Barn yoga, comedy wine tastings, dazzling cabaret and a country festival: Bunjil Place comes to life with Summer Stage
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15.01.2025

Barn yoga, comedy wine tastings, dazzling cabaret and a country festival: Bunjil Place comes to life with Summer Stage

bunjil place
Words by Liam Heitmann-Ryce-LeMercier

Nestled between Berwick and Dandenong, Bunjil Place is set to become the centre of your summer calendar with a month of music and live entertainment. 

Running from Tuesday 14 January to Friday 14 February 2025, a vibrant programme of events on this year’s Summer Stage will offer punters a huge range of sunny activities. Expect comedy shows, dance arenas, arts and craft workshops, movies, and more!

Hosted within Bunjil Place’s bustling central plaza, there’s plenty to see and do, no matter if you’re in the mood for a lowkey chillout with mates or a dance party to shake off the work week. You’ll find entertainment appropriate for all ages, including pop-up playgroups, circus skills workshops, a big block party bash, DJing classes, a Paul McCartney tribute and more.

Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.

Oh, and they’re also hosting yoga with goats, bunnies and piglets – I mean, who can say no to that? Whether you’re a little kid with a big imagination, or an adult that’s still a big kid at heart, there’s a whole lot of fun in the sun to be enjoyed at Summer Stage across the next four weeks.

KOZY FEST

 

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Taking place from 4pm to 11pm on Saturday 1 February, KOZY FEST is the first mini-festival curated by rising R&B sensation Squid the Kid. Known for his eye-catching threads and even more catchy beats, Squid the Kid brings his sharp ear for fresh sounds to Summer Stage with this free event celebrating local, on-the-rise talent. 

With a lineup of musical talent comprised of globally touring artists and performers from the outer Melbourne suburbs, KOZY FEST is open to patrons 16+ and promises new musical discoveries across a range of styles and genres.  

Citybound Country Music Festival

 

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From 1pm to 8pm on Sunday 9 February, Bunjil Place welcomes a new addition to its Summer Stage lineup: the Citybound Country Music Festival. Headlined by rising country music star Taylor Moss, whose debut album Firecracker debuted at #2 on the ARIA Country Album charts in 2024, the event features a roster of Aussie country stars on the rise. 

Artists representing Victoria are out in full force for this event, including multi-instrumental country artist Hazel & The Thief, fresh off their multi-date national tour with ARIA-winning artist Fanny Lumsden.

In Pour Taste

 

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Earning rave reviews from every major outlet from The Age to Time Out – and even us lot here at Beat – comedians Sweeney Preston and Ethan Cavanagh have been bringing their wine-based comedy antics across all corners of Australia as well as their international shows in Germany, Ireland, the UK, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and Indonesia. 

In a unique comedy experience descried as “goon bag in quantity, champagne and quality”, Preston and Cavanagh are joined by renowned wine expert Sergio Carlei for a connoisseur’s standup act for five impeccable wines – paired with some even more exquisite jokes. 

Expect some tongue-in-cheek ribbing of the wine industry, covering everything from what exactly is a tannin, and how far a real wine snob should extend their pinky when sipping a Riesling.

Dolly Diamond’s Rather Large Variety Night

Lighting up your Friday night – on Valentine’s Day, no less – the award-winning queen of cabaret Dolly Diamond is returning to Melbourne, following their lauded run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Midsumma Festival 2023.

Joining in the queer antics will be three of the cabaret scene’s brightest – and loudest – lights: Iva Rosebud, Jens Radda, and Azcadelia.

Famed for her breakout solo show And I, in My Chair, Iva Rosebud brings with her the prestige of the Victorian Opera – where she debuted in Arts Centre Melbourne’s The Happy End – as well as her position as resident Artistè in the avant-garde cabaret company Finucane & Smith, FUTURE. JOY. CLUB.

Jens Radda is a leading light of the queer theatre scene, having been awarded the Adelaide Fringe Festival’s Best Cabaret title for their riotous stage production Skank Sinatra. He made his television debit in ABC TV’s All My Friends Are Racist and is widely known for his appearance in seasons 2 and 3 of Single, Out, where he originated the role of Memphis. 

A fixture of the Melbourne drag and boylesque scene since 2019, Azcadelia brings their signature corset and high-camp attire to this year’s Summer Stage in the theatrical in-between where arthouse meets madhouse. 

Glitter Groove

 

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Taking place across Midsumma Festival as well as Summer Stage, the south east’s premiere queer party Glitter Groove is open for all within the LGBTQ+ community to let down their hair and drop some moves. 

Following their heroic debut at Midsumma 2024, Glitter Groove makes its return in force for Summer Stage 2025. Promising a breathless roster of drag, dancing, and high-tempo tunes to get your booties wiggling, there’s plenty on offer to get the party started, from 5pm on Friday 7 February.

For everything you need to know about Bunjil Place Summer Stage 2025, head here.

This article was made in partnership with Bunjil Place.