This Labour Day weekend, ChillOut Festival invites audiences to step into Planet Love – a joyful world built on connection, colour, and queer country pride. Running from 5–9 March, the festival returns to regional Victoria with a vibrant program of live performance, community events and celebrations across Daylesford and the surrounding Hepburn Shire.
With more than 40 events on the program, ChillOut Festival attracts nearly 30,000 visitors each year, filling parks, halls, pubs and open spaces as the region comes alive with music, movement and community spirit.
At its heart, ChillOut puts LGBTQIA+ lives and culture front and centre in regional Australia. From free community gatherings and family-friendly daytime events to big nights of music and dancing, the festival is known for creating space where people of all ages can show up, join in and feel welcome.
In 2026, that spirit is brought together through the theme Planet Love. A timely reminder that love, kindness and acceptance can create a world that we all want to survive and thrive in.
This year’s program features headline performers Reuben Kaye, Electric Fields, Jude York and The Huxleys, alongside appearances by RuPaul’s Drag Race alumni Kita Mean, Spankie Jackzon and Hannah Conda across the festival.
Major events include Friday Night Blast Off – a high-energy Friday night party under the Big Top, as well as much-loved ChillOut favourites like the Bush Dance and the iconic Street Parade, and Carnival Day.
Youth Muster: Universe of Diversity is a key highlight of the 2026 program, a dedicated youth stage celebrating emerging LGBTQIA+ talent. All performers were selected from industry music showcase, eXposure. The Youth Muster provides a visible, welcoming platform for young artists including Michael Kay, Luca Li Petri, Callum Drage and HAZE.
“Youth Muster is such an important event on the ChillOut calendar, empowering youth voices, launching amazing youth talent and celebrating visibility for the generations, who will have a direct impact on how this world looks moving forward. We invite supporters of all ages to get behind this event and celebrate the awesomeness and diversity of our youth,” said ChillOut Artist Programmer, Jacqui Walter.
Community connection also remains central to ChillOut, with events that bring locals and visitors together in unexpected ways, including the much-loved Petstock Daylesford Community Pet Show.
“We are truly heading into uncharted territory with the ChillOut Festival,” said Festival President, Matt Clarke. “When we stand back and look at festivals around Victoria, and then broaden our view to Australia wide, there really is not many at all still going strong after 29 years.”
“What makes our festival truly remarkable and worth celebrating and investing in is we are regional, we bring tens of thousands of queer people into regional Victoria, Daylesford. This is a place where they feel safer than their own hometowns. We empower and celebrate queer talent. We are leading the way by embracing diversity and inclusion and we will continue grow.”
“All of our members are 100% volunteers who not only manage the operations of the organisation, but we are the event managers, a dedicated group ensuring there are many more ChillOut Festivals to come, something I am truly proud of,” said Clarke.
Now in its 29th year, ChillOut Festival continues to play a vital role in regional tourism and community life, reinforcing the region’s reputation as one of Australia’s most welcoming destinations for LGBTQIA+ people and allies.
The 2026 ChillOut Festival runs 5 – 9 March. For more information and full program, visit: www.chilloutfestival.au for details.
Image: Bush Dance – courtesy of ChillOut Festival