A festival is a simple concept of bringing people together to have a good time. There are tens of thousands of them around the world, but if you had to create a 2020 festival bucket list what would it look like? Well, we have the best festivals in Australia for you this year.
These are the festivals that are worth turning into a vacation. If it’s on the festival bucket list you might not just travel to another country, but indeed halfway around the world.
From food and music to comedy and film and everything in between, these are the best festivals in Australia for 2020. It’s time to save up, drag your friends in and get attending at least one of the entrants into the 2020 festival bucket list…
Best Festivals In Australia For 2020
How do these rankings work?
1. Tasting – Adelaide
Tasting Australia is all about showcasing South Australian food and is one of the country’s longest-running food and wine festivals. Expect exclusive dinners, farm tours, tastings, masterclasses and market demos, all led by some of the country’s best home-grown heroes. Town Hall is the festival hub where you’ll find several bars offering up boutique beers, Australian wines and locally produced spirits.
2. Melbourne Cup – Melbourne
The Melbourne Cup is Australia’s most famous annual Thoroughbred horse race. Festivities overrun the city for more than a week, with four unique race days taking place. Watch the Melbourne Cup Parade, where the day before the race, tens of thousands of people head to the city centre for a parade of thoroughbreds, jockeys, trainers and celebrity guests. As for the races themselves? Dress up, sip your champagne and hope that you pick a winner.
3. New Year’s Eve – Sydney
What better way to round off 2020 than to head “Down Under” to one of the most recognisable spectacles in the world. Attend one of the parties, or if you are really lucky, find yourself a spot on a boat and watch the fireworks. The whole event is watched by over a million people in person with an electric atmosphere and everybody in great spirits. A great way to finish your 2020 festival bucket list and bring in 2021.
4. Splendour in the Grass – Byron Bay
Splendour in the Grass is easily one of the biggest festivals in Australia, and in 2020 it’s expected to be bigger and better than ever. Hosted at the North Byron Parklands, the festival is known for hosting a top-notch line-up that covers a wide variety of genres. In short, it should be on any bucket list of the best music festivals in the world for sure. Get together a group of friends and plan on a weekend of camping, music, and fun.
5. Ultra Australia – Sydney & Melbourne
Ultra’s known around the world as one of the best music festivals to attend. As a music lover, you absolutely can’t pass up a chance to attend any Ultra music festival around the world. However, Ultra Australia festivals seem to get particularly wild and engaging. In 2020, the festival will take place in Sydney and Melbourne where international acts like Afrojack and DJ Snake will perform.
6. Moomba Festival – Melbourne
Interested in indulging in a bit of local culture? Moomba Festival is the largest community festival in Australia, open to visitors near and far. It’s celebrated during Labor Day weekend. So, you can count on a long weekend full of fun activities. They all celebrate a strong cultural diversity of “Australian ethnic, cultural, and local communities.”
7. Orange F.O.O.D Week – Orange, New South Wales
As Australia’s longest-running regional food festival, the Orange F.O.O.D Week is a truly delightful experience for foodies of any kind. According to Australia’s tourism board, you can enjoy “cool-climate wines, a 100-mile dinner under the stars, and day and night markets.” Also, look forward to the much-loved Forage event. You’ll get to walk through vineyards and treat yourself to food and wine tastings.
