In recent years Port Fairy a couple of significant accolades. In 2012, Port Fairy was voted the world’s most liveable small community (towns with a population of under 20,000) in the UN-recognised LivCom awards. and then the title of Victoria’s Top Small Tourist Town for 2021 showcasing the very best in tourism experiences across the State.
Port Fairy is known internationally for it’s Folk Festival held each year over the March long weekend. At this time the population swells from 2,500 to 40,000.
The town however also hosts a number of other lesser known and smaller festivals covering a range of interests.
The Jazz Festival precedes the Folk and has been held on the second weekend in February since 2017. “A friendly festival of traditional, mainstream and contemporary jazz”
Winter Weekends has been going for 16 years, starting with flagship events like the world famous Dachshund Dash (it literally got on the news in Germany, and Ipswich). We brighten the cold months in fresh ways. Get to know our town, its people, locales and stories in the most refreshing time of the year. The events fall under 4 main pillars: Community, Arts Food & Wine and Environment. Keep an eye put. A new program, headed by the flagship dachshund dash, is developing.
In early September The Port Fairy Literary Weekend takes place. The weekend was set up set up to celebrate and promote Australian writing, to bring authors from far and wide to our little corner of the world, and in so doing build networks and engagement between writers and readers. Keep an eye out for 2025 dates and program.
The Spring Music Festival is Victoria’s premier regional festival in the area of Classical and Contemporary ensemble music. Australian and overseas artists perform a variety of programs utilising many of the small and intimate venues around Port Fairy. In addition to works by great composers, the program may include music theater, opera, jazz, and dance. In 2025 it will be held over the weekend 10-12 October. Watch out for their 2025 program
And then in mid November there’s the Marathon and Community Running Festival will be held on This is an ecofriendly, all abilities, destination running event that includes a marathon, half marathon, 10km and 3.5km event. The running events will take you along the Port Fairy Rail Trail and take in the botanic gardens, historic port, East Beach, South Beach and the Port Fairy wetlands.
In addition to all of this, the Port Fairy Community Market runs at Railway Place on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month and weekly during January when it moves to King George Square, next to the Fishermen’s Wharf in Gipps Street. It brings together a selection of locally grown and handmade products and produce. The large variety of quality stalls ensures there is something to tempt everyone.
The monthly Farmers Market is held on the 3rd Saturday of the month and highlights produce from local farmers including fruit, vegetables, flowers and honey in season, plants, baking, eggs and much more.
