20.3 C
Byron Shire
October 20, 2026

Inaugural DINGO Music & Arts Festival to light up Bangalow in October

Latest News

Cinema: NAZA

A must-see, award-winning documentary investigating AI warfare in Gaza. Fresh from winning the Special Jury Prize at the 2026 Venice International Film Festival, NAZA, the latest documentary from Academy Award-winning filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor (No Other Land), examines artificial intelligence and surveillance in Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

Other News

Have you visited our local hospital lately?

Has anyone had experience of visiting outpatients in one of our local public hospitals lately? What were your impressions?...

Police seize 22 e-bikes in Sydney

As part of a crackdown on e-bikes across the state, 22 illegal e-bikes have been seized following a NSW Police Force and Transport for NSW joint operation across southern Sydney and the Illawarra.

Interview with Genevieve Clay-Smith, director of Boss Cat showing at the Byron Bay Film Festival

When Sonja (Olivia Hargroder) loses her mother without warning, the only steady presence left in her life is her grandmother, Doris. But Doris’s idea of stability means dismantling everything Sonja has built. For Sonja, who lives with Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) and has spent her life fighting to be underestimated by no one, Doris’ plan feels less like protection and more like erasure. Directed by Genevieve Clay-Smith, Boss Cat is a vibrant, big-hearted Australian dramedy about independence, family and self-determination, anchored by a fearless lead performance.

Domestic violence: Lismore

I witnessed the aftermath of a serious assault on a woman in Conway Street, Lismore in broad daylight. This was...

Lismore seeks feedback on waste rethink as disposal choices remain unresolved

Lismore residents are being asked to comment on a revised waste strategy as Council works towards diverting rubbish from landfill while leaving its long-term disposal options unresolved.

Nuclear hypocrisy

Nothing illustrates Western hypocrisy quite like the double standards applied to nuclear weapons. Trump insists the US-Israeli aggression against...

Dr Stuart Grant, Si Jay Gould, Gary Ashton, Dai Hovey, and Merryn Jeann at Flow Records creating fun and festivities for you in Bangalow. Photo Jeff Dawson.

It is a fusion of local and international art, music, performance, food, and thought that will be coming to you in Bangalow as part of the inaugural DINGO Music & Arts Festival across four days from 8 to 11 October.

From a Guinness World Record attempt to create The World’s Smallest Jazz Club, to curated local foods, the festival is turning Bangalow into a town of experiences and opportunities for everyone to enjoy with a mix of free and paid events.

Hiatus Kaiyote

Leading the inaugural program are three-time Grammy nominees Hiatus Kaiyote, London’s acclaimed Kokoroko, legendary Philadelphia selector Rich Medina, internationally celebrated DJ Coco Maria, alongside Australian artists Nai Palm, Miss Kaninna, Harry Angus and Barney McAll.

‘Anchored in jazz and programmed through a contemporary lens, DINGO brings together internationally acclaimed musicians, leftfield selectors, performance artists, chefs and thinkers for four days of performances, conversations and shared experiences,’ say organisers.

‘Unfolding across Bangalow’s halls, galleries, record stores and public spaces, the festival invites audiences to move through the town at their own pace, discovering unexpected encounters where music, art and community intersect.’

Completing the program is a handpicked lineup that traverses jazz, soul, hip-hop, electronic music and contemporary club culture, featuring Steve Spacek, Andras, Don Glori, Benjamin Walsh Quartet, Greg Sheehan’s The Time Of Life, Finn Rees, David Versace, D.D. Mirage, Clever Austin, Horatio Luna, DJ Mike Gurrieri, Lake Kelly, YL Hooi, Uncomfortable Science, Edd Fisher, EMOM: Northern Rivers, Free Jazz Church, La Sape Records, Musical Bonanza, Tralalablip, Zac Stars and more.

Reveling in new possibilities

Festival Director Si Jay Gould said DINGO was conceived as a festival deeply connected to both place and curiosity.

‘We weren’t interested in creating another festival that could happen anywhere. DINGO is built around Bangalow itself, where every venue and public space becomes part of the experience. This isn’t a jazz festival but the whole festival “is jazz”. We wanted to bring together artists from different worlds to improvise, take risks, and collaborate into new possibilities.’

Find out more at: www.dingofestival.com.



For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling.

If you are a local business owner help us and in turn we help you. All The Echo asks for is advertising, not a free ride. It is every advert in The Echo and on www.echo.net.au, which creates the space for all the stories and coverage of community events, happenings and concerns.

If you are a reader you can become a sponsor of The Echo. Your support keeps the us independent.

Even a small one-off or regular donation from you will help keep the echo’s independent voice alive and strong.

Support Us

Become one of the supporters who helps keep independent, local journalism alive in the Byron Shire by contributing anything from as little as the cost of a coffee each month.

You're Wonderful, Thank you for supporting independent journalism in the Byron Shire

You’re supporting The Echo, thank you

Your contribution is keeping independent, local journalism alive in the Northern Rivers.

Because of supporters like you, we can keep every story free for everyone — no paywall, no exceptions. Your money goes directly to funding our newsroom of 40-odd local workers covering the stories that matter to this community.

Tell us what you think, give us your opinion

The Echo loves your letters and comments and is proud to provide a community forum on the issues that matter most to our readers and the people of the NSW north coast. So don’t be a passive reader, email us your epistles at editor@echo.net.au.

The letters deadline for The Echo is noon Friday. Letters longer than 200 words may be cut. The publication of letters is at the discretion of the letters editor. Please remember to include your full name, address and telephone number.

Online comments are no longer available.

Interview with Genevieve Clay-Smith, director of Boss Cat showing at the Byron Bay Film Festival

When Sonja (Olivia Hargroder) loses her mother without warning, the only steady presence left in her life is her grandmother, Doris. But Doris’s idea of stability means dismantling everything Sonja has built. For Sonja, who lives with Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) and has spent her life fighting to be underestimated by no one, Doris’ plan feels less like protection and more like erasure. Directed by Genevieve Clay-Smith, Boss Cat is a vibrant, big-hearted Australian dramedy about independence, family and self-determination, anchored by a fearless lead performance.

Something for everyone at the Picture House

From Australian superstar musos, to brand new documentaries, to comedians at the top of their game, there really is something for everyone at the Brunswick Picture House.

Thirty-six unmissable films

The 2026 Russell Hobbs British Film Festival features an unmissable line up 36 films, including five retrospectives which will screen from 28 October to 29 November at Palace Byron Bay and Ballina Cinemas.

A timeless story of self-discovery

A husband with a promotion, two adorable children and a lovely new house. Nora thought she had it all. But did she? What was the discontent that was whispering to her in the shadows?