This spring, the Richmond River comes alive with a month-long celebration of culture, community, and Country as Richmond RiverFest 2026 runs from 27 September to 24 October. The festival brings together Custodians, community groups, conservation organisations, artists, and educators to honour the region’s river systems through storytelling, public events, and a shared commitment to protection and restoration.
RiverFest launches in Ballina on Sunday, 27 September, marking World Rivers Day, a global day recognising the importance of healthy waterways. Celebrate at Captain James Cook Park, beside Ballina RSL Club, where the Richmond River meets the sea and all the tributaries of the catchment converge.
From Ballina, the festival flows upstream with events across the catchment, including the Wardell River Festival on Saturday, 17 October, before the final event, Picnic by the River, a riverside picnic and paddle in Lismore on Saturday, 24 October.
On World Rivers Day the festival runs from 10am and brings together music, talks and hands-on activities for all ages, including a Welcome to Country, live music, storytelling and river yarns with local voices, kids’ nature play, weaving, workshops, and family-friendly river activities.
Festival highlights across the month include: festival days – World Rivers Day in Ballina (27 September), Wardell (17 October) and the Picnic by the River finale in Lismore (24 October); hands-on restoration – tree plantings, working bees, wetland restoration, and rehydration tours; cultural and creative activities – art workshops, storytelling, and cultural sharing along the river; on-water fun – outrigging, paddling, and fishing.
RiverFest offers ways to connect, learn, and explore how cultural knowledge, science, and community action can come together to heal the Richmond River. With a focus on listening to the voices of the river, exploring the rights of the river, and empowering community-led restoration, RiverFest is a reminder that gathering in celebration and purpose can drive real change.
Get in, get involved, get the river back. Everyone is invited to reconnect with the river and the communities that care for it – starting this World Rivers Day in Ballina.
For more details visit richmondriverfest.com
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