Red Hot Summer Tour Announces Four New Shows

Aussie great Paul Kelly headlines the travelling festival.

The Red Hot Summer Tour continues to attract massive crowds, with the demand for tickets so great that organisers have announced four new shows.

Headlined by Aussie great Paul Kelly, the festival’s new dates include shows in Mornington, Victoria, Hillarys, Western Australia and two more festivals in Queensland in Hervey Bay and Sandstone Point.

Performing alongside Kelly and his band on the tour are some of Australia’s greatest contemporary acts, with beloved singer-songwriter and seven-time ARIA Award winner Missy Higgins and surf alt-rock icons The Cruel Sea both taking to the stage for the Red Hot Summer Tour

Rounding out the lineup are funk act The Cat Empire, who dropped their tenth studio album Bird in Paradise in March last year, celebrated country singer Kasey Chambers and powerhouse vocalist Jess Hitchcock.

“The band and I have many great memories from our last Red Hot Summer tour. We’re looking forward to making some new ones!” says Kelly.

The Red Hot Summer Tour 2026 takes place from January to April, beginning on Saturday 17 January at Warrnambool Racecourse in Warrnambool.

The travelling festival then takes over Speers Point Park in Lake Macquarie (Saturday 24 January), Westport Park in Port Macquarie (Saturday 31 January), Broadwater Parklands in Southport (Sunday 1 February), Werribee Park in Werribee South (Sunday 8 February), Berry Showground in Berry (Saturday 14 February), Bella Vista Farm in Bella Vista (Sunday 15 February) and Gateway Lakes in Wodonga (Saturday 28 February).

There are three dates in March at Launceston Country Club in Launceston (Sunday 8 March), Bendigo Racecourse in Bendigo (Saturday 14 March) and Kent Reserve in Victor Harbor (Saturday 21 March).

The final run of shows takes place at Mornington’s Racecourses (Saturday 11 April), Hervey Bay’s Seafront Oval (Saturday 18 April), Hillarys Whitfords Nodes Park (Saturday 9 May) and the Sandstone Point Hotel on Saturday 23 May.

Tickets for the original run of Red Hot Summer Tour shows are on sale now via redhotsummertour.com.au. The new dates go on sale to the public at 9am AEDT on Thursday 22 January, with Ticketmaster pre-sale taking place at 9am AEDT on Wednesday 21 January via ticketmaster.com.au.

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For close to 15 years, the Red Hot Summer Tour has been championing both national and international artists. Gaining a reputation as one of Australia’s best summer festivals, this coming edition may be the best yet.

The most recent Red Hot Summer Tour saw Kiwi greats Crowded House, Angus & Julia Stone, The Church, Mark Seymour with Vika & Linda and The Waifs performing to near sold-out crowds across the country late last year.

Red Hot Summer Tour 2026 takes place at Kent Reserve in Victor Harbor on Saturday 21 March. Tickets on sale now at redhotsummertour.com.au.

Red Hot Summer Tour 2026 Lineup and Dates

Lineup

Paul Kelly, Missy Higgins, The Cruel Sea, The Cat Empire, Kasey Chambers and Jess Hitchcock

Dates

Saturday 17 January – Warrnambool Racecourse, Warrnambool, VIC

Saturday 24 January – Speers Point Park, Lake Macquarie, NSW

Saturday 31 January – Westport Park, Port Macquarie, NSW

Sunday 1 February – Broadwater Parklands, Southport, QLD

Sunday 8 February – Werribee Park, Werribee South, VIC

Saturday 14 February – Berry Showground, Berry, NSW

Sunday 15 February – Bella Vista Farm, Bella Vista, NSW

Saturday 28 February – Gateway Lakes, Wodonga, VIC

Sunday 8 March – Launceston Country Club, Launceston, TAS

Saturday 14 March – Bendigo Racecourse, Bendigo, VIC

Saturday 21 March – Kent Reserve, Victor Harbor, SA

Saturday 11 April – Mornington Racecourse, Mornington, VIC NEW SHOW

Saturday 18 April – Seafront Oval, Hervey Bay, QLD NEW SHOW

Saturday 9 May – Whitfords Nodes Park, Hillarys, WA NEW SHOW

Saturday 23 May – Sandstone Point Hotel, Sandstone Point, QLD NEW SHOW