Say hello to 2025 and get set to soak up some summer vibes; Melbourne’s biggest family-friendly music and food event Hello Sunshine will return next March for an unforgettable celebration of music, tasty treats and endless entertainment. An all-ages event that caters to diehard music fans, parents, kids, foodies and everyone in between, Hello Sunshine’s 2025 edition features a bumper lineup for the ages, including performances from Stone Temple Pilots, Smash Mouth, Wolfmother, Kasey Chambers, Rogue Traders, Drapht, an extra special Bluey live show and meet & greet, Lenny Pearce and Whistle & Trick.
Off the back of two successful years in Melbourne that saw over 10,000 punters each year soaking up live music, amusement park rides, markets and food stalls, next year’s Hello Sunshine edition will not only return to Victoria for a third time; it will also launch into Australia’s very own Sunshine State, with Hello Sunshine 2025 set to kick off at Caribbean Gardens in Melbourne on Saturday March 1, before heading up to the Gold Coast’s Broadwater Parklands on Saturday March 8.
Tickets for Hello Sunshine go onsale to the general public on Friday September 6 at 9am AEST from www.hellosunshinefest.com.au. Fans can register for presale tickets now from www.hellosunshinefest.com.au, with a 24 hour presale kicking off on Thursday September 5 at 9am AEST.
Rock royalty will descend on Melbourne and the Gold Coast in 2025, with legendary California rockers Stone Temple Pilots set to headline both Hello Sunshine events in March. Forming in the late 80s, STP catapulted to fame in 1992 following the release of their debut album Core, going on to be certified 8 x Platinum, snagging the quartet a Grammy Award for the monster hit Plush, and garnering the band the enviable status of being one of the most successful bands of the 90s. Now with eight studio albums in their wake, millions of sales and streams, countless global tours and a legacy for evolution, Stone Temple Pilots return to perform for Australian audiences for the first time in over two decades in 2025 as part of Hello Sunshine.
American rockers Smash Mouth are no strangers to adding sunny retro ska-soaked pop into their alt-rock earworms. First turning heads in 1997 via their infectious debut single Walkin’ on the Sun, Smash Mouth went on to smash headfirst into mainstream success with their 1999 sophomore album Astro Lounge, spawning one of their most iconic tracks All Star that has helped shaped multiple pop culture moments, from films through to TV sync and sporting events. Hailing from San Hose in California, Smash Mouth most recently released their eighth studio album, the Christmas-themed Missile Toes in 2023, and have toured extensively for the past few decades alongside everyone from Macklemore through to Spin Doctors, UB40 and Belinda Carlisle. “Australia has got to be one of the coolest places to play,” says Smash Mouth ahead of returning down under for Hello Sunshine in 2025. “The people there know how to party! We are so excited to head back to Australia to perform at the Hello Sunshine Festival in March. It’s going to be amazing. Summertime! Outdoor Festival! Australia! Yes Please!”
Iconic Australian hard rockers Wolfmother are no strangers to a festival setting, having performed at the likes of Big Day Out, Reading and Leeds and Lollapalooza over the years, and most recently completing a huge festival run in Europe and the UK. In 2025, they will once again grace Aussie festival stages as part of Hello Sunshine, bringing their brand of timeless rock’n’roll that has endured since the band’s inception in 2004. Helmed by Andrew Stockdale, Wolfmother has previously taken home a Grammy Award, as well as three ARIA Awards alongside additional nominations, toured relentlessly and consistently balanced modern and classic rock while proudly flying the flag for Australian music.
One of the country’s most beloved country music artists, Kasey Chambers never fails to enamour with her heartfelt lyricism and world-class artistry. In command of 14 ARIA Awards, Chambers was also inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2018, making her the youngest female to ever receive the honour. Alongside an astonishing career that has also seen her reach #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart five times and find her performing both her own acclaimed headline shows as well as performances with Cold Chisel, Bernard Fanning and James Taylor along the way, Chambers also recently released a brand new single Backbone (The Desert Child), and is also set to release a new album Backbone on October 4 along with her brand new book Just Don’t Be A D**khead.
