Events in Albany

Albany Arts Festival

Over the last few years, the Albany Arts Festival has gone from strength to strength, drawing in the most exceptional artistic talent from the region, across Australia and around the world. Albany picked up the baton in 2017 when the Perth International Arts Festival drew to a close after fifteen years of showcasing the best artistic endeavours in the Great Southern. Now, Albany celebrates the vibrancy and creativity of the region with an amazing program of music, performance and visual arts. A vital part of the cultural experience in Albany, this is a fantastic expression of artistic endeavour and not to be missed.

January to April. Additional event information TBD.

The Great Southern Art Award 2020

Since 2015, the Great Southern Art Award has been an opportunity for artists from across Western Australia to showcase, exhibit and display their work. The Award itself is a biennial exhibition celebrating the visual arts of the Great Southern, displayed in Albany Town Hall. The Award usually features work by new and emerging artists, as well as established names, and is a fantastic chance for many to have their creations professionally displayed. The art can be exciting, alternative and quite experimental, and is a wonderful chance to discover new artists and art forms and explore the artistic culture of the Great Southern in greater detail.

Taste Great Southern 2020

When it comes to food and wine, the Great Southern is one of Australia’s most exciting, vibrant and experimental regions. For over fourteen years, Taste Great Southern has been showcasing and celebrating the extraordinary culinary traditions and the amazing food, wine and people of the region, with an 11-day festival designed to tantalize your taste buds. An incredible line-up of over 25 culinary experiences, alongside tastings, feasts, wine pairings, workshops and mini-festivals bring the food and drink of the region alive. This is the perfect way to experience the fresh produce of the Great Southern like marron, oysters, wagyu and lamb, alongside the bold, award-winning wine varietals like Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Takes place at multiple venues throughout Albany and the Great Southern.

Festival of the Sea 2020

Over Easter, the Albany Boatshed joins forces with the Museum of the Great Southern to put on a fun-filled family festival, celebrating seafood, marine life and nautical exploration. Local seafood is front and centre, with food stalls, cookery demos and feasts showing off the richness of Albany’s waters, while nautical themed stalls provide more wine, food and entertainment. Local bands perform throughout the festival, and for many, the highlight of the event is the boat-building competition, where teams are given space and materials to construct their very own ocean-going craft, before putting their skills to the test with a race!

Anzac Albany

On November the first 1914, Albany was the final point of departure for Anzac troops on their way to serve, fight and die in the First World War. During the Centenary period, Albany was the focus for a range of commemoration and remembrance events, providing a fitting and emotional tribute to the men and women who lost their lives. Now, the Anzac Day commemorations have taken on a greater significance, and due to Albany’s status as a place of pilgrimage for the Anzac legend, the events have grown too. A visit to Albany is not complete without understanding the sacrifice and importance of the Anzacs to the community, and Anzac Albany is a moving and important way to appreciate, learn and remember.

The Albany Classic 2020

The Albany Classic recreates some of the excitement, elegance and pizazz of the motor racing scene in the early 20th century, and is a wonderful celebration of vintage automobiles and the golden age of racing. This fabulous spectacle of historic motorsport runs through the heart of Albany’s CBD, with over 150 vintage and classic motor cars competing for victory. The event is a re-enactment and celebration of the 1936 Albany Tourist Trophy. Away from the racing, there is a community festival including car displays, music, entertainment and glorious nostalgia and memorabilia. This unique event is perfect for a fun, family-orientated weekend.