Thirroul fun hub heralds start of summer sounds

What do you do when your music festival has been a hit for four years? Hitch it up to another and keep the kids involved – that's what Thirroulians and visitors can look forward to on the November 29-30 weekend.  

Thirroul Music Festival is back, promising world-class acts across seven venues on the Saturday. It is joined by the free Open Street Festival on King Street – a vibrant, two-day community celebration with live music and family activities.

As Thirroul Music Festival has grown in recent years and moved into licensed venues, it has become increasingly hard to account for children, so kids under 12 will no longer be able to attend. But the youngsters and families can always rock up to see acts on the open street stage in King St, next to Anita's Theatre.

Adam Smith, co-founder of Yours & Owls and district lead at Thirroul Arts and Entertainment District, is excited to welcome residents and visitors as the collaborative events celebrate the suburb and its people.

“I grew up in Thirroul, so it holds a special place in my heart,'' Adam says. ''Helping bring this festival to life feels like a natural extension of the work I’ve always done – using music and events to connect people and energise places.

“It brings together incredible live music, local talent and small business in a way that feels authentic to the town’s creative spirit.”

In its fifth year, Thirroul Music Festival offers a diverse range of styles celebrating American, country, blues, surf and indie music, headlined by Donavon Frankenreiter from the US. Aussie favourites Gareth Liddiard, Floodlights and Grace Cummings will join homegrown artists such as Cooee and 17-year-old Yuin songwriter Alara Livingstone. 

Ticketholders can see performances at favourite venues including Anita’s Theatre, Finbox, Ciro’s, Boveda and more, all within a five to 10-minute walk.

“It's a fun and relaxed day and night out, where you can catch amazing artists in an intimate setting and experience Thirroul in a new light,” Adam says.

“Thirroul is the perfect canvas – it’s walkable, creative and full of passionate people who care deeply about their neighbourhood.”

Visitors don’t need a ticket to show up on King Street for Open Street Festival’s 10am-3pm festivities on either day. This free festival doubles down on the fun, delivered by the new Thirroul Arts and Entertainment District, “a group of local venue owners, creatives and businesses who want to see the village thrive,” Adam says.

“It's a chance to activate Thirroul's main street as a cultural precinct – not just a place to pass through, but to hang out and explore. 

“The goal is to create something that feels organic and can grow over time.”

The Thirroul Arts and Entertainment District has worked closely with Wollongong City Council and event delivery partners to deliver Thirroul Open Street Festival through the Open Streets program. With funding from the NSW Government’s Uptown program, the festivals aim to promote businesses in the area.

“All the usual shopfronts will remain open and are very much part of the experience,” Adam says.

“The festival aims to support the local economy, showcase emerging and established talent, and test out new ideas for how we use public space.”

King Street will be temporarily closed to traffic between 6am Saturday November 29th to 6pm Sunday November 30th to allow for safe pedestrian access and performance areas. While parking will be available in surrounding areas, attendees are encouraged to walk, ride or catch the train if they can.

“Like any grassroots event, there’ve been challenges, especially around navigating logistics, approvals and tight timelines, but the level of community support has made it all worthwhile,” Adam says.

“A huge thanks to the community for helping this get off the ground. Looking forward to seeing everyone on the 29th and 30th of November.”

Adam encourages locals to come along, spread the word and support artists and local businesses by spending the day exploring Thirroul. Volunteers, promoters are welcome, and the team is always open to ideas. Get in touch via the festival websites and socials.

Thirroul Music Festival tickets are $89.90 or $69.90 for ages 12-17.  

The two-day Open Street Festival on King Street is free, with more info here.