Australia’s largest free music festival, St Kilda Festival, has wrapped for yet another successful year with a record breaking 460,000 music lovers attending the City of Port Phillip’s biggest annual attraction.
The 2018 St Kilda Festival held yesterday (Sunday) was again a crowd pleasing, popular event, successfully executed without a hitch. Some of Australia’s best home-grown talent was on show, with the iconic St Kilda foreshore playing background to the Main Stage and surrounds. Family-friendly events and entertainment topped off a terrific day of free music and activities.
Revellers enjoyed multiple stages of live music throughout the day, with huge crowds gathering at the Main Stage to be charmed by Tkay Maidza, Models, Architecture in Helsinki (DJ set), Dan Sultan, The Jezabels, Mia Dyson, Bustamento and (winners of the New Music Stage 2017 competition), That Gold Street Band.
City of Port Phillip Mayor, Cr Bernadene Voss said Council was proud to have hosted such a successful event. “St Kilda Festival has been one of the most popular events on the Melbourne calendar for 38 years now, drawing attention to the St Kilda area and all that it has to offer,” said Cr Voss.
“The Council thanks and congratulates the teams involved in St Kilda Festival year on year for their hard work and dedication to help bring the Festival to life. From the staff, to the volunteers and sponsors, the artists, performers and attendees, St Kilda Festival wouldn’t exist without these people. We thank them for helping us bring St Kilda to life while celebrating the Australian music industry.”
A diverse and talented line up of artists from all round Australia helped music lovers celebrate Australian Music across the seven stages, including the popular New Music Stage, which showcased 10 unsigned acts. Thanks to the crowd votes – one of these acts will win $5,000 cash, a VOX VX I amp thanks to Yamaha Music Australia, and a coveted spot on the St Kilda Festival Main Stage in 2018. Voting will remain open to the public until Thursday 22 February 2018.
The family-friendly Kidzone once again entertained Festival-goers of all ages, with a meet n greet from Hi 5, performances from Yogabean, Little Feet music, The Kazoos, Woody’s World and Pevan & Sarah entertaining families throughout the day, while many more performing acts roamed the Festival, engaging crowds throughout the day.
The 13th annual Yalukut Weelam Ngargee opened the St Kilda Festival program last Saturday (3 February) in O’Donnell Gardens where crowds revelled in the talent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians and artists including Baker Boy, Emily Wurramara, Benny Walker, Lady Lash, Brett Lee, Shauntai Batzke, Kamali and Robert Champion.
Yalukut also hosted a number of family-friendly activities and events throughout the day, including boomerang burning, basket weaving, Indigenous Hip Hop Projects workshops and performances, arts & crafts and plenty more.
For more information, visit: www.stkildafestival.com.au for details.
Image: St Kilda Festival 2018 Main Stage – photo by Nathan Doran