The beloved boutique event, the River Folk Festival, returns to the Yarra Valley this spring with an impressive line-up of homegrown and international talent.
Multiple venues and stages across Warburton, Victoria will come to life in October, with the festival hosting a three-day celebration of arts, music and culture, spotlighting the joy, diversity and creativity of folk music.
Entering its sixth year, the River Folk Festival will welcome artists such as the acclaimed, pioneering Blak music duo, Stiff Gins and international string heavyweights Hanneke Cassel and Natalie Haas.
Other performers include Emily-Rose and the Wild, a trio of established songwriters accompanied by contemporary folk string trio, Japanese shamisen virtuoso and vocalist Noriko Tadano; Tasmanian contemporary folk outfit Homebru, and more. You can see the line-up in its entirety below.
The River Folk Festival has received support from Festivals Australia and this year will highlight the Strings Across The Valley project – a collaboration between the River Folk Festival and the popular Stringmania Music Camp – as well as welcome the program, River Folk Restrung, for its second edition.
Don't miss a beat with our FREE daily newsletter
Programming for this year’s festival includes an Opening Night Showcase Concert at The Arts Centre, Warburton to launch proceedings on Friday, 2 October, with plenty happening across the weekend, concluding with a special Director’s Concert on Sunday, 4 October.
Second- and third-round, box office and day tickets are now available. You can secure tickets on the River Folk Festival website.
While the Australian live music and festival scene is currently plagued by instability and uncertainty, the annual River Folk Festival continues to curate outstanding events with high-calibre folk music artists from across the globe and from right at home.
RIVER FOLK FESTIVAL
2026 LINE-UP
STIFF GINS
NATALIE HAAS (USA)
HANNEKE CASSEL (USA)
NORIKO TADANO
EMILY-ROSE & THE WILD
THE STRING CONTINGENT
HOMEBRU
ERNEST AINES
CALABASH
STRINGMANIA
RIVER FOLK RESTRUNG
JOEL HAVEA & THE FAMILI CHOIR
THE LOST CLOG
ALICE HURWOOD
SAIJE
FELICITY DOWD
CORN NUT CREEK
2 – 4 October, Warburton, VIC