Frequently Asked Questions

What are the dates of the 2027 Australian Celtic Festival?

The Australian Celtic Festival is held over four days during the first week of May each year.

In 2026, the Australian Celtic Festival runs from Thursday 29 April - Sunday 2 May 2027.

How can I purchase tickets and where can I get my wrist band?

Ticket purchase and information:

Tickets will be available to purchase on the ACF website on Monday 2 March 2026.
A limited release of early bird tickets will be on sale on the ACF website Monday 2 February 2026.
Purchase with EFTPOS at the Glen Innes Visitor Information Centre from Monday 2 March 2026 during these hours: 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday only (public holidays excluded).
Purchase with CASH at the Glen Innes Visitor Information Centre from Monday 27 April 2026 during these hours: 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 3pm Saturday 2 May 2026, and 9am to 12pm Sunday 3 May 2026.
Purchase with EFTPOS at the Festival Box Office at the Australian Standing Stones during the festival weekend, 8.30am to 5pm Saturday 2 May 2026 and 8.30am to 1pm Sunday 3 May 2026.
For commercial bus/tour group bookings or enquiries (15 or more tickets), please email [email protected]

Please note:

Please ensure you have selected the correct tickets prior to completing your online purchase - There are no refunds available.
A booking fee applies to all ticket sales.
There are no concessional ticket prices.
Children aged 16 years and under (school age) tickets are FREE and can be issued when the accompanying adult tickets are purchased. Children will be given a wristband at festival entry scanning.

Festival entry - ticket scanning and wristband issue:

Confirmation of your ticketing order will be emailed upon purchase.
Print out your ticket and bring it with you for scanning and issue of wristband to wear over the weekend or for a specific day.
To avoid ticket queues and ensure you can board the free shuttle bus from town, we encourage having your tickets scanned early to get your wristband.
You can have your tickets scanned and a wristband issued at:
(1) the Glen Innes Visitor Information Centre between 9am and 5pm from Monday 27 April to Friday 1 May 2026; from 8am to 3pm Saturday 2 May 2026; and 9am to 12pm Sunday 3 May 2026, or
(2) the Highlands Hub, 167 Grey Street Glen Innes 9am to 5pm from Monday 27 April to Friday 1 May 2026, or
(3) Showgrounds scanning on the Free Shuttle route - see the FAQ for 'How do I board the Free Shuttle Bus' for details, or
(4) the Festival Box Office at the Australian Standing Stones 4.30pm to 7pm Friday 1 May; 8.30am to 7pm Saturday 2 May; 8.30am to 2pm Sunday 3 May 2026

Wristbands:

Once your ticket has been scanned, you will be given a wristband to wear throughout the festival site.
Wristbands are mandatory for entry and re-entry to the festival site.
Your wristband allows you to leave and return to the venue - each time you re-enter the venue your wristband will need to be scanned.
Wristbands are mandatory to board the free festival shuttle bus.
Children five years and older must wear a wristband while on site.
Any lost wristbands will require proof of purchase before a new one will be reissued. Any tampered wristbands will require proof of purchase. Anyone not wearing a wristband will be escorted to the Box Office or asked to leave the site. There can be no exceptions to this regulation.

What does my ticket include?

Your ticket will display the Festival event/venue and the applicable date/dates - admittance will be as designated on your ticket.

Tickets for the Australian Celtic Festival give you access to all the events held at the Australian Standing Stones on the date/dates shown on the ticket.

Once in the Australian Standing Stones festival venue, you are free to experience all the different activities and performances throughout the weekend.

The festival is a free-flowing event, and the venue has multiple entertainment arenas and marquees, some with limited seating available.

Note: Festival Saturday and Festival Weekend passes both include entry to both the Friday Night Céilídh held 5pm to 10pm 1 May 2026 and the Saturday Night Sesh held 5pm to 10pm 2 May 2026.

Tickets to official fringe events outside of the Australian Standing Stones festival venue will be sold separately online.

Tickets do not include accommodation or access to other events happening around Glen Innes Highlands.

Any other local events at other venues that we advertise are subject to that venue’s fees and charges.

Glen Innes Severn Council and the Australian Celtic Festival hold no responsibility for tickets and/or bookings to events that are independent of the official Australian Celtic Festival events.

Are discounted tickets available?

There are no concession or discounted tickets for the Australian Celtic Festival.

A limited release of early bird tickets will be on sale on the ACF website Monday 2 February 2026.

