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Great Southern Nights brings back its Gig Trails, stretching into new corners of the state with unforgettable live music experiences.
1, 9 and 16 May 2026
Chippendale, Newtown/Enmore, Port Kembla and Newcastle
Great Southern Nights has today announced four more outdoor program highlights to its already massive calendar. Building on the success of previous years and powered by exciting District partnerships, the Great Southern Nights Gig Trails will return to Newcastle, take over new areas of Sydney in Chippendale and Newtown/Enmore and pop up in Port Kembla for the first time.
Each District will offer unique, walkable gig trail experiences for music and food loving patrons. Patrons can wander from venue to venue, interacting with street performers, buskers and enjoying pop-up performers, providing an immersive festival-like experience. Signature spots like rooftops and laneways will offer surprise performances and intimate acoustic sets. Small businesses will also offer interactive workshops, art exhibitions and creative opportunities.
Aligning its offerings with the start of the Great Southern Nights 2026 program, Midtown Newcastle will host its own multi-venue live music trail from 5pm on Friday 1 May until 2am Saturday 2 May. Known for its rich cultural heritage and thriving arts scene, 11 venues will be hosting experiences including live music, a karaoke rickshaw interactive tour, a courtesy bus to help you get around and local food and drink specials at venues.
Great Southern Nights 2025 in Midtown Newcastle
The following weekend, the little laneways, hidden nooks and beloved bars of the Chippendale Collective will come to life on Saturday 9 May from 1pm - late. Discover pop-up performances, acoustic sets, roving entertainment and more at some of Chippo’s finest venues.
Kensington Street, Chippendale
Also on Saturday 9 May, but a little further south, Port Kembla Precinct (PK X) will host its very first Gig Trail from 12pm - late across nine unique venues, featuring record label pop-ups, art, street performances and more. The curated walk will see patrons wander and interact with creatives.
The Servo, Port Kembla
From 2pm - 2am on Saturday 16 May, Sydney’s creative centre Newtown Enmore Precinct will transform into a haven for music fans with unique activations in some of the District’s most iconic small businesses. Patrons can don their most comfortable walking shoes and saunter from venue to venue.
The Vanguard, Newtown
Great Southern Nights is thrilled to be adding even more live music experiences to the program with 114 gigs in venues across Sydney, South Coast, Newcastle, Northern Rivers and Wollongong.
The diverse line up of artists coupled with the best live music venues across the state create the perfect occasion for visitors to turn a gig into an unforgettable weekend across Greater Sydney and NSW, exploring the state’s glittering coastline, thriving regional towns and stunning natural landscapes.
“By activating more gig trails in live music pockets, we’re creating spaces where emerging artists share the stage with established acts and whole neighbourhoods come alive. Grab some friends and wander the streets following the sound of music spilling out of venues, stumbling across solo sets under streetlights and sharing the joy of live music with the artists bringing these precincts to life.”
CEO of ARIA, Annabelle Herd
“The State’s 24-Hour Economy Strategy calls them “vibrant, co-ordinated precincts”, but I like to think about them as “pockets of fun”. Supported by our Office through our Uptown program, local businesses are coming together, getting organised, and working as a team to bring their local areas to life. This co-ordinated approach has delivered results in Greater Sydney with areas like Newtown/Enmore and Chippendale as examples. I am excited to see this approach take shape beyond the metropolitan area. Both Midtown in Newcastle and Port Kembla are stunning locations to co-host Great Southern Nights - by locals, for locals.”
Michael Rodrigues, NSW 24-Hour Economy Commissioner
For tickets and more information, head to the Great Southern Nights website.
We acknowledge that we live and work on Aboriginal land and recognise the strength, resilience and capacity of First Nations Australians. We also acknowledge all of the traditional owners of the land in NSW, and pay respect to First Nations Elders, past and present.
