Christmas celebrations, major music festivals and NYE parties make up the December festival calendar.
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except for that darn mosquito whose high-pitched whine strikes at that most wonderful of sweet spots where you feel your body surrendering to slumber and you’re forced to shoo that bloody bloodsucker away only for that annoying noise to be replaced by an even greater annoyance that that’s all you’re going to be thinking about and, yep, sure enough that little bugger soon returns and now you’re growing more agitated as you throw your arms around as if you are attempting to get someone’s attention on a busy street and that works, for a while anyway, until a few minutes later that wretched creature is back and you’re resorting to flicking your sheets and waving your pillow around in the desperate hope that, despite not being quite as pillowy as it was once, it’s enough to crush its life or at the very least its spirit and you really should invest in a can of Mortein to keep beside your bed and, hurrah, it has worked, and dang it, now you’re wide awake.
The year’s homestretch has arrived. There are Christmas parties to attend, presents to be purchased, Christmas lights to be hung, excuses to be made as to why you can’t attend a Christmas party, presents to be returned because it has been bought by someone else, Christmas bulb replacements to be tracked down and so much more.
Have a safe and happy Christmas and NYE, folks. Enjoy your December festivals and events…
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Summer in the Parks
Bendigo – December through February
Summer is ready when you are
Ah, summer. It’s a time for doing the bare feet on hot concrete dance. It’s a time for burning yourself on your seat buckle. It’s a time for tripping over your thongs. But there is plenty of the good stuff as well. Bendigo’s summer party returns again for three fun-filled months. December events include Bendigo East Baseball Clinics on December 4 and 11, Santa’s Reindeer & Elves Show on December 7, 14 and 21, Salvation Army Pop-up Choir performances on December 7 and 14, the Community Farmers Market on December 14, Moonlight Market on December 14 and two fireworks displays (9:15pm for families, followed by a huge midnight showing) on December 31.
More information can be found here.
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Potato Shed’s 2025 Program Launch
Potato Shed, Drysdale – December 4
Hot potato, hot potato
Following a nutrient-rich program in 2024, all eyes (get it, like potato eyes) are on what’s in store for the Potato Shed in 2025. Highlights of the launch include featured performers and musical interludes, as well as a sneak peek at what next year holds.
More information here.
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Good Things Festival
Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne – December 6
Good thing, got yourself a good thing
Do good things happen when you do good things? If the good thing you’re doing is going to Good Things then, yes, good things will probably take place. Your line-up is Korn, Sum 41, Violent Femmes, Electric Callboy, Billy Corgan, Mastodon, Kerry King, The Gaslight Anthem, Jet, The Living End, L7, Northlane, Bowling for Soup, Alpha Wolf, Sleeping with Sirens, The Butterfly Effect, 311, Aviva, Destroy Boys, Dragon, Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls, From Ashes to New, Grandson, Highly Suspect, Imminence, Killing Heidi, Loathe, Reliqa and Taylor Acorn.
More information here.
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Meredith Music Festival
Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, Meredith – December 6-8
And Meredith was alive that night
Back in 1991 when the first Meredith Music Festival took place, the American Dialect Society’s ‘Word of the Year’ was Mother of all – . Well, is the mother of all Meredith line-ups taking place this year? That’s your call. Your line-up is Jamie xx, Waxahatchee, Genesis Owusu, Mk.gee, ZAPP, Angie McMahon, The Dare, Glass Beams, Fat White Family, Mannequin Pussy, Princess Superstar, BARKAA, Frenzee, Leo Sayer, Olof Dreijer, Good Morning, MIKE, Party Dozen, Mainline Magic Orchestra, DJ PGZ, Essendon Airport, Ayebatonye, YARA, Precious Bloom, The Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir, In2stellar, Keanu Nelson, Billiam & the Split Bills and City of Ballarat Municipal Brass Band.
More information here.
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Burra Block Party
Canterbury Park and Lake Neangar, Eaglehawk – December 7
And I can rock a block party ’til your hair turns grey
Live music, late night shopping, market stalls, food trucks, roving entertainment and more combine for a festive celebration to end all festive celebrations. Welcome to the Burra Block Party. Artists include AstroFuzz, Abreact, Harold Holt Search Party, Vague Ritual, Broad Parade, Earth Cadet, This Sweet Sickness, Ghosts on the Highway and Bill Shock & the Cost of Living.
More through here.
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Christmas Carols
Warrnambool Carols on the Green – Civic Green on December 13; Rotary Club of Bendigo Christmas Carols – Rosalind Park on December 22; Ballarat Carols by Candlelight – Mars Stadium on December 22; and Geelong Carols by Candlelight – Johnstone Park on December 23
We’re carolling through the night
Everybody, join in now. Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg. Batmobile lost a wheel and Joker got away. If you have ever thought to yourself, was this pickle ever remedied? Yes. The Batmobile ended up finding a wheel, allowing Batman to save the day. From those that raise your spirits, to those we all sing along to, this is a magical carolling occasion full of festive joy.
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Too Metal for Meredith
The Eastern, Ballarat on December 14
Horns up for metal
If all you want for Christmas is temporary hearing loss, then this is the festival for you. The mirth and merriment of Meredith has been replaced with moshing and mayhem. Your line-up is Eye of the Enemy, Distorta, The Ascended, Spacegoat, Coffin Carousel, Terrestrials, Yeah, Sick! and Emerge (making their debut).
More information here.
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Beyond the Valley
Barunah Plains Homestead, Hesse – December 28 through January 1
The valley of search, the valley of love
Alright, stop, collaborate and listen. Beyond the Valley is back with its brand new edition. Long days, longer nights, comradery with strangers and questionable hygiene practices come together in harmony at this NYE favourite.
Your line-up is FISHER, Ice Spice, Chase & Status, Marlon Hoffstadt, Tinashe, Royel Otis, Sammy Viriji, Sugababes, AJ Tracey Denis Sulta, Natasha Bedingfield, horsegiirL, Confidence Man, Teenage Dads, KI/KI, DJ BORING, SG Lewis, JOY (Anonymous), Tinlicker (DJ set), Ben Hemsley, NEIL FRANCES, Lola Young, Ghetts, Flowdan & Neffa-T, Avalon Emerson, the Rions, BARKAA, Kita Alexander, The Grogans, The Terrys, Sycco, Malugi, Sam Alfred, Hannah Laing, Girls Don’t Sync, Oden & Fatzo (live), Fish56Octagon, Sally C, LB aka LABAT, Franck, Chloé Caillet, Odd Mob, Anna Lunoe, Billie Martin, Nick Ward, Jersey, Sarah Story, Luke Alessi, Nina Las Vegas, Half Queen, MESSIE, Vv Pete, Laura King, Little Fritter, Jimi the Kween, Djanaba, tiffi, Ollie Lishman, WOLTERS, Marli, Ned Bennett, Stev Zar, Denim, Liz Cambage, Jewel Owusu, SOVBLKPSSY, Dijok, Kimboclat, Eva and Brown Suga Princess.
More information here.
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Jump into the summer and festive season with these festivals!
