The Northern Rivers will welcome a major new addition to Australia’s festival calendar this October, with the inaugural DINGO Music & Arts Festival set to transform Bangalow into a four-day celebration of music, art, food and conversation from 8 to 11 October 2026.
Rather than centring itself around a single stage, DINGO spreads across Bangalow’s halls, galleries, record stores and public spaces, encouraging audiences to wander through the town while discovering performances, installations and collaborations at every turn. Anchored in jazz but extending far beyond the genre, the festival embraces soul, hip hop, electronic music, experimental sounds and contemporary club culture.
Leading the inaugural lineup are three-time Grammy nominees Hiatus Kaiyote, London collective Kokoroko, celebrated Philadelphia DJ Rich Medina, internationally renowned selector Coco Maria, alongside Nai Palm, Miss Kaninna, Harry James Angus and Barney McAll.
They are joined by a broad cross-section of Australian and international artists including Steve Spacek, Mr Rhodes, Andras, Don Glori, Benjamin Walsh Quartet, Greg Sheehan’s The Life Of Life, Finn Rees, David Versace, D.D. Mirage, Clever Austin, Horatio Luna, DJ Mike Gurrieri, Lake Kelly, YL Hooi, Uncomfortable Science, Albrecht La’ Brooy, Cazeaux O.S.L.O, Edd Fisher, EMOM: Northern Rivers, Flo Records DJs, Free Jazz Church, Good Morning Tapes, Helen Franzmann & Nick Huggins, La Sape Records, Mangrove Symposium, Musical Bonanza, Tralalablip, Zac Stars and more.
Beyond its musical programme, DINGO aims to blur the boundaries between festival and cultural gathering. Artist talks, beat-making workshops, rhythm sessions, deep listening experiences, sound installations, performance art and an avant-garde life drawing salon all form part of the programme, alongside curated food and drink experiences showcasing the region. One of the festival’s more unusual attractions will see organisers attempt to set a Guinness World Record for creating The Smallest Jazz Club In The World.
The festival will unfold across a network of venues including the Bangalow A&I Hall, Moller Pavilion, Old Scout Hall, Flo Records, Bangalow RSL, You Beauty, The Lumber Yard and Station Street, while extending beyond the town with an opening celebration at the Northern Hotel Byron Bay and a closing party at the Beach Hotel Byron Bay.
With both free and ticketed events on offer, DINGO arrives with an ambitious vision that reflects the creative spirit of the Northern Rivers, bringing internationally recognised artists together with local communities in one of Australia’s most distinctive festival settings.
DINGO Music & Arts Festival
8–11 October 2026
Bangalow & Byron Bay, NSW
Tickets on sale
Pre-sale Monday 13 July
GA Wednesday 15 July
