Milton Folk Jazz & Blues Festival 2026
MILTON FOLK JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL
FULL LINE UP OF ARTISTS ANNOUNCED
TICKETED SHOWS AT THE MILTON THEATRE – ON SALE NOW!
The Milton Folk Jazz and Blues Festival is back! We’re excited to announce the full list of artists performing on the weekend of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd May in the cafes, pubs, restaurants and streets of Milton on the South Coast of New South Wales. Festival Founder, Director and local musician, Jacob Woods has once again rallied a team of hardworking local volunteers to produce this year’s event:
“For three days in May, Milton is going to be the folk, jazz and blues capital of the South Coast! We’ve got 72 artists across 22 venues, from Memphis blues to Hungarian Táncház, spiritual jazz to neo-folk—and it’s free! We can’t wait to share this year’s event with you!” – Jacob Woods
With performances taking place at cafes, restaurants, and pubs throughout Milton – we encourage attendees to book tables early!
KEY FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
This year we are excited to announce a brand new mini-stage on Wason Street West: THE JAZZ LAB! The Jazz Lab is a street party over Friday evening and Saturday and will feature Brazilian jazz trombone master Joabe Reis, the funk, soul and jazz stylings of The Ulladulla High School Performing Ensemble as well as cult heroes of the underground ambient electronic scene Godtet to name a few.
An official Welcome to Country ceremony by Bungalin will open proceedings on The Village Green. This stage will also welcome The Three Seas and their global fusion of Baul mysticism, Himalayan folk, spiritual jazz, dub and rock. Also performing will be Uncle Frank Yamma—one of Australia’s most respected First Nations songwriters—bringing songs of country, love and resilience sung in Pitjantjatjara and English. Another highlight, Future of the Blues delivers explosive proof that the blues is thriving in young hands. Mentored by Ray Beadle and Clayton Doley, these young players earned their stripes the real way: onstage, in the moment, trading solos with artists twice their age.
St Mary’s Star of the Sea hosts Oz jazz royalty: The Evans Robson Quartet—featuring ARIA-nominated saxophonists Sandy Evans and Andrew Robson, they bring four decades of combined music mastery with Evans’ powerful tenor and soaring soprano meeting Robson’s melodic lyricism. Award-winning Melbourne neo-folk trio Apolline flip the energy: weaving intricate arrangements on cello, fiddle and double bass through Celtic tradition, Scandinavian folk, and jazz into something truly magical – a must-see for lovers of folk in its most inventive form.
The Star Hotel delivers a knockout blues and roots lineup including Frank Sultana’s raw Delta blues that earned him the 2023 Memphis International Blues Challenge title. He’s played authentic Mississippi juke joints and shared stages with Taj Mahal and Keb Mo and now it’s Milton’s turn! Hussy Hicks will bring their infectious energy and tight harmonies that’s made them festival favourites across three continents. As Double J notes, “Some artists need to be seen to be believed, and Hussy Hicks fits that category.”
Bar Yuki takes the festival into electro-improvisation territory. Eora/Sydney collective Haztet explore cosmic spiritual jazz and Afro-infused dance grooves, while Levos brings controlled electronic chaos to the dancefloor with hybrid improvised sets on his Buchla modular system, creating immersive soundscapes designed for deep listening and dancefloor experimentation.
The Festival will feature special performances at many of our local cafes and restaurants including the high-octane fusion of balkan brass, dubstep, rock and jazz of Midnight Tea Party at Brown Sugar. Get up close with jazz masters in the Jeremy Sawkins Organ Trio starring jazz legends Clayton Doley, Jeremy Sawkins and Nic Cecire at the Prickly Pear Courtyard. And book your tables now to see the gypsy jazz legend George Washingmachine at Milkhaus!
The Milton Theatre will also host 3 ticketed performances: JB Paterson + High Street Drifters, Mahalia Barnes & The Soul Mates and Bumpy, while the Altar Bar presents Chorus for Kindness Sunday 3rd May – ticketing details for both venues below.
For the full list of artists – see below.
More performances at our Record Fair and Merch Shop, and a Roving Band, as well as workshops to be announced.
Full playing times will be released in the coming weeks.
A full list of our fabulous venues that will host these artists include: Pilgrims, Nomah, Beurre Noisette, The Prickly Pear, Brown Sugar, Sam’s Caravan (in Mick Ryan Park), Baar Baar, Nulladulla Pottery, The Village Green, The Star Hotel, Bar Yuki, The Altar Bar, The Harvest Bar, Milkhaus, Jack Joy Living, St Marys Star of the Sea, Milton Anglican Church, Kindred Coffee, The Milton Theatre, Flour Water Salt, The Jazz Lab.
FULL LINE UP
APOLLINE • BUMPY • GODTET • EVANS ROBSON QUARTET • FRANK SULTANA
GARFISH • GENEVIEVE CHADWICK • GEORGE WASHINGMACHINE • HUSSY HICKS
JB PATERSON • JEREMY SAWKINS TRIO • JOABE REIS • JULIEN WILSON • MAHALIA BARNES AND THE SOUL MATES • THE THREE SEAS • UNCLE FRANK YAMMA UNCOMFORTABLE SCIENCE
ABBY CONSTABLE TRIO • AMY AND I • BALKAN BOOGIE • BENJI AND THE SALTWATER SOUND SYSTEM • BIG IN JAPAN • BONES ATLAS • BUNGALIN • CHORRO DO KOALA CHORUS FOR KINDNESS • DECLAN KELLY TRIO • DJINAMA YILAGA • DOCKSIDE OF THE MOON • EBS • FIELDS FORRÓ FT. JESSICA MADHU • FREYA STAER • FUTURE OF THE BLUES • GEORGE JONES GLORIOUS MUDSINGERS • DOLEY, GREENING, STUART, MASON QUARTET • HAZTET FULL BOTTLE • THE HIGH STREET DRIFTERS • HUCKLEBERRY AND THE DEVILS DANDRUFF INSPECTOR GADJE • JAKOB POYNER • KAMATOSE • KENGUGRÓ AND THE TRANSYLVANIACS • KID HANK AND HIS OCKERSTRA • KONGO FUNK • LAS BUREKAS LEMONISE • LEON • LEVOS (LIVE) • LOCKE WITH TERMINAL 4 • MANFREDO LAMENT MESOS TRIO • MILTON DISTRICT BAND • MIRIBI BUNBAL • OCEAN WIZARD • PALINCA AND TEARS • PIPER AND THE DAYMAKERS • ROBYN MARTYN • SEEN HERBIVORE SOUTHERN SEAGRASS • SOPHIA ROSE QUARTET • THE STAYERS • SYMPHONETTE • TALL SHAUN AND THE RESOLUTION • THE CONDIMENTS • THE HONEYMOONERS • THE MIDNIGHT TEA PARTY • TIMEA AND THE TREES • TIN CAN TELEPHONE • UHS ENSEMBLE ZACHARIAH J AND THE BOTTLEBRUSH BAND
🎟 Milton Theatre Shows — On Sale Now!
Friday 1st May – Bumpy
Saturday 2nd May – Mahalia Barnes & The Soul Mates (SOLD OUT / Wait List)
Sunday – The High Street Drifters and JB Paterson
These shows offer an intimate, seated venue experience and tickets are limited. All shows sold out last year so don’t miss out!