The Castlemaine State Festival kicks off tonight, March 20, with Castlemaine’s Mostyn Street set to transform to mark the festival’s 50th anniversary.
Music, art, food, and dance take over in a joyful and powerful public event that kicks off 10 days of celebration.
The night opens at 6pm with a Welcome to Country by Uncle Rick Nelson, followed by The Nalderun Song Project, Castlemaine Secondary College band, and Castlemaine Circus.
Then the energy shifts: Heartical Hi-Powa with Stryka D bring pulsating reggae and dub, Jungle City deliver high-octane dancehall, Cho Karin defy gravity with acrobatics, and Amaru Tribe close with genre-blending Colombian-Australian electronica.
After the main event the focus will move to the official sold-out ticketed after-party, which transforms two iconic Castlemaine spaces into parallel clubs, each with its own take on contemporary electronic music. The Maxi IGA underground car park becomes a one-night-only venue, while across the road, Theatre Royal opens its doors. Featuring Harvey Sutherland (DJ Set), Intermood, Pjenné, Millú, and Tom Barker.
Meanwhile, over at the Castlemaine Town Hall from 8pm tonight, Genesis Baroque brings the vibrant music of the 17th and 18th centuries to life with fresh intensity, joined by the illustrious Choir of Trinity College for their debut performance together.
Expect radiant Baroque masterworks by Handel, Bach, and Vivaldi — grandeur without distance, a dialogue between centuries made intimate once again.
The concert opens with Festival Fanfare by Australian composer Peter Charles Rorke, commissioned by the Festival and premiered in 1976. A full-circle moment for the 50th anniversary.
Festival Club
The Festival Club will be the place to be throughout the festival, with eight nights of entertainment at the Castlemaine Goods Shed from March 21 to 28. The festival’s after-dark home base. Every night, the Goods Shed transforms into a space for dancing, discovery, and connection, with Main FM’s finest DJs and special guests spinning wildly eclectic sets. No two nights sound the same. This is where you gather post-show, have a drink, meet new faces, and let the night stretch out.
Youth Sessions
There will also be youth sessions held on March 26 and 27, in the early evening. Before the late-night program begins, the festival club opens for two special sessions for younger audiences. Local youth DJs, movement, creativity, and a welcoming space to explore music before the Goods Shed shifts into its after-hours rhythm.
Castlemaine Created
A host of ‘Castlemaine Created’ exhibitions and events will take place throughout the festival. Photographer Marylou Verberne began talking with people about play to understand how childhood is changing. Her ‘Australian Archive of Play Memories’ exhibition at the Market Building is an ongoing project comprising photographic portraits of Australians, recorded interviews and play memory maps.
Festival Finale
The Festival Finale – the traditional Garden Party will take place on Sunday, March 29, at the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens.
The festival’s most beloved tradition: a family-friendly afternoon of food stalls, markets, roving performers, and live music. Perfect picnic vibes to close out 10 days of celebration. Featuring Super Mandé Percussion, Belly Savalas, Gusto Gusto, World Kitchen, Uncle Ron Murray, Dandyman, Castlemaine Hot Rods, Main FM, and Castlemaine Circus.