The Winter Blues Festival is free!
There are two ticketed shows this year: The Wrap Party on Sunday night, and Echuca Racing Club Race Day on Friday afternoon. For tickets to these, please head to our ticketing page.
The souvenir event program is available for purchase at the merch tent and local newsagencies around town. The program contains the event map
For the full program and links to download our festival app please head to our homepage.
I need accommodation, do you know what is available?
Accommodation in town sells out fast every year. Your best option is to contact Echuca Moama Tourism at echucamoama.com to see what is still available.
The FRRR Family Space is fun for the whole family. The Winter Blues Festival is an all-inclusive, all access, bring-the-whole family event.
On Saturday and Sunday from 10am – 3pm, Hopwood Gardens will come alive at our FRRR Family Space, with amazing music, in a family friendly setting. Bring the whole family and enjoy arts & crafts, temporary tattoos, circus acts, jumping castle, face painting and more. Phone charging and VR headsets will be available at the NBN van at the Port. We’re expecting great weather, so pack a chair or picnic rug, and come down and relax.
And although the pub venues are 18+, you will find all-ages stages at Little Hopwood Street, Essen, Antonio’s, The Beechworth Bakery, Cape Horn, Campaspe Library, and the Homegrown Stage behind the Customs House Gallery.
Of course, you can drive from wherever you are - Echuca is located under 3 hours north of Melbourne, getting to Echuca by car is easy thanks to a great network of clearly signed and well-maintained highways. V Line operate buses and trains from all over Victoria to Echuca, head to the V Line website for up-to-date timetable and fare info
Most festival venues are within walking distance of each other.
High Street Echuca will be a buzz all weekend, so to avoid the traffic and remove the pain of finding a carpark, why not take one of our shuttle buses, ride a bike and store it at our additional bike racks at Hopwood Gardens, or enjoy the sunshine and stroll into town on foot. Taxis will also be available. And if you choose to drive, please be sure to have a designated driver and remember that extra parking is available at the Visitors Centre.
McConnell Buses will be running shuttle buses from Henry’s Bridge Hotel to designated stops in Echuca and Moama on Friday and Saturday.
The Winter Blues Festival takes place in venues in the town itself. Echuca is a major regional centre and provides everything you’d expect as far as food options, medical services, accommodation etc.
Public toilets are available in venues throughout town, additionally portable toilets will be located:
Yes, all venues at the event are wheelchair accessible, with accessible parking bays available throughout the town.
The Winter Blues Festival is held on the traditional lands of the Dja Dja, Wurrung, Taungurung and Yorta Yorta peoples. Join us in Hopwood Gardens at 11.30am Saturday for Uncle Rick’s Welcome to Country, as we acknowledge the Traditional Owners and their Elders past, present and emerging.
Whether you’re after a copy of our event program, a beanie, stubby holder, or the very popular Winter Blues Festival Hoodies, you’ll find it all at our Merchandise Tent, located on the corner of Leslie Street and High Street, outside the Port Ice Creamery. Be sure to say hi to our volunteers while you’re there. We also have an online store if you can’t be there in person.
Want to show your support for your favourite community focussed, family friendly, volunteer run & organised Blues Festival?
Click to donate to the Winter Blues Festival
There’s something for everyone at the 2023 Winter Blues Festival, and this year we’re making outstanding live music come to you through Buskers who will be located on the corner of Leslie Street and High Street, outside the Echuca Chocolate Company, and on High Street outside Vintage Vinyl Records. Please come down to enjoy their tunes and support these amazing entertainers.
Rich River First Aid will be onsite at Hopwood Gardens during the day on Saturday and Sunday from 10.30am – 3pm.
Yes, some of them will be.
To support the increased number of people and vehicles into the Port Precinct, the following traffic management will be implemented for the weekend:
We respectfully acknowledge the Yorta Yorta and the Dja Dja Wurrung people, who are the Traditional Owners of the land on which we are located. We pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.