Children aged 16 years and under tickets are FREE and can be issued when the accompanying adult tickets are purchased. Children will be given a wristband at festival entry scanning.

I have a disability and require a support person. Is my companion eligible for a free ticket?

The Australian Celtic Festival main event on Saturday 2 May and Sunday 3 May 2026 at the Australian Standing Stones is a registered affiliate of the NSW Government Companion Card and offers one additional ticket (free of charge) to people with disabilities who require a support person to accompany them at the event.

Companion Card tickets for the 100,000 Welcomes on Thursday 30 April can also be issued with a paying ticket. This does not include other side events held during the festival week at other venues. The support companion must show their valid Companion Card for proof of entry and accompany a paying ticket holder with a disability.

If you do not have your Companion Card, you will be required to purchase a ticket at the on-site box office.

What is the Festival's refund & cancellation policy?

Tickets for the Australian Celtic Festival (ACF) and official associated fringe events are non-refundable for change of mind or non-attendance including illness.
Please refer to our third-party ticket provider’s Purchasing Policy for terms and conditions of purchase.

The Festival is an all-weather, outdoor event. The Australian Celtic Festival reserves the right to change, add, withdraw or substitute artists in the festival line-up, vary the advertised program without prior notification and deny admission to the festival site (including admission to a particular performance at the festival site) with reasonable cause, including incorrect/invalid tickets or wristbands presented
In the event that the festival is cancelled, ticketholders are entitled to a refund for their ticket purchase as per our third-party ticket provider’s Purchasing Policy.

Where can I view a program of events?

Our program of events will be available online and a free printed copy will be available at the Visitor Information Centre, the festival site Box Office, and the Glen Innes Highlands Visitor Information Centre stall at the festival site.

2026 Program

Where can I buy 100,000 Welcomes Concert tickets?

This event is is held at the Glen Innes District Services Club on Thursday 30 April and available to purchase through the ACF ticketing page. Information about performers will be confirmed on Monday 2 March 2026 - Seats are limited and there are no door sales.

How do I board the FREE shuttle bus?

A FREE bus will operate from town to the festival site with a dedicated drop-off point at the main Box Office entry.

Pick-up and drop-off points are at the Glen Innes Visitor Information Centre and at the Bourke Street entrance of the Glen Innes Showground.

You can park behind the Visitor Information Centre, in the carparks between Grey and Church streets accessible off Bourke Street, and throughout town.

Please note: You must be wearing your festival wristband to access this free bus service.

Ticket scanning for wristband issue on the Free Shuttle route:

Glen Innes Showground Office and at the festival bus stop at Bourke Street entrance of the Glen Innes Showground - Wed 29 April to Fri 1 May: 9am to 10am

On Saturday, 2 May at the festival bus stop at Bourke Street entrance of the Glen Innes Showground 5am to 5.40am (for Dawn Flag Raising), and 9am to 10am

Additional ticket scanning locations: see FAQ on 'How can I purchase tickets and where can I get my wristband'

Where can I park at the festival?

The best idea is to park in town and catch the FREE bus from the Glen Innes Visitor Information Centre or Glen Innes Showgrounds.

Please note: You must be wearing your festival wristband to access the free bus service

Parking adjacent to the Festival site: All cars and coaches will be directed to the Shannon Vale Road carpark - The Festival site is easily accessed by a short walk up from the car parking area, and there is also a shuttle bus that can take you up to the Festival site

Please note: You must be wearing your festival wristband to access this free shuttle bus service.

Important Note: Access to Watsons Drive entrance is limited to authorised vehicles only.

I'm staying at the Glen Innes Showgrounds - Does my booking include festival entry?

Bookings for campsites at the Glen Innes Showground do not include festival entry. Festival tickets are sold separately.

I'm staying at the Glen Innes Showgrounds - How do I get to the festival?

WALK – 15 mins to Australian Standing Stones - walk eastwards along Bourke St and Tregurtha Way – A bit steep towards the end – Not recommended for those with mobility or health issues. Note: Wristband scanning entry only at Tregurtha Way – NO purchasing of tickets.

BUS – Catch the FREE bus form the Bourke St entrance of the Glen Innes Showground.

Please note: You must be wearing your festival wristband to access this FREE bus - See FAQ 'How do I board the FREE shuttle bus?'

