Frankston’s South Side Festival is gearing up for an epic eleven-day showcase of music, installations, workshops, performances and visual art from Thursday, May 8 to Sunday, May 18.
If you’ve been flirting with the idea of a trip south of the city to Frankston, this is your sign. The bayside suburb is throwing a massive party over 11 days in May at South Side Festival – and you’re invited.
Back for its fourth year, South Side Festival has a little something for everyone on the agenda of over 40 events. Attendees will have the opportunity to frequent a plethora of both ticketed and free events across this southeastern corner of Melbourne in a massive celebration of arts and culture.
South Side Festival
- Thursday, May 8 to Sunday, May 18
- Various venues across Frankston
- More info here
Explore Melbourne’s latest arts and stage news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Local punksters are making noise
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Right at the centre of Frankston’s thriving music scene, you’ll find the legendary recording studio complex, Singing Bird Studio. Singing Bird will be opening its doors for South Side on Saturday, May 10 for a very special all-ages, all-inclusive show to celebrate the vibrancy of the local punk scene. Five bands will be taking to the stage for Holiday in Frankston, unleashing loud and proud punk that will echo all across Port Phillip Bay.
Music-lovers won’t only hear the hum and thrum of the local music scene unfold live, but they’ll also get the chance to step behind the scenes and back in time to music eras of yesteryear.
Peter Milne’s Lovers & misfits photography exhibition, presented in collaboration with the Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh), will be on display at Frankston Arts Centre from Saturday, May 10. See rare photos of legendary local musos – Nick Cave, Anita Lane and Rowland S Howard, to name a few – as Peter’s lens takes you back through time to Melbourne’s punk scene of the 1970s. Even better, the exhibition is free to visit.
World-class dancers to side-splitting comedy
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Sydney Dance Company is bringing their performance of momenta to South Side on Saturday, May 10 for a night of magic and movement. Featuring world-class dancers and choreography by Rafael Bonachela, the show is an exploration of pushing the body to its physical limits.
While you might not want to try the daring feats of momenta at home, there are, however, a selection of shows throughout South Side that invite you to join in on the fun. Both Creative Juices – a mix of art and comedy – and Sincere Apologies – a theatrical exploration of healing – challenge audiences to become a part of the action through interactive performances.
Art installations light up South Side Festival
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Frankston is about to have a massive glow up with South Side Festival’s Neon Fields. This free event, unfolding each night from Thursday, May 8 to Sunday, May 11, will turn Beauty Park into a playground of light and colour.
Another free art event is Joshua Searle’s Oro Vivo (Living Gold) at the Library Forecourt. From Friday, May 9 until the end of the festival, each night will see large-scale projections transforming surrounding building facades into a 15-minute animation, breathing life into the cityscape around you.
Connecting to community
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South Side Festival has become known for its dedication to uplifting and engaging the communities of Frankston. It’ll come as no surprise, then, that there are a bunch of community-orientated events to help you connect through culture.
From the assortment of workshops on offer to attend, The Urban Nanna shines through as a standout event. This sustainability-focused workshop series will educate attendees on how to lower their everyday environmental impact. The series is free, but make sure to book to secure a spot.
Another top community pick is the Nairm Marr Djambana First Nations cultural workshops. This pair of workshops will provide an incredible insight into native plants and First Nations traditions over two days. You’ll be guided through a bush walk, a presentation and demonstration, as well as a traditional bush food tasting in this free event.
Something for the little ones
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South Side Festival’s program also includes a collection of events for kids and families to get in on the action. Cheer is a combination of circus, comedy and acrobatics, and is a must-see on the event calendar. The raunchy and hilarious, strictly 18+ show will be taking place on Friday, May 16 and Saturday, May 17.
Farmy Farm is another energetic performance that the whole family will love. Happening on Sunday, May 18, Farmy Farm is another circus-hybrid show, promising fun, action and giant juggling carrots.
A splash of adrenaline
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Just when you thought South Side Festival’s highlights couldn’t get any better, South Side Sea Soak swims into town. Saturday, May 10 will see the annual Sea Soak take place at Frankston Foreshore, inviting the most courageous of swimmers to brave the ice-cold bay.
Fear not – the Frankston Lifesaving Club will be dishing up a big old barbecue brekky afterward. At least you’ll have something hearty to look forward to while you’re freezing your bum off.
The first 90 daredevils to arrive on the day will be taking home a free South Side swimming cap. No need to brag to your mates about swimming in freezing waters when you can wear that bad boy around.
For the entire program and more information on South Side Festival, head here.
This article was made in partnership with South Side Festival.
