On Friday 19 September, the Festival of Gundagai will light up Sheridan Street for a community evening full of markets, live performances and food.
The Festival of Gundagai returns in September as a spectacular celebration of light, storytelling, and community pride. Off the back of the success of the inaugural festival in 2024, the team at Visit Gundagai are excited to bring it to the community again, with a few new additions.
On Friday 19 September 2025, Sheridan Street will come to life from 4-9 pm showcasing a vibrant range of markets with a display of handmade goods, local creations and artisan treasures as well as projections, live performances and interactive light installations.
Casey Polsen from Visit Gundagai says the event will be much the same as last year, but with some new additions.
“The event will run from 4-9 pm this year. We will have our light shows again this year, which will be fabulous. We have been working with a company again, and they are going to extend the light show into Carberry Park this year. So, we will have similar buildings illuminated this year as last year, such as the courthouse, the Criterion Hotel, the Assembly Hall, plus more,” Casey said.
“Gundagai High School will also be doing some performances, as well as a local band called Stripped Back, throughout the evening.”
“Another new addition will be an ice rink. That will run on the Friday and the Saturday for a few hours – we have already had a lot of interest in that.”
“It is a great event, which is now in its second year. We are excited to have the funding again, which we received from the Open Streets Program 2025-28, so we have secured the funding for three years, which is fabulous, so it will be an ongoing event for the community,” Casey said.
“Last year went well. It was a great freshen up to the community, it was nice to have something running in September as usually our events season kicks off in October, and then runs through until February, so it was nice to have something a bit earlier to kick it off with a Gundagai focus,” Casey said.
The Country Makers markets will also be in attendance for the second year. “The Christmas Markets are all about shopping local, whereas this one is focused on getting the community together and getting everyone out on the streets and enjoying the night.”
“We want people to get out and come to these things and to enjoy them. It’s a big event that we can have here, and considering it is somewhat new, we want to keep building on it and grow it in the town,” Casey said. With local performers, art installations, and a strong community spirit, the Festival of Gundagai is fast becoming one of the Riverina’s must-visit cultural events.
The event is sponsored by Transport for NSW and Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council.
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