Waterfront Festival 2026 is returning to the Frankston foreshore with a stacked lineup and free entry.
Nothing says summer quite like standing on the foreshore with a beer while a gospel choir belts house classics at you. Waterfront Festival 2026 is bringing exactly that energy to Frankston across the first weekend of February, with a massive two-day program of live music, carnival rides, food trucks and entertainment spread across Friday evening and all day Saturday.
Best bit? The whole thing is free.
Friday kicks off with an after-work session running from 5pm to 10pm, while Saturday expands into a full day from midday through to a fireworks display over the bay. Early risers can start the morning with the Frankston Swim Classic, an open water event with 400m, 1.2km and 2.5km courses plus a 700m kids beach run. Once you’ve towelled off, the Carlsberg Beach Club brings European summer vibes to Frankston Pier with sunbeds, cocktails and waterfront dining, while food trucks, a garden bar and carnival rides round out the attractions back on the foreshore.
Waterfront Festival 2026
- Where: Frankston Waterfront
- When: 6 February, 5pm-10pm and 7 February, 12pm-9.30pm
- Cost: Free
- More info here
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
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From Windang to the waterfront
- Hockey Dad
- Jack Botts
- Gordi
- Sunshine and Disco Faith Choir
- John Course
- The Gnomes
- Cool Out Sun
- Sunday Lemonade
- Ruby Mae
- DJ Cooper Smith
- Sundance
Acclaimed Windang surf rock duo Hockey Dad will headline the festival, bringing their garage-tinged guitar sound to the bay. Formed in 2013 by childhood mates Zach Stephenson and Billy Fleming, the band has built a devoted following through albums like Boronia, Blend Inn and Brain Candy, earning gold and platinum certifications along the way. Their fourth record Rebuild Repeat dropped in 2024, proving the pair still have plenty left in the tank after more than a decade of relentless touring.
Joining them on the bill is coastal folk artist Jack Botts, whose laid-back sound and earnest songwriting has seen him progress from Byron Bay busker to selling out headline shows across the country. The Northern Rivers musician has toured with Tash Sultana and Boy & Bear, and spent much of 2024 playing rooms across North America, the UK and Europe.
ARIA-nominated singer-songwriter Gordi rounds out the top tier of the lineup. The Canowindra-raised artist, who moonlights as a qualified doctor, has collaborated with the likes of Troye Sivan and Bon Iver, blending folktronica textures with intimate lyricism across releases including Reservoir and Our Two Skins.
Dancefloor devotion
Beyond the headline acts, the festival leans heavily into dancefloor energy. Melbourne’s Sunshine and Disco Faith Choir promise their signature fusion of house, techno and live gospel vocals, with DJ Sunshine commanding the decks while her choir delivers euphoric harmonies that have been packing out venues since 2016.
Melbourne DJ institution John Course also features on the bill, bringing decades of dance music expertise to the waterfront alongside The Gnomes, Cool Out Sun, Sunday Lemonade, Ruby Mae, DJ Cooper Smith and Sundance.
With surf rock at sunset, gospel harmonies bouncing off the bay and fireworks to close out Saturday night, Waterfront Festival has become one of the more distinctive free events on Melbourne’s summer calendar. Frankston’s foreshore does the heavy lifting on the scenery front, leaving you to focus on the important stuff: cold drinks, good tunes and finding the best spot to watch the fireworks.
For more information, head here.
