What to do this Australia Day Long Weekend, Wherever You Are

Australia Day long-weekend content usually arrives with instructions. Where to stand. What time to show up. Which sausage to eat. It’s all very efficient and often deeply predictable.

This list goes the other way. These are things to do if you want the weekend to feel intentional rather than scheduled. Cultural, social, a little strange in places. Less about tradition, more about how Australians are actually choosing to spend a day off in 2026.

Blak Powerhouse (Sydney)

When: Monday 26 January, 6:00pm to 11:00pm
Where: Manning House, Manning Road, Camperdown, NSW
Price: Free (bookings essential)

Blak Powerhouse turns Manning House into a full-scale night event, with things happening across the space from the moment doors open. The evening starts with a Welcome to Country and dance performance, then rolls straight into live music, panel yarns, DJs, short films, markets and food trucks.

You can move between sets, catch a panel discussion, watch artists perform, or stop in at the Blak Markets showcasing First Nations creatives. There’s also a weaving workshop, a tattoo parlour activation, and DJs running in Nooky’s Backyard throughout the night.

It’s busy, social, and deliberately layered. Most people arrive early and stay for at least one headline set.

Why it fits the weekend: It’s a proper night out with depth. You don’t just watch, you take part.

Fed Square Australia Day (Melbourne)

When: Monday 26 January, 10:00am to 7:00pm
Where: Swanston Street & Flinders Street, Melbourne, VIC
Price: Free

Fed Square’s public holiday program is built to keep kids busy and adults entertained without locking anyone into one spot. The day rotates between live music on the Main Stage, kids’ workshops at The Edge, roving performers, and plenty of downtime in between.

You’ve got Bluey and Bingo appearances early, hands-on maker workshops in the afternoon, live performances later on, plus free sausages and Australian Open matches running on the big screen across the day and into the evening.

It’s the kind of event where families settle in for a few hours, then peel off when they’ve had enough.

Why it fits the weekend: You can turn up for one thing and accidentally stay for three.

FLIGHT: Drone SkyShow + Night Markets (Canberra)

When: 24–26 January, Drone shows at 9:00pm and 10:00pm nightly
Where: Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra, ACT
Price: Free

FLIGHT runs as a full evening precinct around Lake Burley Griffin. Before the drones even take off, there are night markets, food stalls and live entertainment pulling people in early.

The main draw is the two 15-minute drone shows each night, with different choreography and storytelling at 9pm and 10pm. Between and after shows, people drift back to the markets, grab food, or find a new vantage point around the lake.

It’s less about holding a spot and more about moving with the night.

Why it fits the weekend: It gives you a reason to stay out without rushing the experience.

Rosé and Dumpling Festival (Adelaide)

When: Saturday 24 January, 11:00am to 7:00pm and Sunday 25 January, 11:00am to 6:00pm
Where: Howard Vineyard, Nairne, SA
Price: Adults $18–$32.50 | Kids (3–17) $5–$15 | Kids (under 2) Free

Rosé and Dumpling Festival is exactly what it sounds like, and that’s the appeal. Food stalls pumping out dumplings, rosé flowing all day, lawn seating, and live music running on the main stage.

Some people book a reserved lawn or terrace, others keep it casual on general admission and roam between food and bar lines. Sunday brings a kids’ zone with games and face painting, which shifts the vibe slightly earlier in the day.

Once you’re fed and settled, most people don’t move far.

Why it fits the weekend: It’s designed for long lunches that quietly turn into afternoons.

Great Australian Bites (Brisbane)

When: Monday 26 January, 2pm to 7:30pm
Where: Riverside Green, South Bank Parklands, South Brisbane, Queensland
Price: Free

Great Australian Bites turns Riverside Green into a food-led hub for the afternoon. Local restaurants and food vendors run pop-up stalls, while the live stage rotates between music performances and cooking demonstrations.

Away from the stage, there’s a silent disco, interactive activities, and plenty of space to spread out along the river. It’s easy to move between eating, watching, and wandering without feeling like you’re missing the main event.

Most people treat it as a relaxed stop rather than a full-day commitment.

Why it fits the weekend: You can enjoy it properly without planning your whole day around it.

Volume 1: M7 BNKR / Mirage 7 Seltzer Launch (South Australia)

When: Sunday 25 January, 2:00pm to Monday 26 January, 12:30am
Where: Overland Corner Hotel, Old Coach Rd, Overland Corner, SA
Price: $75 (General Admission) to $85 (Final Release)

M7 BNKR is a ticketed music event set inside a former quarry near Overland Corner, using the natural rock walls and acoustics as part of the stage design. DJs run from mid-afternoon through to after midnight, shaping the day into a long, continuous session.

The lineup leans electronic, mixing local and interstate artists, and the crowd is firmly 18+. For those making the trip, free camping along the nearby Murray River turns it into a proper overnight plan.

Once you’re there, the focus stays on the music.

Why it fits the weekend: It’s built to take advantage of the extra day off, not rush around it.

Chilli in the Valley (Western Australia)

When: Saturday 24 to Monday 26 January from 10am to 4pm
Where: Swan Settlers Market, 124 Lennard Street, Herne Hill, WA
Price: Free

Chilli in the Valley runs across three days at Swan Settlers Market, combining a regular market setup with chilli-themed stalls, tastings, and competitions.

Alongside the chilli food and sauces, there’s live music, family activities like scavenger hunts and a petting zoo, and scheduled chilli-eating and hot wing challenges that draw a crowd when they kick off.

You can browse casually or get involved, depending on how brave you’re feeling.

Why it fits the weekend: It’s easy to drop in, stay longer than planned, and leave with a story.

Australia Day Festival of Us (Darwin)

When: Monday 26 January, 11:00am to 8:00pm
Where: Territory Netball Stadium, Marrara, Darwin, NT
Price: Free

Festival of Us unfolds across the day, starting early at Darwin Waterfront with a Welcome to Country, the Oz Run, and a smoking ceremony led by Larrakia families. From there, the focus shifts to the Territory Netball Stadium for the main program.

The afternoon and evening bring live entertainment, workshops, and multicultural market food, with people arriving at different points and moving through at their own pace.

It’s broad, busy, and genuinely community-driven.

Why it fits the weekend: It reflects how a public holiday actually plays out for most people: a little bit of this, a little of that.

But if all of that sounds a bit too out of the ordinary, Australia Day still has plenty of classic events and activities to take part in.

Across the country, you’ll find the usual mix of foreshore celebrations, harbour cruises, citizenship ceremonies, protest marches, live music in parks, fireworks after dark, and community barbecues firing up from late morning. Triple j’s Hottest countdown will be playing somewhere, beaches will be busy early, and someone in your group will suggest “just a quiet one” that absolutely won’t be.

There’s nothing wrong with sticking to the familiar. Sometimes Australia Day is exactly what it looks like: a long lunch, a swim, a few drinks, and a late start the next day.

The point isn’t what you do. It’s how it feels.

The best Australia Day long weekends don’t look the same for everyone. Some people want culture. Some want noise. Others just want a decent meal and a reason not to check email.

The common thread here isn’t patriotism or protest. It’s choice. Choosing to slow down. Choosing where your attention goes. Choosing something that doesn’t feel like it was designed for a highlight reel.

And honestly, that’s probably the most Australian approach of all.