Melbourne’s beloved winter music festival Leaps and Bounds is returning to its full ten-day format in 2026, once again transforming the City of Yarra into a celebration of the venues, artists, DJs, promoters and collectives that have made the municipality one of Australia’s most vital music hubs.
Running from 16 to 26 July, the festival will spread across Fitzroy, Collingwood, Abbotsford and Richmond, with beloved institutions, DIY spaces and neighbourhood venues hosting an eclectic mix of live performances, broadcasts, record fairs, pop-ups and one-off collaborations. In keeping with the festival’s community ethos, every event will be either free or low-cost.
This year’s edition continues that tradition with a series of ambitious venue takeovers and community-driven events. HIGH GROUND’s IN MOTION will spread across The Night Cat, The Evelyn Hotel and Punters Club with appearances from Public Figures, Skeleten and more, while Collingwood’s new train carriage venue Trainscendence hosts Loco Motion, featuring Charlie Needs Braces alongside a family-friendly celebration of music and creativity.
Elsewhere, The Gem presents Stone Fest with Girlatones, Daisy Kilbourne and Hannah Kate, while Liberate Community’s Equaliser: A Disability Pride Party brings an inclusive focus to The Leadbeater Hotel. The festival’s global outlook is reflected in events such as Stani Goma’s To Bina: A Night of Soukous Vibrations, Diversity Funk and Akwaaba, a celebration of West African music, culture and food headlined by Immy Owusu and Sensible J.
Leaps and Bounds also continues to honour the stories that have shaped Melbourne’s music culture. The Builders Arms Hotel will host The Yalinguth Archives, bringing together yidaki, songs and stories celebrating the Aboriginal community that helped define Fitzroy, while PBS returns with its traditional live broadcast from the Yorkshire Stingo Hotel.
In an era when venues continue to face significant challenges, the festival stands as a reminder that Melbourne’s greatest asset remains the communities that continue to sustain its creative heartbeat.
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