What are you doing this Australia Day? Sure you could celebrate with a barbeque like last year, but with so many free concerts happening around the country there’s no reason to stay in!
Australia Day Live – Parliament House, Canberra
Technically this show is the day before, but the line-up is so fantastic it deserves a mention. From 6:30 pm acts like Jessica Mauboy, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Dan Kelly, Wendy Matthews, Gurrumul, and Brian Cadd, will play Parliament House. Pre-show entertainment starts at 3:30 so arrive early to get a good spot!
Rocksong Festival – The Rocks, Sydney
More than 70 of this country’s finest singers and songwriters will play across nine stages in The Rocks. From 11 am to 9 pm you can see big name acts like Christine Anu, Holly Throsby, Kid Confucius, The Herd, and Tina Harrod.
James Morrison – Kings Domain Gardens, Melbourne
Australia’s iconic jazz trumpeter James Morrison will play a free show in the gardens from 12:30 pm. If you’ve never seen James live you don’t want to miss this.
Survival 2009 – Fremantle Park, Fremantle
This Aboriginal cultural festival features performances by Fitzroy Xpress Yabu Band, Abmusic Band, and indigenous dancers and performers. Join in the fun from 1 pm.
Australia Day Concert – South Bank Piazza, Brisbane
Finish off Australia Day with performances by Clare Bowditch, The Gin Club, and Gentle Ben and his Sensitive Side. It all kicks off at 7:30 pm, but with acts like this you’ll want to arrive early for a good view.
A Day on the Beach – Kingston Beach, Tasmania
There’s not a lot happening in Tassie, but some local bands will play at A Day on the Beach. The event, which starts at 10 am, also features sand castle competitions, water and beach sports, a kids gym, a treasure hunt, and an old fashioned Aussie BBQ. It sounds like fun!
Australia Day Concert – Elder Park, Adelaide
From 10 am Adelaide will celebrate Australia Day with a massive free concert. Lee Kernaghan will headline the show, which also features All Stars, Acoustic Juice, and Patrick McMahon. There’ll also be face painting and other kids activities, making this event one for the whole family.
Image source: Euthman @ Flickr