News Alert |

The countdown is on to Ballarat’s first Fringe Benefits Festival, a non-stop,12- hour celebration of live music, performance and discovery in some of the City’s most unexpected and intriguing CBD locations. (Friday Nov 29 12pm-12am)

12-hours of music, 35 venues and over 120 artists will create an artistic journey for families and festival goers who can choose from free outdoor events before settling in for the night at their favourite haunt.

Local bands Meraki Minds and Snake Valley are preparing for the Carpark Rooftop Takeover at Ballarat’s Central Square Shopping Centre.

Meraki Minds are a five-piece Indie pop band who have also been selected to play the next day at Spilt Milk in Ballarat. They’ve inspired a growing fanbase with their original and authentic music.  While garage punk outfit Snake Valley have just released their first single ‘New Age Slavery’ from their debut EP.

The open-air concert is a first for Central Square, with traders offering special food offers to encourage shoppers to relax and enjoy the atmosphere at the rooftop space that overlooks Ballarat’s CBD skyline.  The multi-storey carpark will remain open until 10pm.

Around town, a selection of other unlikely venues will be activated, filling the city with the sounds of music, beats, tune and dance – not to mention the sweet aromas of food marquees in the Mall- creating a funky vibe as the crowd moves between venues, nearly all within walking distance of the centre of the CBD.

From local bars to the Bridge Mall, a bookstore, bakery, bluestone building and Ballarista (café) there will be a location and genre to suit everyone’s taste.

To mark the inaugural Fringe Benefits Festival, the City of Ballarat will unveil the work of local indigenous artist Josh Muir in a new temporary art space in Alfred Deakin Place, in the heart of the Fringe Benefits discovery trail.

Federation University Pipe Band will open the Carpark Rooftop Takeover event at 6pm at Central Square, followed by Snake Valley at 6.15pm and Meraki Minds at 7.15pm.

To plan your Fringe Benefits music and performance journey – jump on to our website at fringebeneiftsballarat.com.au or follow us on Facebook