Warrandyte Festival

The Warrandyte Festival has been a staple of this country town since 1977!

Come to Warrandyte to celebrate this wonderful festival, which features a Billy Cart Derby, a Parade, live music, kids’ activities, and more.

The festival is all about family fun: live music, events, and whacky races. There is also a billy cart derby, kids’ market, silent disco, battle of the bands, and so much more.

Free to all, Warrandyte Festival attracts about 10,000 people on a fine weekend. With scrumptious food, incredible music and the enduring appeal of Warrandyte’s charm and community spirit, it’s not hard to see why!

Please note that the Warrandyte Festival is a no-smoking event across the entire Reserve all weekend. So come down to Stiggants Reserve, Yarra Street, Warrandyte, for a great weekend of fun and live music.

Program Friday 28 March 2025

RIVERBANK
Food trucks
5pm – 9pm
Enjoy a range of delicious food and drinks

Silent disco
7pm – 9pm
Everyone’s chance to dance! Wireless headphones pre-set to three playlists

Kid’s market
5pm – 7pm
Support children 13 years and younger selling their own creative homemade or homegrown goods

Dog show and pet parade
5pm
Show off your cuddly, cute and curious household pets
Animals must be safe to the public and under owner’s control at all times. Dogs must be on a leash
Registration: At the event

RIVERBANK STAGE
5pm: Lilly Jones
6pm: Bones & Co
7pm: The Barefoot Dandies
8pm: Cookin’ On 3 Burners

Program Saturday 29 March 2025

Parade
10am – 11am
Yarra St, starting at Mitchell Ave and ending at Stiggant St
Street parade featuring local school children, community groups, sports clubs, vintage cars and CFA trucks
Theme: TREEmendous Warrandyte
Monarchs: Warrandyte’s Pink Ladies
Commentary: Provided at the Community Centre, The Grand Warrandyte, east of Forbes St and Stiggants Reserve
Registration and marshalling information: warrandytefestival.org/parade

Road closure: Yarra Street will be closed to traffic (including buses) between the Kangaroo Ground Road bridge and the Harris Gully Road roundabout, from approximately 9.30am until 11.00am. Please plan ahead

UPPER RESERVE
Art and craft market
10am – 10pm
Enjoy a unique array of home- and hand-made art and craft goods from (mainly) local artisans

Food trucks
10am – 10pm
Enjoy lots of yummy home-made food and drinks from commercial vendors and local schoools and community groups

Silent disco
6pm – 10pm
Choose your tunes from three pre-set playlists. Wireless headphones provided

MAIN STAGE
11am: Official Festival opening – Welcome to Country, introduction of local Councillors and Monarchs
11:40am: Park Orchards Primary School
12pm: Warrandyte Primary School
12:20pm: Andersons Creek Primary School
12:40pm: Wonga Park Primary School
1pm: Warrandyte Folk Choir
1:40pm: Melbourne Rudolph Steiner School
2pm: O’Ziriguidum Escola de Samba
3pm: No Sleep till Texas
4pm: Cath Rutten & the Obvious Choice
5pm: Mood Spill
6pm: JC and the Tree
7pm: Tall Dans
8pm: BOTH
9pm: Smoke Stack Rhino

RIVERBANK
Community stalls
9am – 5pm
Find out more about local clubs, schools and groups at their information display

Food trucks
9am – 5pm
A variety of homemade food and drinks, there’s something for everyone

Clay play: community art making
11am – 5pm
All supplies provided

Silent Disco
1pm – 4pm
This is everyone’s chance to dance. Wireless headphones pre-set to three different playlists

Road rescue demonstration
1:30pm
Stand by as emergency services crews showcase a live demonstration of a road rescue using a real car

Duck race
2pm
Yarra River (at Police St)
Enter your yellow plastic duck to battle for the glory of making it to the finish line. Will yours be the Duck of the Day? Purchase ducks online, at some local schools/kindergartens beforehand, or at the Information Tent during the Festival.

Ducks must be returned to the Information Tent by 1.00pm Saturday to go into the race
To keep our river healthy, only undecorated ducks will compete in the race

Cost: $3.00

KID’S ZONE (RIVERBANK) – Grass area below Community Church
Inflatable climbing and bouldering wall
11am – 5pm
Charges apply

Tug of war
12pm – 1pm
Starting with an exhibition competition between the Police, SES and CFA before opening to the public. Form your team or join on the day.

Each competition will be the best of three, and the winning team will continue to the final

WildlifeXposure
12pm – 3pm
Meet all your favourite Australian wildlife and exotic animals

Netball shooting
12pm – 3pm
An opportunity to practice your shooting skills or create a friendly competition with others

Kid’s dodgeball
1pm- 3pm
Form your own mixed-gender teams of six in the following year-level groups: Prep –2, Grade 3 – 5, Grade 6 – 8, Year 9 –12 (adults and children under 5 are unable to participate).

Each match will be 10 minutes, and the winning teams will continue to the finals

Jelly bean races
2pm
Younger kids are invited to test their skills by balancing a jellybean on a wooden spoon

Ball and racket sports
Time: 3pm – 5pm
Older kids/ teens are invited to play a range of sports such as soccer, cricket, badminton, tee ball or pickleball

RIVER STAGE
Open mic
11am – 1:30pm
All ages and capabilities welcome. Length of sets approx. 2–3 songs each. Must be family-friendly music

Sign up in person at 10am – first in, best dressed

Battle of the Bands
2pm – 5pm
Bands and musicians aged 12 to 25 showcase their epic talent
Suitable for all ages. This is a drug, alcohol, smoke and vape-free event

ROVING ENTERTAINERS
11:30am – 12:30pm: Hoodoo Mayhem
11:30am – 2pm: Dreamy Bear
12pm – 3pm: Bubble Tonic
12pm – 12:40pm: Tubby the Robot
1:15pm – 3pm: Invey Horn Jam

POLICE STREET
Billycart derby
3pm – 5pm
Police St
The derby that delivers epic thrills and lots of great prizes and trophies!

