Winter music magic on the Murray

The festival transforms Echuca-Moama into a music-filled winter escape, with live performances spilling across the riverfront from morning until late.

The all-inclusive family space will run on Saturday and Sunday, with free kids’ activities and music in an alcohol-free setting at Hopwood Gardens.

Because admission is free, audiences can discover incredible artists from around the country without the barrier of ticket prices.

Organisers have announced the second round of artists for 2026, featuring Victorian roots icon Jeff Lang teaming up with Backsliders’ Dom Turner on a new trio project.

The lineup also includes 14-year-old guitar prodigy LilG, alongside long-time Echuca favourites The McNaMarr Project, Phil Para, and Jimi Hocking’s Blues Machine.

Singer-songwriter Cass Eager, who will make her eighth festival appearance, first performed at Winter Blues in 2013.

“I just love the festival,” Cass said.

“So many festivals are summer festivals, they are sunshine, boots in the grass, dancing in the sun, but the winter blues festival has its own personality.

“The riverboats and the setting and how the whole town opens itself up to the festival, it is so glorious.

“It is a co-ordinated effort by the whole town to bring it alive; you hear music playing in the streets, in the venues, and it is wonderful.”

Cass said there were too many musicians to pick favourites, but was looking forward to seeing the two Jesses, Jesse Valach and Jesse Redwing, Oscar Ladell and Sweet Felicia.

Blues-roots musician Geoff Achison described it as “one of the most adored festivals that I have ever been a part of”.

“From the second one festival has wrapped up on Sunday night, people I run into in Echuca are ‘So, you coming back next year?’,” he said.

Geoff will bring The Soul Diggers this year and also perform a solo acoustic show, hopefully in the library.

“It can be a dreary sort of winter sometimes, so to get the chance to pop up to Echuca and spend those few days on the river, in that beautiful town, with lots of music happening, it is an absolute highlight,” he said.

Geoff thought that if you had the opportunity, you should see Kathleen Halloran, Ray Beadle, Cam Walter and Eddie and the Exciters.

To see the full lineup of blues artists, along with everything else there is to experience at the Echuca-Moama Winter Blues Festival, go to winterblues.com.au