CAR – Travel east along Meade St (Gwydir Highway), turn into Shannon Vale road (just east of Watsons Drive) and park in the main Festival car park off Shannon Vale Road. Take the FREE carpark bus up to the Festival site or simply walk up the designated pathway.

Is EFTPOS available at the event?

Most of the stallholders will have mobile EFTPOS machines for cashless payments. A cash withdrawal ATM service will be located inside the Main Box Office.

Is there seating available at the Street Parade?

The Street Parade is held on Saturday 2 May 2026 and takes place from 9.30am in Grey Street, Glen Innes.

A road closure will be in place to ensure the safety of all participants and spectators.

Please note that there is no designated seating available.

You are welcome to bring your own chairs but please be considerate about where they are positioned.

How do I find out about car parking for Traders, Performers, Contractors and Event Officials?

Traders, Performers, Contractors and Event Officials will be issued with a Car Parking Permit in line with the terms of individual contracts.

Please refer to your contracts for this information.

Please display your Car Parking Permit on dashboard so it can be easily viewed by officials at the authorised vehicles only Watsons Drive entrance.

Is the festival disability accessible?

At the Australian Standing Stones, access to the site is subject to weather conditions.

While the main Festival area is flat, it is a grassed area. It can get quite muddy if it rains and large cracks can develop if the ground is very dry.

There is a roomy disabled toilet and shower located within the amenities block at the southern end of the main Festival site, with a concrete pathway from the Watsons drive carpark area by Crofters Cottage providing good access.

There are rows of seating dedicated to accessible seating in the Highlands Marquee, and other marquees across the site. Please see an attendant if you need to access this service.

Is there disabled parking at the Festival?

There is limited disabled parking available at the festival site.

There will be a system in place for those with restricted mobility, with a drop-off/pick-up point along Watson Drive.

Cars will receive a 5-minute pass to pick up and drop off at the disabled parking area on site. You must then leave the site to park and return the pass to the car parking attendants.
For disability entry to Watsons Drive, please display government parking permits and have necessary documents available for traffic officials.

There is also parking in the Shannon Vale Road carpark area with disabled access buses to transport you to the main festival site.

Are pets allowed at the festival?

Pets are welcome at the festival but must be kept on a lead at all times.

It is your responsibility as a pet owner to clean up after your pooch.

Please be aware - If your dog is unruly and barking during performances, you will be asked to leave by one of our friendly Animal Welfare Officials.

Dogs are also allowed at the Glen Innes Showground, also on a leash.

In the interests and safety for all passengers, only companion dogs or other dogs contained in a travel cage are allowed to travel on the festival buses. No exceptions.

Where is the information tent located?

The Glen Innes Visitor Information Tent is located near the Main Box Office area at the eastern area of the Festival site - Look for the teardrop banner.

A large range of merchandise, local produce and Celtic goods is available for purchase there.

Where can I enquire about lost property?

Please go to the the Glen Innes Visitor Information tent located near the Main Box Office will be the base for lost property and any associated enquiries.

Last year's lost property - Lost property from the 2025 Australian Celtic Festival is held at the Visitor Information Centre on Church Street in town.

Where can I accompany a lost child to or look for my lost child?

The Celtic Kids Marquee is the place to accompany lost children to or to find your lost child at the festival.

What is the weather typically like?

Experience autumn in Glen Innes Highlands! Temperatures in May are typically in the range 4°C min to 16°Cmax 16°C, min.

We suggest that you prepare for 'four seasons in one day' and bring winter woollies (especially for the evenings), a sun hat and sunscreen - at 1000m elevation, the Sun is stronger than it feels. And might we suggest a good dose of dancing to warm up in the evenings!

Will wet weather affect the festival or any events?

In the event of wet weather, the festival will proceed.

Keep an eye on our social media accounts for updates.
Some considerations may be made to venue changes, such as the Official Opening Ceremony, which may be relocated inside Town Hall in the event of rain, and other gatherings and ceremonies may be relocated into suitable marquees if necessary.

Festival goers should be prepared for all weather scenarios. We recommend bringing an umbrella and wet weather cover, and wearing sunscreen, a hat, and layers for when the sun comes out.

Haven't found what you're looking for?

Contact Us

Acknowledgement of Country

The Australian Celtic Festival is held in Glen Innes Highlands, Ngarabul Country.

Glen Innes Severn Council acknowledges and pays respect to the Ngarabul people as the traditional custodians of this land, their elders past, present and emerging, and to Torres Strait Islander people and all First Nations people.