THAT’S A WRAP ON OUR 2026 FESTIVAL
WHAT A WILD, WONDERFUL RIDE.
Sixteen days. Thousands of you. Countless magical moments. Joondalup Festival 2026 has officially wrapped and we’re still catching our breath.
From the moment the Crystal People rose from the shimmering lake at Sir James McCusker Park on March 7, glowing silently in the dawn light, to the final awe-inspiring movements of The Whale drifting above Tom Simpson Park on closing night – this year’s festival was something genuinely special. Not just because the program was bold and beautiful (though it was), but because of the extraordinary people who turned up, leaned in, and made it their own.
Sold out, showing up, and showing off
Ticketed events sold out across the board – and the free events? Thousands upon thousands of you made your way from across Perth Metro and beyond to be part of it. Families in camp chairs. Couples on picnic rugs. Grandparents watching their grandkids lose their minds with delight. First-timers who told us they had no idea this was happening in their own backyard.
Every year we set out to bring world-class creativity right to the heart of Perth’s north. And every year, it’s the community itself that makes it extraordinary.
The moments we’ll never forget
Where do we even start? The festival burst into life on March 7 with Kaya — a spectacular celebration of Noongar culture told through dance, story and song under the open sky at Neil Hawkins Park, on the banks of Lake Joondalup. The charismatic Phil Walleystack had the crowd in the palm of his hand from the first note, weaving humour and heart into a performance that set the tone for everything that followed. What a way to open a festival.
Acqua Forte Parade transformed Hillarys Boat Harbour into something out of a steam-punk fever dream, with glowing riders, floating mythical beasts, fire pots and ethereal figures drifting across the water in the dark. French theatre artists ilotopie brought this incredible on-water performance to our shores for its Australian debut, and revelers showed up in their thousands to marvel at the spectacle. We’re still getting messages about this one.
The Common People Dance Eisteddfod returned in all its chaotic glory, with sequins, sabotage, sweatbands and an audience that matched the energy on stage. The bowling alleys of iPlay became the most unexpectedly moving theatrical space in Perth, courtesy of Restless Dance Theatre’s Guttered. Lakeside yoga with Crystal People as your backdrop turned early mornings into something quietly magical with Dawn Flow. And Mamma Mia! Immersive? Look, if you were there, you know. And if you weren’t, you’ll have to join the fun next time Tone and Cheek are in town.
Meanwhile, Christine de Grancy’s ‘A Day with David’ gave Joondalup Contemporary Art Gallery a genuine world moment – the first time these rare photographs of David Bowie had ever been presented in Australia, and what’s more – with no cover charge, anywhere on the planet. Joondalup got that exclusive. We’re proud of that one.
And the good news? Due to popular demand, the exhibition has been extended and will continue to run at the Joondalup Contemporary Art Gallery until 4 April – with the exception of Good Friday, 3 April. If you missed it during the festival, this is your last chance.
Thank you from the bottom of our TIRED, HAPPY hearts
None of this happens without the people and partners who believe in what Joondalup Festival stands for, and we have four incredible organisations to thank for making 2026 possible.
To the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure – thank you for your commitment to bringing people together through culture and connection across our region.
To Tourism Western Australia – your support via the Metro Events Program continues to help us build an event that puts Joondalup firmly on the cultural map, and we’re so grateful for it.
To Lotterywest – we say it every year because we mean it every year: your investment in the arts and in community makes an enormous difference to what’s possible. Thank you.
And to Uptown Joondalup – thank you for championing the business and organisations that call this incredible region home, and all the cool stuff that happens here. You make Joondalup hum.
See you in 2027
We know, we know – the post-festival sadness is real. But we’ll be back! The parks will glow again. The harbour will host something spectacular again. And if our track record is anything to go by, it’ll be even more beautifully unusual than this year.
Until then – stay curious, stay weird, and stay in the Joonda-loop.
