regional institution, beloved by repeat visitors and newcomers alike, ensuring its place on the calendar for years to come.

To discover the full program and purchase tickets, head here.