Fire, lasers, fountains and glowing pickleball are set to turn up the heat in Docklands this winter when Melbourne’s epic free Firelight Festival returns from Friday 3 to Sunday 5 July 2026.
Taking over Harbour Esplanade for three fiery nights, the City of Melbourne’s annual Firelight Festival will bring a cast of more than 130 performers to Docklands, including fire artists, showstopping musicians and roving entertainers, alongside fire pits and flame jets.
This year, the festival is turning the lights all the way up with a new large-scale laser and light show combining water fountains, high-impact lasers and synchronised music throughout the night, to transform the waterfront into an immersive night-time experience of light, movement and colour.
Spanning almost 90 metres across the harbour, the installation brings together 20 choreographed water fountains and 30 laser projectors across the Docklands precinct, igniting the Harbour Esplanade waterfront in two unmissable nightly shows with fire performers at 6.30pm and 8.30pm.
The laser and light spectacle will unfold against Development Victoria’s new Echo installation – 147 illuminated marine buoys tracing the footprint of the former Central Pier across Victoria Harbour.
Festivalgoers can also serve up some after-dark fun with glow-in-the-dark pickleball at Docklands Community Hub Reserve, featuring tournaments and free play, while silent discos at MPavilion Docklands will keep all ages dancing.
Playful pandemonium erupts with big skills, musical outbursts and dazzling acts from the beloved Circus Oz troupe, while Trevor Jones will lead a joyful piano-led session where everyone’s part of the show.
Traditional Chinese dance comes alive with roaming LED performances full of colour, movement and energy from CMS Lion & Dragon Dance Team. With upbeat tunes, the Itchy Feet Pep Band will bring a brass-fuelled party to the Harbour Esplanade
Docklands’ restaurants, bars, cafés and shops will keep the fire going beyond the festival with special offers and activities, cementing the precinct as one of Melbourne’s go-to winter destinations. No one will go hungry with thirty food trucks dishing out treats across the weekend, with everything from hot chocolate and s’mores to sizzling street food and winter favourites.
“Firelight Festival is a great excuse to rug up, get out of the house and see Docklands at its best,” said Lord Mayor Nick Reece. “Firelight is Melbourne’s brightest winter event and this year’s program will bring back the fiery favourites, with new after-dark experiences adding even more glow to the program.”
The Firelight Festival runs 3 – 5 July 2026. For more information, including full program, visit: www.firelight.melbourne.vic.gov.au for details.
