Sydney’s free Stanmore Music Festival returns on 21 November

Batucada Funk at Stanmore Music Festival on 5 November 2022. Archive photograph, not the 2026 event. Photo: Oronsay / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped.

Sydney residents can spend Saturday 21 November exploring live music around Stanmore without buying a festival ticket. Inner West Council lists Stanmore Music Festival from 11am to 7pm, with free entry and performances across the suburb’s streets, schools and pub.

The 2026 programme spans nine stages and a mix of choirs, jazz, folk, world music and other styles. For someone new to the area, it offers a way to sample local music groups in one afternoon, moving between neighbourhood venues rather than staying at one stage.

The festival began in 2019 in memory of musician, conductor and music educator Richard Gill, a former Stanmore resident. The organiser says more than 1,000 performers and over 40 volunteers contribute their time and talents, with support from local schools, businesses and the council.

Use the current stage map and printable timetable to choose performances before travelling. The programme says all venues are accessible, with access to Stanmore Public School through the station tunnel and via station lifts. Performance times are indicative, so check the latest programme on the day.