Ages: 8 – 15, plus a race for parents

Billy carts must meet strict safety criteria available at warrandytefestival.org/billycart

One driver per one cart. Each driver must register

Cost: $10

Around Town (Associated Events)
Warrandyte Donvale Rotary Art Show
7pm – 9pm on Friday night (opening night), and 10am – 4pm on Saturday and Sunday
Community Church, 57 Yarra St

Warrandyte Historical Society Museum
Saturday and Sunday
111 Yarra St
Preserving and displaying the history of Warrandyte

Gold mine tour
Saturday 29 March 2pm – 4pm
Meet at 104 Webb St
Explore the history of gold discovery in Warrandyte

Please wear sturdy footwear and bring a hat, sunscreen, and water

Cost: Donation to Bush Heritage (not compulsory)

Warrandyte Theatre Company presents ‘When the Wind Blows by Raymond Briggs’
Mechanics Institute Hall, Cnr Yarra St and Mitchell Ave

Dates, tickets and info: warrandytearts.org.au/theatre

Parade

The Parade will be held on Saturday 29 March 2025 from 10am along Yarra Street. The theme is TREEmendous Warrandyte.

A perpetual trophy is awarded annually for the entry judged to be best overall. Awards will be presented in the following categories:

• Most magical
• Most creative
• Most environmental
• Most colourful
• Best overall

Parade judges will be looking for creative ideas that are in keeping with the theme. This could include partnerships between organisations and the use of local materials, recycled, and environmentally-friendly materials.

Road closure
On Saturday 29 March 2025, Yarra Street will be closed to traffic (including buses) between the Kangaroo Ground Road bridge and the Harris Gully Road roundabout, from approximately 9.30am until 11am for the Parade. Please plan ahead.

Battle of the Bands

Located at the River Stage on Stiggants Reserve. It’s a free event that’s suitable for all ages. This is a drug-, alcohol-, smoke- and vape-free event.

Billycart Derby

Warrandyte’s answer to “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing”, watch as billy carters compete for immortality in the derby that delivers epic thrills and lots of great prizes and trophies!

Duck Race

Enter your yellow plastic duck to battle for the glory of making it to the finish line. Will yours be the Duck of the Day? Purchase ducks at some local schools/ kinders beforehand, or at the Information Tent during the Festival.

• Ducks can be purchased online until 5.00pm on Friday 21 March

• Ducks can be purchased in-person at the Info Tent on Festival weekend until 1.00pm on Saturday 29 March

Local schools and kinders: Ducks purchased online can be collected from your school or kinder on 25 and 26 March only (available for Anderson Creek PS, Kangaroo Ground PS, Park Orchards PS, Warrandyte Kinder, Warrandyte PS, Wonga Park PS, Yarra Warra Kinder).

Members of the public who have purchased a duck online can collect or say hello to their duck at the Information Tent on Saturday 29 March before 1pm.

Any uncollected ducks will be automatically entered into the race.

Entry time: If you want your undecorated duck to race, please return it to the Information Tent by 1pm on Saturday, March 29.

Kid’s Dodgeball

Form your own mixed-gender teams of six in the following year level groups:

• Prep –2
• Grade 3 – 5
• Grade 6 – 8
• Year 9 –12

Adults and children under 5 are unable to participate. Each match will last 10 minutes, and the winning teams will advance to the finals.

All players’ parents must register their children individually

Food Stalls

The Festival Committee aims to offer festival-goers a variety of food and drinks to suit every taste. Food stalls operate throughout the weekend.

Market Stalls

The Festival Committee aims to offer festival-goers a unique array of personally created, hand-made art and craft goods in a friendly and colourful atmosphere.

The Market supports artists and craftspeople who create their own items, produce and art in Australia.

Kid’s Market

The Warrandyte Festival Kid’s Market welcomes applications from local children to run stalls selling homemade or home-grown goodies.

This is an art and craft market. The Warrandyte Festival Kid’s Market is about homemade or homegrown items, in accordance with Warrandyte Festival guidelines and policies. All goods must be handmade or homegrown by the children selling them at the market.

Getting There

Driving via the Eastern Freeway is best for getting to Warrandyte from Melbourne. Street parking may be limited during the festival. During the parade on Saturday, Yarra Street will be closed to traffic from the Harris Gully Road roundabout to the Bridge roundabout.

We encourage you to car pool, walk, ride or take public transport.

General Parking
Street parking is free but may be limited in the streets surrounding Stiggants Reserve.

Park in designated parking spaces only. Parking inspectors will be in the area during the event.

Permit parking
Permit parking areas are strictly reserved for permit holders only. Permits must be displayed at all times.

Take buses
-906 from the City
-364 from Ringwood Station
-578 or 579 from Eltham Station to Warrandyte.

Road Closures

Yarra Street closed Saturday 29 March 2025 from 9.30am until 11.00am.

Yarra Street will be closed to traffic (including buses) between the Kangaroo Ground Road bridge and the Harris Gully Road roundabout, for the Parade on 29 March 2025 from approximately 9:30am until 11am.

Please plan ahead.