The Brunswick Music Festival has been held annually in February-March since 1989 and is one of Victoria's premier music festivals and a major multi cultural event for Australia. The festival is an integral part of a statewide circuit of visual, sporting, culinary and performing art celebrations held in the early months of the year - during Australia's summer and autumn seasons.

Home to the Festival is the City of Moreland, one of the most culturally diverse communities in Australia with 35% of its residents born outside Australia and with many languages other than English spoken in the home. Cultural activities have produced a vibrant artistic community with a growing emergence in the last decade. This influx of artists continues to shape and change the cultural life of the City. Amidst this colourful backdrop, the Brunswick Music Festival has emerged, bringing world music to our doorsteps!

For 2008 in its 20th incarnation the Brunswick Music Festival celebrates in style with a line-up of the world's best in world, folk and roots music, a spectacular opening night concert, classic films played to contemporary scores and as always the Sydney Road Street Party to get it all underway. READ MORE Internationals Ruthie Foster (US), Peggy Seeger (US), Elana James (US), Eddi Reader (Sco), Mamadou Diabate (Mali), The Duhks (Can), Genticorum (Can), Guy Davis (US) Bob Fox (UK), Truckstop Honeymoon (US) Martin Hayes (Ire) & Dennis Cahill (US) and Mike Compton (US) and… the musicians and dancers of Xianyang (China) Australian Archie Roach, Zulya & the Children of the Underground, Eric Bogle, Shane Howard, Dave Arden, Vika and Linda Bull, Dan Sultan, Martin Martini, Counterfeit Gypsies, The Yearlings, Judy Small, Duck Musique, Circle of Rhythm, Fitzgerald Family Band, Headbelly Buzzard, Stiletto Sisters, Diana Clark, Doug de Vries, Rose Turtle Ertler and many more. Performed in the City of Moreland at Town halls, Performing Arts Centres, Pubs and Clubs and Arts Precincts. Featuring more than 80 shows and over 100 individual performances. 2008 Brunswick Music Festival Thursday 28 February - 16 March Bookings open Monday 21 January

The festival embraces in its programming several major community celebrations, including the free Music for the People Concert at the Coburg Town Hall (Saturday afternoon) and Sydney Road Street Party (Sunday), which is held on the weekend prior to Victoria's Labour Day long weekend in March as a signal for the beginning of festival celebrations. The Sydney Road Street Party is a free community event attracting in excess of 70,000 patrons.

In addition to the incalculable cultural and artistic benefit to the community, the economic impact of the Brunswick Music Festival and Sydney Road Street Party is calculated at bringing more than $2.5 million into the Moreland Community.