PSA: Perth Festival’s 2026 Lineup Is So Good It’s Worth A Trip Out West
One of Australia’s incred summer arts spectacles is back to light up Perth, and this year’s program is so good it has us plotting a week out west.
From 6 February all the way through ‘til 1 March, the country’s sunniest city will once again become the stage for Perth Festival—a four-week celebration of music, art, performance and culture that makes a pretty compelling case for why the west coast might just be the best coast.
Now in its 73rd year, Perth Festival is a mainstay on the national arts calendar, with something for every kind of culture vulture. Read on for what to expect.
Perth Festival Program Highlights
Once a run-down power station on the banks of the Swan River, the East Perth Power Station has been given a new lease on life, now hosting Perth Festival’s international and home-grown headliners. Expect to find ARIA-award winner Baker Boy, electronic visionary Max Cooper, and R&B sensation Sudan Archives hitting the main stage. Outside, the 109-year-old building’s industrial bones will double as an animated canvas for projected First Nation artworks, alongside a free program of live music for anyone happy to trade mosh pits for picnic rugs.
Over at The Embassy, Perth Town Hall will be reimagined as a 1970s-style ballroom, with intimate jazz performances, big band sets and romance galore. Cabaret icons such as Le Gateau Chocolat, Meow Meow and Marney McQueen are also set to bring the glamour and glitz to this nostalgic venue. Meanwhile, Lotterywest Films returns to its home under the pine trees at UWA Somerville, screening the world’s best cinema fresh from Cannes, Berlin and Venice film festivals. Titles include Cannes Grand Prix winner Sentimental Value, a moving drama about a director’s bid to revive his career and his family, and the Australian premiere of queer love story Pillion.
All that, plus more live music, dance and experimental performance than you can shake a stick at. These are the hottest tickets in town, and they’re on sale now.
Your Excuse For A Dreamy Trip Out West
With a lineup that rivals east coast festivals like Melbourne's RISING, Perth Festival is the perfect excuse for east coasters to pack up and head west. Under the near-constant covering of baby blue skies and sunshine, this not-so-sleepy city has plenty of scenes worth seeking out, so why not make the most of it?
Start in the city centre, with the sparkling Swan River wrapping around rooftop bars, luxury hotels, acclaimed restaurants and foreshore precincts like the waterfront Elizabeth Quay. Then hit the coast, where huge stretches of pristine beaches deliver a daily dose of salt therapy just a short drive from the CBD. Between swims, shopping and long macs topped up (trust us, it’s a Perth thing), there’s no shortage of incredible eats, small bars and hidden laneways to explore in the city.
Next stop: Fremantle/Walyalup, Perth’s port town that's packed with heritage buildings, quirky culture and some of the best restaurants, bars and cafes in the state. It’s only 30 minutes from the city, but this vibrant neck of the woods feels like a world of its own. Get a caffeine hit and bagel from Best Wishes, swing by local legend Little Creatures for one of the best pints in town, and end the evening with a gig at live music institution Mojo's. Of course, no trip to Freo is complete without a saunter through the always-buzzing Fremantle Markets, spruiking fresh produce and street eats since 1897.
From there, hop on the ferry (or a helicopter, if you’re feeling fancy) to Rottnest Island (Wadjemup). There’s truly no place in the world like Rotto, with 61 beaches, 20 sheltered bays, no cars and the friendliest marsupials on the planet—the cute and quirky quokkas. Days on Rotto are spent cycling from beach to beach, snorkelling coral reefs and soaking up the sun on squeaky-white sand. When you’ve worked up an appetite from all that adventuring, refuel at Rotto’s seaside pasta paradise Isola, south-east Asian hotspot Lontara, or mod-Oz newbie Sunsets At The Lodge Wadjemup. Or, to really push the boat out, book a luxury cruise around the island with a seven-course seafood feast and free-flowing wines all arvo.
And finally, before you fill up your itinerary, you should know there’s a world-class wine region just 45 minutes from Fremantle or 30 minutes from the CBD. The serene Swan Valley is stuffed with cellar doors (John Kosovich, Faber and Windy Creek Estate to name a few), paddock-to-plate restaurants such as Oscar’s, and historic pubs like the Stirling Arms.
Art, culture, sun, sand and chardonnay—it’s all happening this summer on the West Coast. Head to Perth Festival to check out the full program and start planning your sun-soaked escape to WA.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Perth Festival and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.
Imagery: Supplied.