Black Gully Festival 2026
Now in its 15th year, Sustainable Living Armidale is one of the major sponsors of the much-loved Black Gully Festival! It returns on Saturday 7 November at the scenic Black Gully Reserve, (behind NERAM on the north and south sides of the creek). This free, family-friendly event celebrates Armidale’s creativity, community spirit and natural environment as the warmer weather arrives.
From 10.00am to 7.00pm , festival goers can enjoy live music across three stages, along with a makers’ market, sumptuous food vans, arts, craft and science activities, talks and workshops, a clothes swap, creek bug collecting and more.
For a full list of sponsors please go to: https://www.neram.com.au/event/black-gully-festival-2026/
Festival Program
- 9.00am – 7.00pm – Festival Livestream and broadcast 2ARMFM Community Radio
- 10.00am – 4.00pm – NERAM Art Gallery & feature exhibition Oracle of Time: Interactive Installation.
- 10.00am – 4.00pm – Makers, Community and Environment Markets
Caring for Koala Country, Clothes Swap and Slow Living, Community Garden tours, Electrify Armidale, Growing Sustainable Landscapes, Healthy Headwaters and Creek bug collecting, NERAM Family Art Making, River Weaving , Rising Tide, Save our Styx, Talking Soil, Black Gully Printers, Community Weathering Station, Mending-Making- Sharing, Face painting and more….. - 10.00am – 7.00pm – Sumptuous Food Vans
- 12.00pm – Official Opening – Yidaki performance, Welcome to Country at Black Gully Central, Acknowledgement and recognition to 2ARM’s Official Musical Patron, local Dunghutti Elder Uncle Cyril Green+ Thanks to Sponsors + announcements
- 7.00pm – 8.45pm – Astronomy night with the Stars & UNE & NT Astronomical Society@NERAM cafe
Music, Dance & Theatre Program
Main Stages
10.00am to 7.00pm
Main Stages (Black Gully Reserve)
| Time | Stage | Performer |
| 10.00am | 2 | Barney Street Band |
| 10.40am | 1 | Jazz Lab |
| 11.20am | 2 | Chilli Jam |
| 12.00pm | 1 | Official opening, Welcome to Country and Celebration of Uncle Cyril Green-Dunghutti Elder |
| 12.30pm | 1 | Harlequin Dance |
| 12.50pm | 2 | The Kelly Gang |
| 1.45pm | 1 | Rocky Bottom Girls |
| 2.35pm | 2 | Triple C Line Dancing |
| 2.50pm | 1 | The Briny Sea |
| 3.45pm | 2 | Salsa Dancing |
| 4.00pm | 1 | Fovndlings |
| 5.00pm | 2 | Dead Life Co-op |
| 6.00pm | 1 | U-Boat Gansey |
Acoustic Stage (NERAM Café)
10am to 2.00pm
| Time | Performer |
| 10.15am | The Miggy Man |
| 11.00am | MC & The Squares |
| 12.00pm | Official opening, Welcome to Country and Celebration of Uncle Cyril Green (on Main Stage) |
| 12.40pm | Firebirds Choir |
| 1.35pm | Crooked Tree |
Aboriginal Cultural and Keeping Place Stage (ACCKP)
10.00am to 4.00pm
| Time | Performer |
| 12.00pm | Official opening, Welcome to Country and Celebration of Uncle Cyril Green (on Main Stage) |
| 12.45pm | Lyambay Aboriginal Dance and Sharnae Smith Dance |
| 1.30pm | ACCKP OPEN House with Uncle Cyril Green, BBQ and Kathy Kelly |
| 3.00pm | Tiddalick the Greedy Frog (Saturday Magic Theatre Troup) |
ACCKP Exhibitions 10.00am to 4.00pm
- A Story in Every Dot, Bridget Cordery & Kristalea Haddon
- Growing Through Time, Robyn Edwards
Talks, Activities and Workshops
Clothes Swap@ Slow Living Tent
- 10.00 to 11.00am Clothes drop
- 12.00 to 2.00pm Clothes swap
Community Garden
- Community Garden Tours – Come for a visit! Tours running from 10.00am to 4.00pm -as needed
UNE Aquatic Ecology – Old Netball Courts and Creeklands
- 10.00am to 4pm – Creek Bug Collecting, Identification, Microscopes and Exploration -10am and 1:30pm… Waterbug creek collection times: …or stop by the tent anytime
The Packsaddle Room: Special Talks and Conversations @North Gully Village (below NERAM)
- 11am to 11.45 – Dr. Sara Mika (UNE, Aquatic Ecology)
Are Ecosystems Benefitting from Water for the Environment? - 12.30 to 1.00pm – Dr. Lisa Lobry de Bruen (UNE, Soil Health and Knowledge Sharing)
Talking Soil: A Down to Earth Guide to Soil Engagement - 1.30 to 2.30pm – Dr. Jennifer Hamilton (Convenor Sustainable Living Armidale, UNE) Sarah Houseman (Australian Earth Law Alliance), Kade Smith (Local Food Group, SLA)
Practice Led Sustainability: A Collective Conversation – ALL WELCOME
Mending Making Sharing Tent: Mini – Talks and Conversations @North Gully Village (below NERAM)
- 11-11.30 – Mutual Aid and Collective Bargaining Power + somatic contemplation (with Pip)
- 1-1.30 – Systemic Violence & Privilege (with Clifford)
- 1.30-2 – Social Permaculture (with Ellie)
- 2-2.30 – Eating for a Healthy Body and Planet (with Amy)
- 2.30 to 3 – Demo: Intro to a backyard worm farm (with Kathlene)
- 3 to 3.30 – Creating a Home Beyond the Nuclear Family (with Stevie)
Workshop- Armidale Tree Group @South Gully Village (Main Stage side)
- 2-3pm – Wool Dying with Joy Carr (limited to 12- book @NERAM Humantix)
Kids Activities
North Gully Village (below NERAM)
Magpie print making, Paper Pots & Upcycled rug making, Community Weathering Station, Climate Café and Seed Swap.
South Gully Village (Main Stage side)
Nature Scavenger Hunt, Face painting, Children’s art, Greater Glider Headbands, Aboriginal cultural heritage virtual reality experience and try your legs with bicycle powered slushies (@Electrify Armidale).
The Black Gully Festival program is subject to changes at any time. Please refer to the Facebook page for any updates or amendments.
The Black Gully Festival – Partners and Sponsors
The Black Gully Festival would not be possible and nor would it be able to provide a free community event without the contribution of over 70 volunteers and our Partners and Sponsors. The Black Gully Festival organisers would like to extend a huge thank you to our volunteers and to the following:
