Carried by the wind, sea shanties and nautical notes will echo across the Festival precinct. The 2025 entertainment program promises a vibrant lineup, featuring free live entertainment, interactive performances, roving musicians, and family-friendly activities that bring maritime culture to life for all ages.
FULL ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM AND SCHEDULE COMING SOON
Ironhouse Waterside Tavern
Step into the Ironhouse Brewery Waterside Tavern, the Festival’s ultimate pop-up by the sea. Grab a drink, feast on great food, bust a move or soak up the sun while watching the boats and people at play. With an eclectic lineup of rock, pop, folk, jazz, Celtic beats, storytellers, and shanty bands, the vibes flow all day and well into the night.
- Food & Beverage Stalls
- Large hoecker marquee
- Outdoor Area
- Wheelchair Accessible
- Long table & bench seating
- Ambient lighting
- Temporary toilets
Baby Come Tack
Tasmania’s premier Yacht Rock tribute band, Baby Come Tack, will have you singing and dancing your boat shoes off to the smoothest hits of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Enjoy music from Hall and Oates, Toto, America, Little River Band, The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, Christopher Cross, Earth, Wind & Fire, Player, and more!
The Grubby Urchins
On the nebulous intersection of trad jazz, sea shanty and good ol’ fashioned folk sit a duo of happy-go-lucky young Melburnians. The Grubby Urchins. Armed with heady harmonies and intrepid instrumentals, the Urchins wage their reckless stylistic war on songs old and new, leaving audiences grinning in politeness and confusion and wondering where the youth of today went wrong.
Sugartrain
For over 20 years, this dynamic seven-piece ensemble has mesmerised audiences with their captivating multi part harmonies and an extensive setlist of over 300 songs. From disco and rock to pop, jazz, and funk, Sugartrain knows exactly how to kick off the party and keep the energy high!
Captain O'Brien's Craic
Hailing from Launceston, Tasmania, Captain O’Brien’s Craic is a seven-piece punk/ pop/rock band drawing influences from 34 traditional Irish and Celtic sounds.
Roving & Floating Entertainment
Sea Shanty Circus
Sea Shanties are work songs performed by sailors as they went about the repetitive daily tasks involved in operating sailing vessels. Sea Shanty Circus uses the metaphor of circus skills to emulate the work performed on sailing ships. Even the flags on the boat spell “circus”. Enjoy this unique interactive experience as they create their own world on their self-contained stage/boat/tricycle in a show full of sea shanties, circus, theatre and fun.
Fiddle Me Timbers
Batten down the hatches and follow the sound of the sea! In 2025, “Fiddle Me Timbers” brings the ocean’s spirit to life with lively sea shanties and hornpipes. Roaming Kings Pier, this one-man, one-fiddle act will lift the spirits of sailors and landlubbers alike. Whether you’re swabbing the deck or hoisting the mainsail, let the fiddler’s bow transport you to a world of maritime mischief. Grab your crew and let the music guide your seafaring adventure—no boat required!
Unveiling the Incat Floating Stage
We’re excited to unveil INCAT’s floating stage, debuting at the 2025 Festival! This innovative entertainment pontoon, designed by Festival volunteer Marc Richards and crafted as part of INCAT’s College of Aluminium trainee program, has been made possible with generous support from INCAT along with Boss Polymer, Sunbrella, 42 South Marine, Kedge Marine, and Spectrum Engineering. Get ready for a memorable entertainment experience on the water!
