It's no secret that Australia's festival landscape has taken something of a hit in recent years. But icon of the music industry Groovin The Moo is set to change that. The beloved festival, which was cancelled at the beginning of 2025, just confirmed its return in 2026 in a refreshed format — and we're bringing you all the important details below.

Who's on the 2026 Groovin The Moo lineup?

At this point, your guess is as good as ours. What we do know, however, is that

Groovin The Moo has a history of assembling local and international talent, and a mix of established and emerging artists, and 2026 is no exception. Headlining the 2026 iteration is American rapper Denzel Curry. He'll be joined by a mix of Australian talent, including Baker Boy, Dope Lemon, Maple’s Pet Dinosaur, Matt Corby, Ninajirachi, The Chats, The Terrys and Tones And I. The festival is also spotlighting two acts local to Lismore: The Colliflowers and 17-year-old Indigenous singer Angel White.

What will Groovin The Moo 2026 look like?

Unlike past formats, which saw the festival pop up across Australia, the 2026 iteration will take place as a single show in the heart of the Northern Rivers, Lismore. Specifically, it's popping up at Oakes Oval in Widjabul/Wia-bal Country.

Also unlike past iterations, this time we can expect the GTM fun to be condensed to just one stage.

When is it?

Traditionally, the festival is held in March. This year, however, we can expect it to take place on 9 May, 2026.

It will run on a single day, from 11am to 10pm.

How much are tickets?

The festival is open to all ages, and tickets are tiered according to age.

For adults, it's $125 (plus a booking fee). Children under 12 are free, and teens aged between 12 and 17 can purchase tickets for $90 (plus a booking fee).

When do they go on sale?

There's no dates as of yet, but you can sign up for presale access on the GTM website.

Lismore locals can also apply for access to what the festival is calling 'homegrown groover perks'.

Groovin The Moo hinted its return on Instagram

It all started with a deceptively simple Instagram post. Over on stories on the morning of 17 February, 2026, the festival simply posted: "Moo?"

It might sound like a stretch, but festival fans took it as a loaded clue that something big is coming for Groovin' in 2026. Solidifying this theory, the official GTM website also read: "Something's coming soon."

Why was Groovin The Moo cancelled?

The festival first launched in 2005, but sadly, early last year it was announced that it would not be moving forward with its 2025 edition. The festival organisers said at the time that they were “finding the most sustainable model for Australia’s most loved regional touring festival”.

And in 2024, two weeks after the lineup was revealed, that year's iteration was also axed, along with a statement that read: "Ticket sales have not been sufficient to deliver a regional festival of this kind.”

The fetivals' 2026 return is presented by Great Southern Nights with the support of the NSW Government through Destination NSW, and in partnership with the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).

We'll keep you updated as we know more.

Feature image via Instagram.