Get to know the towns that host some of Australia’s best festivals and events.

From foodie fiestas and cultural celebrations to art exhibitions and major music festivals, some Aussie destinations are best experienced through the annual events they offer. So, if you like to plan your holidays around what’s on, our expert panel for Australian Traveller’s 100 best Aussie towns to visit agrees: these are the top Aussie towns worth marking on your calendar for events and festivals.

1. Port Fairy, Vic

Overall rank: 4/100

Maar Country

Expect the ratio of bushranger beards and pixie haircuts to spike during the annual Port Fairy Folk Festival, which is a highlight on Victoria’s cultural calendar. From its 1977 beginnings, the folk festival now fills the Labour Day weekend in March with music, markets and roving performances. The town at the western end of the Great Ocean Road also hosts the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival and has year-round appeal. As panellist Catriona Rowntree says, Port Fairy is “secretly everyone’s favourite town on the Great Ocean Road."

Don’t miss: Lunch at Pippies by the Bay and a stay at the newly opened Basalt Retreat.

2. Bellingen, NSW

Overall rank: 16/100

Gumbaynggirr Country

Look at Bellingen on Google Earth and you’ll see it tucked within an emerald-green pocket of hinterland near Byron Bay. Once a dairy town, Bello now beats to the sound of its own drum, especially if that drum is a djembe being played at the River Sounds Festival in May. The calendar of events here runs from writers’ festivals to farmers’ markets and an agricultural show that reflects the area’s vibrant community.

Don’t miss: “One of the highlights is the main street – filled with stores featuring work from local artisans… knitters, leatherworkers, woodworkers," says panellist Rae Johnston.

3. Geelong, Vic

Overall rank: 34/100

Wadawurrung Country

Geelong’s events calendar spans the southern hemisphere’s largest keelboat regatta, a national cycling race and steady run of exhibitions and festivals. Curled around Corio Bay, the city is home to Geelong Football Club, founded in 1859. During AFL season – March to September – Geelong has a match-day energy that feels like a festival. As panellist Adrian Williams puts it, Geelong is “the only regional AFL team in the country that was part of the birth of football."

Don’t miss: Trace the waterfront lined with galleries, restaurants and shops as it twists around Corio Bay, said to have inspired the navy-and-white Geelong Cats guernsey.

4. Bridport, Tas

Overall rank: 39/100

Palawa/Tasmanian Aboriginal Country

This tranquil town on Tassie’s north-east coast is known for swimming and sailing as much as its fairways and farmland. But it’s winter we’ve set our sights on when the much-loved Tassie Scallop Fiesta rolls into town. Celebrate the region’s seafood bounty with a couple of curried scallop pies along with local mussels and just-shucked oysters pulled from nearby waters.

Don’t miss: A wander through Bridestowe Lavender Estate when the fields are in bloom come summer, “a perfect spot to roam through rows of vivid purple," says panellist Ben Hall.

5. Airlie Beach, Qld

Overall rank: 48/100

Ngaro Country

Panellist Rae Johnston, who lived in Airlie Beach in her 20s, says the palm-lined Queensland town nails the brief for an idyllic tropical escape “with sand so white it squeaks when you walk on it, and stunning blue, calm water." As the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef, the town is a lively hub for backpackers and boaties. The calendar centres on Airlie Beach Race Week and the Great Barrier Reef Festival, but the vibes stretch year-round.

Don’t miss: Snorkel the Ngaro Underwater Marine Sculpture Trail, where works such as Migration of the Mantas sit within coral gardens, doubling as reef habitat.

6. McLaren Vale, SA

Overall rank: 49/100

Kaurna Country

It’s an easy 40-minute car zip from festival capital Adelaide to McLaren Vale, which hosts its own happenings. The calendar of events centred in and around this hub includes the Grenache & Gourmet Festival and Fleurieu Film Festival, where wine, food and storytelling intersect. As panellist Paul Hamra puts it, McLaren Vale is a “magnificent backdrop for a wine region", pairing innovative dining with a coastline that ranks among Australia’s best.

Don’t miss: The events woven into the Tasting Australia program when chefs, winemakers and producers converge on McLaren Vale as part of its regional line-up.

7. Winton, Qld

Overall rank: 55/100

Koa Country

Surrounded by plains whiskered in Mitchell grass, Winton wears its outback identity on its Hard Yakka sleeve. It’s a place where bush poetry, live music and big-sky gatherings feel distinctly, and unapologetically, Aussie.

Best known as the birthplace of Waltzing Matilda, the small Queensland town draws a crowd for events such as the Winton Outback Festival, where five days of celebrations culminate in the gloriously irreverent Dunny Derby.

Don’t miss: A cold one at the North Gregory Hotel front bar after a day exploring. “It doesn’t get more Australian," says panellist Quentin Long.

8. Cairns, Qld

Overall rank: 56/100

Gimuy Walubara Yidinji Country

Cairns celebrates 150 years in 2026 with a special Grand Parade during the annual Cairns Festival from 28 August to 6 September. Cairns Italian Festival (from 23 July to 2 August) is another opportunity to contextualise the city within the broader migrant stories of Tropical North Queensland. The Australian Festival of Chamber Music will also be held in Cairns for the first time this winter, following the debut of new events series Tasting the Tropics, which showcases the flavours of the region’s food and drinks scene.

Don’t miss: “Fitzroy Island is a must. Cairns is also the gateway to the great Daintree," says panellist Brad Farmer.

9. Alice Springs, NT

Overall rank: 77/100

Arrernte Country

Alice Springs/Mparntwe draws on its desert setting as the backdrop for its distinctive festival calendar. Culture is lived and shared here, from the glow of Parrtjima – A Festival in Light to the offbeat charm of the Alice Springs Beanie Festival, which is in its final year in current format. Events such as DesFest and Desert Mob round out a program celebrating creativity and Aboriginal art. “Alice Springs is the gateway to the outback, a perfect base to explore beyond," says panellist Sally Cope.

Don’t miss: The “incredible [surrounding] landscapes including the MacDonnell Ranges," says panellist and Parrtjima cultural advisor Paul Ah Chee.

10. Bathurst, NSW

Overall rank: 98/100

Wiradjuri Country

“More than just a racetrack, but a pretty impressive racetrack nonetheless," says panellist Adrian Williams. Bathurst may be synonymous with the Bathurst 1000, but it’s worth doing a few laps of the town beyond the Mount Panorama circuit. The main street keeps things modest – bakeries, pubs, cafes, bars and restaurants pulling in the region’s best – while spots such as Bootleg Dining and Norma Joan offer a window into a burgeoning culinary scene. Come winter, the surrounding countryside shifts into crisp Fuji tones.

Don’t miss:  A stay at Littlebourne Guesthouse and a day trip to The Rockley Pub, owned by chef Matt Moran.

This article is part of Australian Traveller’s 100 best Aussie towns to visit, as chosen by a panel of industry experts, well-known Aussies and travel insiders. See our full list of 100 best Aussie towns here and visit the special 100 best Aussie towns hub here.