What is on site
Safety & welfare
- Shade structures
Facilities
- Shuttle service
About Newstead Live
Newstead Live is a volunteer-run folk and roots music festival held over the last weekend of January in Newstead, a small town in central Victoria near Castlemaine, on Dja Dja Wurrung Country. It is organised by Newstead Live Inc., a not-for-profit association working for the benefit of the Newstead community, and uses several walkable venues around the town.
The festival began as the Chewton Folk Festival, which spent its first six years in nearby Chewton and was organised largely by Andrew Pattison of the Troubadour venue and the late Helen McGeachin. It moved to Newstead in 2006 and became Newstead Live. Kelly Skinner has been festival director since the mid-2010s.
Programming centres on folk, roots and acoustic music, with spoken word, workshops, sessions and open-mic events, and artists usually play several sets across the weekend. The free Live'n'Local street stage features local and emerging performers. Recent festivals have added themed concerts on the history of folk and roots music and a Makers Gallery at the Newstead Arts Hub with instrument makers and live demonstrations. The festival also offers camping, kids shows, market stalls and food vans, with shaded spaces, cooling misters and air-conditioned venues for the summer heat.
The 2026 festival, planned for 23 to 26 January and marking 20 years in Newstead, was cancelled days beforehand because very high temperatures were forecast for the whole weekend. Refunds were processed for ticket holders, and the organisers said they wanted to make sure the festival would be back in 2027. Its planned lineup had included Andy Irvine, The Pairs, Charles Maimarosia, Maggie Carty, Kate Burke, Whisky Dram and Geoff Achison.
The 2027 festival runs from 6pm Friday 22 January to 4pm Monday 25 January. Adult weekend passes are $175 online or $190 at reception during the festival, plus booking fees through Humanitix. Youth and student weekend passes are $90, children 12 and under are free, and day and evening passes are sold. Camping on the town oval costs $80 for up to two adults and two children, and a weekend bus pass covers a shuttle loop of the venues and the Racecourse Reserve campsite.
Image credits
- Logo: Newstead Live Inc, Official logo from the festival's own website (logo source 3). Trademark of Newstead Live Inc; no licence wording on the page, use for identification only. · source
Photos may be resized or cropped. Logos belong to their festivals.
Frequently asked
When is Newstead Live 2027?
From 6pm Friday 22 January to 4pm Monday 25 January 2027, in Newstead, central Victoria.
Did the festival run in 2026?
No. The 2026 festival was cancelled because extreme heat was forecast for the weekend, and refunds were processed for ticket holders.
How much is a weekend pass?
Adult weekend passes are $175 online or $190 at reception, plus booking fees. Youth and student weekend passes are $90.
Can children attend?
Yes. Children 12 and under are free, and all under-18s must be with an adult weekend ticket holder.
Is there camping?
Yes. Camping at the oval is $80 for up to two adults and two children, and the shuttle bus also stops at the Racecourse Reserve campsite.
Contact the festival
Last verified 2026-10-20. Dates, prices and lineups change — always confirm on the official festival site before booking.