Airlie Beach Festival of Music 2026 at a glance
The Airlie Beach Festival of Music 2026 runs from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November 2026 in Airlie Beach, the harbourside town that is the mainland gateway to the Whitsunday Islands in North Queensland. The festival lists more than 60 acts across bars, cafes and local venues, with a waterfront main stage under a big tent at the Whitsunday Sailing Club.
With a welcome party on Thursday 5 November and an after party on Monday 9 November, it stretches across five days. Here is what you need to know about the lineup, passes, venues, getting around and where to stay.
Information checked October 2026.
- Dates: Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November 2026 (welcome party Thursday 5 November, after party Monday 9 November)
- Main stage: Whitsunday Sailing Club, 11 Ocean Road, Airlie Beach
- Acts: 60+ across the main tent and main street venues
- Passes from: $135 for a one-day pass (plus booking fee)
- Ages: festival passes are 18+; under-18s are not allowed in the main tent
- Tickets: official festival ticket page
Who is playing? The 2026 lineup
The 2026 bill mixes Australian favourites with regional up-and-comers. According to the Mackay and Whitsunday Life festival preview, the main tent runs roughly like this:
- Friday 6 November: the Passport to Airlie regional winners, Melbourne act Monroe, then Xavier Rudd to close the night.
- Saturday 7 November: Salt & Steel, Skinny Living (UK), 19-Twenty, Conrad Sewell, The Whitlams and The Radiators.
- Sunday 8 November: Nicky Bomba’s Bustamento, Adam Harvey, Nathan Cavaleri and Little Quirks, with Mark Seymour and Mental As Anything closing the festival.
The official festival website lists dozens more performers across the main street venues, including Luke O’Shea, Ben Ransom and Mason Rack Band. Set times are posted online, and you get a paper program with your wristband.
Airlie Beach Festival of Music tickets and passes
All early bird and first-release passes have sold out. The table below shows the passes listed as available on the festival’s ticket page in October 2026. All prices are plus a booking fee, and most passes are on sale until 5 November.
| Pass | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Day Pass (final release) | $340 | Main tent and all venues for three days, plus the Thursday welcome party and Monday after party |
| 2 Day Pass | $250 | Main tent and all venues for your two chosen days (Fri and Sat, Fri and Sun, or Sat and Sun) |
| 1 Day Pass | $135 | Main tent and all venues for your chosen day |
| VIP 3 Day Pass (final release) | $1,200 | Oceanfront VIP area of the main tent with private toilets, food and a six-hour drink package, plus all venues and both parties |
| Thursday Welcome Party | $25 | Magnums, Thursday 5 November |
| Monday After Party | $30 | Northerlies, Monday 9 November |
Door sales depend on capacity and cost more, so buy online. Companion card holders buy a regular ticket and show their card at the gate. Prices and availability can change, so check the ticket page before you book.
Festival venues around Airlie Beach
The festival’s venue page lists 16 venues. The main tent sits on the waterfront at the Whitsunday Sailing Club, where you also collect your wristband. Most other venues are a short walk along Shute Harbour Road, the town’s main street.
- Main street pubs and bars: Magnums, Beaches, Boaty’s, KC’s Bar & Grill, Paddy’s Shenanigans, Lola’s Bar, Paradiso and Tree House.
- Further out: Northerlies on Pringle Road (home of the Monday after party), Sorrento’s on the Coral Sea Marina boardwalk, and 74 Islands Distillery, which is reached by bus.
- Entry: pass holders get in free to ticketed venues for their valid days; otherwise the venue page lists a $15 door fee.
Some main street venues admit under-18s, and the festival website lists which ones. Music starts as early as 9am at some venues.
Getting to Airlie Beach and getting around
Airlie Beach is about 1,120km north of Brisbane and 630km south of Cairns, around 20 minutes off the Bruce Highway at Proserpine. The festival’s information page lists these options:
- Fly: Whitsunday Coast Airport is about 40 minutes from Airlie Beach, and buses and taxis meet every flight. You can also fly into Hamilton Island and take a Cruise Whitsundays ferry across.
- Coach or train: Greyhound and Premier run coaches to Airlie Beach, and the Spirit of Queensland train stops at Proserpine.
- During the festival: wristband holders ride Whitsunday Transit buses for free, and an extra festival shuttle links the Sailing Club, main street venues and accommodation partners. Day shuttles run from late morning to 7pm and evening shuttles until 1am on Friday and Saturday.
There is no designated festival parking, and council parking rules and fees apply, so leaving the car at your accommodation is the easiest option.
Where to stay for the festival
Airlie Beach books up quickly in festival week, so lock in your room early. The festival’s accommodation page lists options across every budget, including resorts such as Mirage Whitsundays and The Sebel Whitsundays, apartments such as Airlie Apartments and Boathouse Apartments, backpacker stays such as Nomads and Magnums, and holiday parks such as Big 4 Adventure Whitsunday and Discovery Park. Staying near Shute Harbour Road keeps most venues within walking distance.
Make a long weekend of it in the Whitsundays
If you have a spare day before or after the music, a trip out to Whitehaven Beach in Whitsunday Islands National Park is the obvious choice, with its white silica sand and the Hill Inlet lookout. Two full-day options on our Queensland tours page:
- Hill Inlet Lookout and Whitehaven Beach Cruise, run by SeaLink Whitsundays. About eight hours, with guided walks to the lookouts and a buffet lunch on board. It is not a snorkelling trip.
- Whitehaven Beach Day Tour with Snorkel Option, run by ZigZag Whitsundays. About eight hours, with a beach-only or beach-and-snorkel ticket, lunch and a stinger suit included.
November falls in tropical Queensland’s marine stinger season, which runs roughly November to May. Wear a stinger suit in the water, follow your crew’s advice, and use reef-safe sunscreen. Back in town, the free Airlie Beach Lagoon is lifeguard-patrolled and stinger-safe all year. For more island ideas, see our guide to the islands of the Great Barrier Reef.
Airlie Beach Festival of Music FAQs
When is the Airlie Beach Festival of Music 2026?
The main festival runs from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November 2026. A welcome party at Magnums on Thursday 5 November and an after party at Northerlies on Monday 9 November extend it to five days.
How much are tickets?
In October 2026 the ticket page listed one-day passes at $135, two-day passes at $250, three-day passes at $340 and VIP three-day passes at $1,200, all plus a booking fee. The three-day and VIP passes include the welcome and after parties.
Can kids go to the Airlie Beach Festival of Music?
Festival passes are 18+ and under-18s are not allowed in the main tent. Some main street venues do admit under-18s, and the festival website lists which ones.
Is there free transport during the festival?
Yes. Wristband holders can ride Whitsunday Transit buses for free, and an extra festival shuttle runs between the Sailing Club, the main street venues and accommodation partners during the day and late into the evening.
Where do I collect my wristband?
Show your booking email (on your phone is fine) at the ticket office at the Whitsunday Sailing Club, a short waterfront walk from the main street.
Plan your festival weekend
Book your pass through the official festival website, sort your accommodation early, then add a day on the water. Browse Whitsundays day trips on our Queensland tours page, or find more ideas on the Queensland Traveller blog.
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