Castlemaine Idyll 2026 was, once again, a big, joy-filled celebration of local musicians, emerging performers, and the enduring power of community and song.

Kids Karaoke returned for its third spectacular year, delivering a lineup of brave, talented, applause-inducing performances from a bunch of young Castlemainians. Huge shoutout to Scott Sanders—host, hype man, and microphone coach extraordinaire.

The Castlemaine Idyll Band was absolutely on fire, mastering more than 30 songs from beloved films with style and stamina.

A heartfelt thank you to our delightfully non-judgy judges: Casey Bennetto (broadcaster, writer and musician), Carla Bonner (actor, coach, and everyone’s original Neighbours rebel next door), and Toby Heydon (mayor, musician, actor, and all-round arts enthusiast).

The I Am Someone People’s Choice Award—aka The Spirit of Idyll—made history this year with a tie: Jen Moore brought the house down with “Somebody to Love”, while Pixy kept us all believing with “Don’t Stop Believin’”. All funds raised from this award go directly to I Am Someone’s projects in Uganda and Sierra Leone.

Other category award winners included:

• The Deepest Dive (for subterranean excursion) – Johnny Human, Love Is Blindness
• Biggest Roar (for taking it up a notch) – Tara Farrell, Eye of the Tiger
• Down to Earth, Back to Nature (for connecting us) – Dwin Lavery, Man of Constant Sorrow
• Detonator (for lighting the fuse) – Jen Moore, Somebody to Love
• Blowing the Budget (for glorious profligacy) – Dead Horse, Telephone Line
• Style Icon (for truly bringing it) – Bridget Ward, Hopelessly Devoted to You
• Adult Concepts (mildly unsuitable for children) – Pixy, Don’t Stop Believin’

Massive thanks to our generous suppliers and supporters: Shedshaker Brewing, Love Shack Brewing, Harcourt Cider, Harcourt Valley Wineries, Boomtown Wine, Secret States, Castlemaine Fresh, Green Goes the Grocer, Maxi IGA, and Clifford’s Butcher.

On site, the legends kept it all humming: Castlemaine Fringe Festival firing up the BBQ, Icecream Republic keeping the kids sweet, Wash Against Waste keeping it green, MainFM broadcasting to the world, and the Castlemaine Idyll kitchen serving up delicious, nutritious fare (plus a little merch on the side).

A surprise halftime treat saw former Idyll performer Imy Palmer belt out her original track I Don’t Wanna Play Anymore, backed by yet another Castlemaine supergroup—Kat, Lisa, Charlotte and Euan.

And then… the dance floor. The crowd stayed on for a drink, a wiggle, and a proper shake-out thanks to grooves from DJ Clam.

Huge gratitude to our 81 volunteers, 30 performers, 15 musicians, 3 judges, tireless crew—and over 1,000 glorious humans who showed up and made the day what it was.

Castlemaine Idyll helps power Lot19’s vision: big-hearted, joy-fuelled community events that champion local artists, strengthen connection, and keep the creative flame well and truly burning in Castlemaine and beyond.