Cobargo Folk Festival 2026 Announces Stellar International and Local Lineup
27 February – 1 March 2026 | Cobargo Showground, NSW
COBARGO, NSW – The Cobargo Folk Festival returns for its highly anticipated 2026 edition, bringing three days of world-class music, poetry, dance, and community celebration to Cobargo on Djiringanj Country from 27 February to 1 March 2026.
This year’s festival showcases an extraordinary blend of international artists, national headliners, and beloved regional performers across multiple stages, with themed concerts, cultural showcases, dance, poetry, a children’s festival and thought-provoking panel discussions creating a truly immersive experience.
International Stars Meet Local Talent: The 2026 lineup welcomes artists from across the globe, including Iceland’s Svavar Knútur, Barcelona’s El Pony Pisador, Sweden’s Northern Resonance, and the United States’ Windborne.China’s Zhang Ling (Big John) partners with local favorite Howlin Mitch, while Adelaide’s Hazara Sounds brings rarely-heard Afghan music to Australian audiences. Festival favorites return including Chris While and Julie Matthews, Forty Degrees South, Kate Burke, Jordie Lane, Kavisha, Martyn Wyndham-Read and Warren Fahey, alongside exciting new additions such as the Maggie Carty Band, Monique Clare, the Laura Targett Band, Worlds Collide, and East Row Rabble. Regional voices shine through performances by Piper Allen, Malumba, Felicity Dowd, and Daniel Champagne, while country music stars Felicity Urquhart and Josh Cunningham round out the diverse program.
Cultural Showcases and Themed Concerts: A highlight of this year’s festival is Djinjinuurun Yangamung: Sparkling Stars Sing, featuring ancient Yuin stories told through song, dance, and stunning digital projections, curated by Uncle Warren Foster with digital artist Scott Baker. Crest of Crows presents the next chapter of the legendary Pigram Brothers story, bringing saltwater sounds from Broome infused with generations of cultural knowledge.Three themed concerts add special flavour to the weekend:
- Hank Williams Tribute with Andy Baylor and the Hard Travellin’ Troubadours
- “All You Need Is Love” Beatles Singalong featuring former CFF Artistic Director Dave Crowden and The Figmentz
- Celebration of the Songs of Talking Heads by The Figmentz
Ideas from the Edge Returns: The festival’s conversation series creates space for musicians, writers, farmers, activists, and thinkers to explore important questions facing our communities. Two panels feature this year:
- Keeping Live Music Alive – From Campfire to Main Stage, moderated by Joe Muller (Managing Director, Music NSW), examines whether regional artists can build sustainable careers in folk and roots music.
- Harmony in Discord – The Role of Music, Art and Culture in a Fractured World, moderated by Leigh Small (Executive Director, Four Winds), explores how creative practice can heal divisions and reshape challenges.
Free Fringe Festival: It Takes a Village: The celebration begins early with a free Fringe Festival on Thursday and Friday, 26-27 February, featuring:
- Cobargo Australian National Busking Championship Heats (10am-4pm Thursday), with winners announced at the Cobargo Hotel that evening. The Cobargo Australian National Busking Championship is sponsored by the Cobargo Hotel, Bendigo Bank, Bermagui Country Club, Bega Group, Cobargo Show Society and the Yuin Folk Club.
- Books & Writing: International crime writers Chris Hammer and Michael Brissenden in conversation with Phil Williams at Well Thumbed Books.
- Music Across the Village: Local and regional performers at CoCo Lounge, Valiant Coffee, Cobargo Hotel, and School of Arts Hall from 4pm Thursday.
- Art Exhibition: Bethany Thurtell’s ‘Faces of Cobargo’ at the RSL Hall. The village will transform with lighting, bunting, and flags created through an ongoing community art project involving Cobargo Quilters, the Disability Trust, and local artists and schools.
Dance Program: From English, Scottish, and Irish traditions to, a mega Bush Dance, bellydance, Morris dancing, and the return of Savoy Dance with blues dancing, the festival offers something for every dancer.
About Cobargo Folk Festival: The Cobargo Folk Festival celebrates music, culture, and community on Djiringanj Country, part of the Yuin Nation. The festival brings together world-renowned artists, emerging talent, and beloved traditions in an inclusive celebration of folk, roots, and world music.