Southern Lights Festival 2026
A youth-powered explosion of music, visuals and creativity
On Saturday 18 April, the Cobargo Showground Pavilion transforms into an immersive playground of electronic sound, projection art and live performance — created and delivered by young people from across the South Coast.
🎛 Daytime: Bega Valley Synth Expo – workshops, synth demos and hands-on music technology
🎶 Night: Live performances from emerging regional artists including Lilith, Ava Baker & Emily Spooner, Archie Schwarz and BbyBatXox
Tickets are limited — book now to be part of it.
Get Involved!
If you are ages 13-24 – Get Involved!
Love music, visuals, performance, tech or media?
Join one of five production teams:
- Audio & Production
- Décor & Installation
- Visuals & Projection Mapping
- Performers
- Media & Promotion
No experience needed — just curiosity and commitment.
Delivering a Festival requires lots of different roles. For Southern Lights there are four main production teams – Production, Decor, Visuals and Media. You can also choose to be a Performer or work with one of the creative teams – Electronic Music Band, Experimental Music Band.
Production Team: Working under the famous Sam’s Caravan you will learn all about live music production through setting up the sound system and operating it for the Festival
Decor Team: Working with artist Nicky Hutteman you will design and install multiple creative elements to run the Festival space into another world
Visuals Team: Working with the Bioluminescence project crew you will create custom video content, install projectors and video projection map the space and then be the VJ’s for the Festival
Media Team: Working with social media guru Alison Baker you will be the voice of the festival and also record the acts
Electronic Music Band: Working with experienced electronic music artists you will learn how to use the latest electronic music production tech and create performance ready set
Experimental Music Band: Create a tentacle musical instrument and work with your team to captivate the audience with the weird and wonderful
GET INVOLVED HERE:
https://events.humanitix.com/southern-lights-production-team-sign-up
Get Tickets
About the Festival
Southern Lights is a youth-led, multi-art form festival where young people don’t just attend — they run the show.
Across three workshop days leading up to the event, participants aged 13–24 work with experienced mentors to design the visuals, build the stage and décor, produce the media, run the sound and lighting, and curate the performances. The result is a vibrant festival experience created from the ground up by the next generation of regional creatives.
Southern Lights is equal parts live music, digital art and community celebration — making it a must-see event for families, festival lovers and adventurous audiences ready to experience something bold, new and unforgettable.
Daytime Program — Bega Valley Synth Expo
Step into a full-day celebration of creativity, sound and technology as the Pavilion becomes the Bega Valley Synth Expo from 10am – 2pm.
During the day the festival transforms into a collaborative learning hub where curious minds can explore the world of electronic music and sound design. Learn the basics of DJing from experienced performers, discover how synthesisers create sound, experiment with music hardware and software, and wander through the interactive Synth Expo — a crowd-sourced display of unusual instruments, vintage gear, modular synth systems and homemade noise machines.
Whether you’re a musician, tinkerer, tech enthusiast, student or simply love trying something new, these workshops offer the chance to create, experiment and play.
Evening Concert
As the sun sets, Southern Lights shifts into full performance mode. The evening concert showcases an exciting lineup of emerging young talent from across the South Coast, supported by the festival’s youth-run production crew.
Headlining the night is Lilith, a heavy metal band from Bega forging brutal soundscapes that channel teenage rage and raw emotion. Formed by lifelong friends Fern Cross (vocals), Lincoln Dack (guitar) and Matilda Dack (bass), and joined by drummer Toby Norton, Lilith draw influence from nu-metal, deathcore and modern heavy acts to deliver explosive performances and powerful vocals that defy expectations.
Also appearing are Ava Baker and Emily Spooner, a dynamic singing duo from Bermagui and Narooma performing songs by male artists in female keys; Archie Schwarz, blending originals and classic influences inspired by his hero Paul McCartney; and BbyBatXox, bringing a bold electropop sound exploring themes of coming of age, identity and escapism with a club-kid twist.
Expect bold visuals, immersive projection mapping, dynamic sound and an atmosphere charged with creativity, surrounded by décor, lighting and projection installations designed and built by local young creative producers.
Tickets
Day + Night Pass: $30 / $15 concession
Daytime Synth Expo: $10 / $5
Night Concert: $20 / $10
Concessions are for students over 16 and pensioners. Under 16’s are free!!!
Numbers are limited — book now to secure your place.
GET YOUR TICKETS HERE:
https://events.humanitix.com/southern-lights-festival-pass/tickets
The Bega Valley Synth Expo
Step inside the world of electronic sound at the Bega Valley Synth Expo, a hands-on celebration of synthesisers, electronic instruments and creative experimentation. Running during the day as part of the Southern Lights Festival, this unique event invites musicians, producers, curious beginners and sound lovers of all ages to explore the tools behind electronic music.
Across the morning and early afternoon, the Cobargo Showground Pavilion becomes a playground of sound featuring synth demos, interactive displays and workshops led by passionate electronic music creators. Get up close with rare analogue synthesisers and hardware instruments, learn how sounds are shaped, and discover the building blocks of electronic music production.
Highlights include a modular synthesiser demonstration by The 5th Volt, revealing the fascinating world of patch cables, oscillators and evolving soundscapes, plus a DJ workshop exploring mixing techniques and performance skills.
For those keen to dive deeper, Elk Elektronik will run a series of interactive synth workshops introducing the fundamentals of synthesis and drum machines. These sessions offer a practical, hands-on way to learn about synth parameters, sound design and creative music making using hardware instruments. Places are limited and booking is essential.
Experience realtime video synthesis on a modular system by Yat_Sek
Whether you’re an experienced producer, a curious beginner or simply fascinated by electronic sound, the Bega Valley Synth Expo is an inspiring opportunity to experiment, learn and connect with others exploring the possibilities of music technology.
Tickets: $10 / $5 concession – book online or buy a Festival pass for both the day and night events
Concessions are for students over 16 and pensioners. Under 16’s are free!!!
Workshop places are limited – early booking recommended.
Get Tickets:
https://events.humanitix.com/southern-lights-festival-pass/tickets
