First Nations festival to close with massive 14-hour party across the city.
YIRRAMBOI Festival is about to drop the mother of all closing parties, with Barring Yanabul and The Uncle Archie Roach Block Party set to reclaim the heart of narrm/Melbourne in a city-wide blak celebration spanning 14 hours.
The massive takeover on Saturday, 10 May will transform multiple venues with a knockout lineup featuring over 40 First Nations artists from across Australia and internationally, paying tribute to the legacy of the legendary Uncle Archie Roach and Aunty Ruby Hunter.
Uncle Archie Roach Block Party Lineup
- Amos Roach
- Kutcha Edwards
- Blackfire
- Madi Colville-Walker
- Miss Kaninna
- Kidd Benny
- Becca Hatch
- Jem Cassar-Daley
- Jada Weazel
- DancingWater
- AllStahz (Kai Clancy & Gusta Silky)
- Nimkish (CAD)
- Leonard Sumner (CAD)
- Snotty Nose Rez Kids (CAD)
- PIQSIQ (CAD)
- TALON (CAD)
- Sammy V (NZ)
- Katayanagi Twins (NZ)
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It all kick off at 1pm at Section 8 with Drop House. The Aunty Ruby Hunter Stage at Golden Square Car Park fires up from 5pm to midnight, while the Lubly Lounge at The Toff runs late into the night. Rounding out the venues, BLAX: ACT 2 takes over Golden Square Car Park.
Earlier in the evening, the free Barring Yanabul event “cracks open the heart of narrm,” with installations, visual art, music, drag and dance spilling onto streets and laneways across the CBD.
“We are incredibly excited to bring Barring Yanabul and The Uncle Archie Roach block party to life again as the official closing party of YIRRAMBOI 2025. This activation is more than just an artistic showcase; it is a powerful expression of evolutionary First Nations creativity,” says J-Maine Beezley Co-Lead, YIRRAMBOI.
“It’s an honour to witness the incredible talent of local and international First Nations artists coming together in this one-night city-wide blakout.” The installations and performances at Barring Yanabul include Already Occupied by Libby Harward, Ama Algorithmus by Axel Garay, Bakiamu by Peta Duncan and Dzunuḵ̓wa by Gwagwadaxla (Rayn Cook-Thomas), among many others.
“We are continuing to push boundaries and redefining what it means to celebrate First Nations creativity in the heart of narrm,” says Sherene Stewart Co-Lead, YIRRAMBOI.
“Barring Yanabul and Uncle Archie Block Party is a testament to the incredible talent and creativity of our communities, whilst also highlighting the global unity of First Nations voices.”
With artists intentionally breaking away from colonial performance spaces and returning stories to Country that has held them for over 80,000 years, this is one blak party that shouldn’t be missed.
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