Blending pop and rock influenced electronic dance wizardry, Australia’s Rogue Traders changed the game in the early 2000s, generating several top 20 ARIA Singles Charts hits, with their dynamic breakout 2009 album Here Come the Drums gifting the smash single Voodoo Child that also generated international chart success and spawned a national headline tour. Releasing their first new music in over a decade in 2023 via the track To the Disco, Rogue Traders will dazzle Hello Sunshine crowds in 2025 with their infamously high octane live show. “The Hello Sunshine Festival this March is looking AMAZING – and we are so excited to have been asked to join the lineup! Can’t wait to see everyone down the front!”
Renowned Perth hip hop artist Drapht has remained at the forefront of his genre since his early years spent as part of the Syllabolix crew as a teenager as well as the ultimate release of his 2003 debut album Pale Rider. A charismatic creative force, armed with two ARIA Awards and a legion of fans, Drapht has also gone on to collaborate with fellow Aussie icons Hilltop Hoods, Bliss N Eso and Kate Miller-Heidke, with his energetic live show continuously proving to be the stuff of legends. “I’m stoked to be on the Hello Sunshine line up in March! It will the first time doing all-ages shows in Melbourne and on The Goldy with my band, so we’re psyched to share the music with those who may not have heard the songs live yet! Cant wait!”
You don’t have to be a kid to love Bluey, aka the global Australian cartoon phenomenon that has captured hearts of all ages. Following the adventures of the loveable titular Blue Heeler puppy, the Emmy, Logie and AACTA Award-winning Bluey has gone on to resonate with parents and children alike, with 2025’s Hello Sunshine offering punters a chance to meet and interact with their favourite Bluey characters, and you can also take in an extra special live show that will get you up and dancing, playing games and so much more! This is not to be missed for young audiences – and the young at heart!
A multi-platinum and ARIA-nominated artist, Lenny Pearce has performed globally with high profile artists including Janet Jackson, One Direction and Pitbull, shifting from his roots as part of the performing group Justice Crew into a whole new era, armed with hip hop, house and grooving basslines. The twin brother of famed Purple Wiggle John Pearce, Lenny Pearce will be bringing all of the amazing vibes to Hello Sunshine next year. “I’m so keen to play at Hello Sunshine for all the families who party together,” shares Pearce. “2025 will be bigger and better than ever and I’m pumped for it. I’m a family man myself and this event is such a vibe it’s gonna be one not to miss! Bangers for all!”
Comprising childhood friends Esther Holt and Maddy Kelly, Whistle & Trick are one of Melbourne’s preeminent kids bands with the sole mission to sing, dance and cause a bit of mischief along the way. With clever and thoughtful music designed to spark imaginations, the duo’s 2023 debut album Bananas and Other Delicious Things also featured the likes of Memphis LK, Allday, Vika & Linda and Paul Kelly. “We are super excited to be playing at the Hello Sunshine festival coming up in Melbourne and the Gold Coast in March,” shares Whistle & Trick. “We are thrilled to be performing alongside some spectacular acts and cannot wait to dance and sing at this great family event.”
Nestled at the foot of the Dandenong Ranges, Caribbean Gardens in Melbourne’s east will once again play home to Hello Sunshine following its two consecutive events in 2023 and 2024. Fast becoming Victoria’s new favourite festival grounds, with the picturesque green space providing the ultimate playground, Caribbean Gardens also played host to Melbourne’s Listen Out festival in 2023. And located just north of the Gold Coast’s iconic summer playground Surfers Paradise, the Broadwater Parklands is a stunning outdoor location that includes rockpools, a swimming enclosure and spaces for a plethora of fun activities for the whole family, and will host Hello Sunshine for the first time in 2025. The Parklands also recently played home to a variety of high-profile music events, including Pandemonium Festival, Lookout 2024, Queens of the Stone Age and more.
Tickets for Hello Sunshine go onsale to the general public on Friday September 6 at 9am AEST from www.hellosunshinefest.com.au.
HELLO SUNSHINE 2025
Tickets available from www.hellosunshinefest.com.au
SAT 1 MARCH | CARIBBEAN GARDENS, MELBOURNE, VIC | ALL AGES
SAT 8 MARCH | BROADWATER PARKLANDS, GOLD COAST QLD | ALL AGES
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS
SMASH MOUTH
WOLFMOTHER
KASEY CHAMBERS
ROGUE TRADERS
DRAPHT
BLUEY
LENNY PEARCE
WHISTLE & TRICK
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