Yours & Owls is coming to the city.
Organisers today confirmed a new event format for the beloved Australian festival.
Following its debut at the spot last year, the festival will return to Flagstaff Hill on Wollongong’s foreshore for day one of this year’s edition.
Day two, however, will try something new: Yours & Owls will turn Steel City into Music City as the festival takes to the city centre’s streets and venues.
Organisers explained the changes in a press statement: “Mostly because we want to keep things affordable and accessible to everyone! The current festival model, in the current insane climate, isn’t working, so we gotta mix it up a little.
“When the shit hits the fan, we swivel! When COVID told us we couldn’t dance, we delivered a quadrant site with a spinning stage, weird, yes, but we danced into the night and still talk about it years later.
“When the overlords running our globe catapult us into a worsening cost-of-living crisis, we adapt to ensure we still get the big names you know and love on the big stage and still spark your curiosity with your yet-to-be-discovered new favourite bands in and around the city at a price you can afford.
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Promoter Ben Tillman added: “Having run this festival for a touch over 10 years (some would call that a lifetime and others
just the blink of an eye), one thing we have become accustomed to is a changing landscape. Whether it be bushfires, floods, a global pandemic, or the cost-of-living crisis, we have always found a way forward. At times this has meant being flexible and adapting to new conditions; a format change, moving sites or rethinking our approach entirely.
“But the one thing that has always remained, and stays with us still, is our commitment to deliver the best festival, grounded in what we believe a festival should be. A place to connect to music and community, a place to lose yourself, discover something new and have an adventure. In a world that feels increasingly heavy and chaotic, we want to offer a place to unwind and have a good time. We want to offer an unforgettable experience whilst making sure we’re viable and able to come back and grow year on year, and we feel that this 2026 festival model will allow us to achieve that.”
Yours & Owls revealed it was returning in 2026 earlier this month, with organisers confirming October 3rd-4th as the return dates.
“We’re back baby! We’re back,” the festival said in a press statement.
Organisers have issued a limited number of discounted (15% off) first-release tickets, which are on sale today (April 29th) at 8am local time.
We’ll bring you the full lineup when it drops in the coming weeks.
