Brunswick, or Bulleke-bek in Woi Wurrung language, is the inner-city suburb in Melbourne's northeast, and once a year the entire suburb lights up for the long-loved Brunswick Music Festival. Nine huge days, the festival stands to celebrate the people, place, culture and music of Brunswick.
From compelling art performances and immersive exhibitions to free live music and countless parties, here are five things to do this year at the Brunswick Music Festival for 2024:
Sydney Road Street Party
Sunday 3 March | 12pm to 6pm
Sydney Road Street Party is back for 2024 with a jam-packed day of food pop-ups, market stalls, art performances, live music, roaming talent, and tons more. Stretching from Brunswick Road to Victoria street, there are over 100 stalls on the cards and more than six stages to catch a bunch of free gigs from local artists. Set a leisurely pace and wander around all the excitement—and by all means, get stuck into the fun.
Night Bowls At Brunswick Bowls Club
Tuesday 5 March | 6:30pm to 11:00pm
Fancy a game of good ol’ lawn bowls with some epic live performances from the likes of Don’t Thank Me, Spank Me, Eggy, Kosmetika and Obscure Hail? Then chuck on your flat-soled shoes (or leave them at home entirely) and head on down to Brunswick Bowls Club.
Autumnal Equinox Exhibition
Wednesday 6 March | 12:00pm to 5:00pm
Head on over to the Mycelium Studios on Moreland Road for a free art exhibition. Featuring four visual artists, the entire exhibit runs with a Pagan calendar-inspired theme, with each artist showcasing a calendar date: Autumnal Equinox, Midsummer Solstice, Spring Equinox, Winter Solstice. More on this over here.
International Women’s Day Performance
Friday 8 March | 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Over at Counihan Gallery, immerse yourself in powerful performances curated by Kimba Thompson in celebration of International Women’s Day and as a response to the ‘Future River: When The Past Flows’ exhibition. The night is an immersive experience at the intersection of art, performance, and Indigenous narratives, kicking off with music by SOVBLKPSSY and MaggZ and concluding the night at Brunswick Mechanics Institute Courtyard for a captivating music performance. Completely free, make sure you don’t miss this one.
Party At A1 Bakery
Sunday 10 March | 3pm to 5pm
Some of Brunswick’s most beloved spots are transforming their venue for Bulleke-bek Journey, a series of music performances running from dawn to dusk on Sunday 10 March. Free for all punters, it would be remiss to not check out the party going down at A1 Bakery. Reminiscent of the nightclubs in Beirut and beyond, get stuck into this afternoon of Arabic tunes from Tarabeat and MxRizk, sharing and celebrating their culture through traditional music mixed with electronic instruments.
Find the full program for Brunswick Music Fesitval 2024 over here.
Wondering what else is on in Melbourne? Right this way.
Image credit: Brunswick Music Festival | Simon Fazio