LIVE music, local brewers, food trucks and family entertainment will take over the heart of Port Macquarie when the Hideaway Festival returns with a two-day program of entertainment, beginning on Saturday 3 October 2026 from 3.00pm till 8.30pm.
The free event is being delivered by Port Macquarie Hastings Council through funding from Transport for NSW’s Open Streets Program, which is supporting three years of activities designed to activate public spaces.
Hideaway is about creating something different for the region while bringing activity into the town’s streets and laneways, according to Chris Erdaide, spokesperson for Port Macquarie Hastings Council’s Community Activation team.
“We don’t have a lot of these kinds of events, so it’s really nice to be able to bring live music to our streets,” he said.
“It’s great for local businesses and for people across Port Macquarie, Hastings and Camden Haven to get along to.”
The main Hideaway event will feature six bands – three from the Mid North Coast and three touring acts.
The line-up includes the Andy Golledge Band, Perth-based Newport, Sydney’s Father’s Favourite, Port Macquarie’s Grace Curran, and Taree’s Luella Deville. Triple J Indigenous Initiative winner Tula will present his first live show.
Giving emerging and local performers the chance to perform as part of a professionally produced event is an important part of the festival, Mr Erdaide said.
“We try to go with Mid North Coast acts and give young people a start, especially locals,” he added.
There’ll also be food trucks, brewers and children’s face painting, while Black Dog Ink will offer live screen printing.
Two hundred custom-designed shirts will be given away free on a first-in, best-dressed basis, providing an incentive for festival-goers to arrive early.
Mr Erdaide said the festival was partly developed to provide entertainment for a demographic that could sometimes be overlooked by traditional community events.
“This one is targeted to the 18- to 50-plus age bracket – something different that we don’t have in Port,” he said.
The festival also coincides with the long weekend and school holidays, giving visitors another activity to enjoy.
Following the main festival on Saturday, the focus will turn to younger residents with the Youth Hideaway in Barracks Lane on Sunday.
The youth event will feature a mini half-pipe, live DJs, food and a clothing swap designed to encourage reuse and upcycling.
Throughout September, young people can take unwanted clothing to Mothership Records in exchange for tokens. The donated clothing will be prepared for the event, where participants can use their tokens to select other items without any money changing hands.
Hideaway was first held last November, although the event was cut short when lightning and severe weather forced organisers to make the call to shut down.
This year, Council has moved the event to the long weekend, allowing the program to expand across Saturday and Sunday.
The concept is expected to grow again next year, when a third activation space will be added as part of the Open Streets funding.
With a limited event capacity and free admission, organisers are encouraging people to arrive early.
Doors open at 3pm, with the first band taking to the stage at 3.30pm.
A kiss-and-drop area will operate at the top of Hay Street, while attendees are encouraged to plan for parking and transport.
By Luke HADFIELD
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