Down Under Fest – Down Under Fest

Kia ora, cobbers – and welcome back!

After last year’s ripper bash, the Down Under Fest is back for 2026 – and this time, we’re turning up the Kiwi vibes! From Aotearoa to the outback, it’s a trans-Tasman takeover at Munich’s Rindermarkt, proudly brought to you by the Australisch-Neuseeländische Kulturverein Deutschland (ANKD) e.V.

We’ve got live tunes, top tucker, cold drinks, cracking dance acts, sport demos, and more laid-back good times than you can shake a sausage sizzle at. Whether you’re from the bush, the bay, or just curious about the Down Under spirit, you’ll feel right at home.

So grab your mates, dust off your jandals, and join us for a weekend full of heart, harmony and heaps of fun.

A big shoutout to our sponsors including Travel Essence, Ned Kelly’s Bar and Guinness, cos nothing says Downunder like … wait, Guinness? Sure, it’s not your typical Aussie drop, but we reckon even a pint of the black stuff goes down a treat when you’re dancing in your togs in the Rindermarkt fountain.

Chur bro – see you there!

Program

Friday 28th August

13:00 – Festival Opening
13:30 – Live music with JC & The Tree
15:00 – Live music with JC & The Tree
16:00 – National Anthems
16:30 – Live music with Sunday Lemonade
18:00 – Live music with Sunday Lemonade
19:30 – Live music with Caitlin Dalton
20:45 – Live music with Caitlin Dalton

Saturday 29th August

11:00 – Live music with Cammi Kol
12:30 – Live music with Cammi Kol
13:30 – Live music with Wolfi
15:00 – Live music with Wolfi
16:30 – Bush dancing with The Waltzing Matildas
18:00 – Bush dancing with The Waltzing Matildas
19:30 – Live music with Yudid
20:45 – Live music with Yudid

Sunday 30th August

11:00 – Live music with Wolfi
12:00 – Live music with Cammi Kol
13:45 – Live music with Cammi Kol
15:00 – Live music with Dieter Reiter Band
16:45 – Live music with Dieter Reiter Band
18:15 – Line dancing with Country Music Nights
20:00 – Festival Closing

JC & The Tree

Straight from the Sunshine Coast, folk-rock duo JC and the Tree are rolling into the Down Under Fest on Friday arvo — and trust us, you don't want to miss this one.

These two quit their day jobs in 2022, hit the road and haven't looked back: 500+ shows, 50+ festivals, and stages from Woodford Folk Festival to Glastonbury. Their sound? Soaring violin, rich harmonies, piano, and acoustic guitars Jesse built himself — from timber he salvaged after a cyclone brought a tree down. Stick around after the set and he'll tell you the whole yarn.

Grab your mates, grab a spot on the grass and settle in for a ripper Friday afternoon.

Sunday Lemonade

Named the People’s Choice at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, Sunday Lemonade have been putting some serious fizz into Australia’s live-music scene.

Hailing from the Sapphire Coast of New South Wales — although these days they’re more often found touring in their van — Tyson and Loz blend heartfelt folk, punchy rock and riff-driven roots into one sweet, high-energy brew.

The self-styled “Lemons” have won crowds over at festivals across Australia. With irresistible hooks, honest storytelling and plenty of onstage chemistry, Sunday Lemonade are best served live, loud and with a cold drink in hand.

Caitlin Dalton

With roots in Australia and Germany’s Ruhr region, Munich-based Caitlin Dalton serves up pop-rock that is raw, fearless and straight from the guts.

Her songs tackle the stuff we often keep buried — jealousy, self-doubt, grief, depression and the pressure to have it all together — turning it into music that is powerful, tender, witty and refreshingly direct.

Following her debut album Entropy, Caitlin returns with a sharper sense of self and a cracking five-piece band behind her. With a soulful voice, big hooks and lyrics that refuse to tiptoe around the hard stuff, she makes pop with something to say — breaking taboos before they break her.

Wolfi

a.k.a. Daniel Arthur, is a proud Huntly muso from the mighty Waikato who’ll yarn all day about the beauty of Aotearoa (Land of the Long White Cloud) and why rugby, league and cricket beats every other sporting code hands down.

These days, he’s based in Heidelberg, where he’s been belting out tunes to packed pubs with that smooth-as Kiwi charm. At the Fest, he’ll be lighting up the stage across the weekend – and giving us an intro to Māori culture along the way. If you’re lucky, you might catch him singing Ten Guitars – a true crowd-pleaser on the other side of the ditch.

He was one of the standout performers last year and he's stoked to be back at the Fest.

Cammi Kol

Raised in Melbourne, the cultural, spiritual and sporting capital of the universe, Cammi found her voice early, beginning vocal lessons at just five years old.

What started as childhood curiosity soon became a lifelong passion for music and the arts. With talent, drive and a fair bit of Melbourne spirit, she has turned that early spark into something much bigger — and she is bringing it to the Downunder Fest stage.

Dieter Reiter Band

Dieter Reiter, who served as Mayor of Munich for twelve years and is also well known as a passionate amateur guitarist, performs with his partly international line-up featuring Paul Daly. Audiences can look forward to well-known highlights from the world of pop and rock music. There's something for everyone – whether you want to sing along, sway to the music, or clap along.

Live at the Downunder Festival – Sunday, 30 August, from 2:00 pm.

Yudid

From Stevie Wonder to Daft Punk, Motown to modern-day bangers, Yudid is on a mission: to get your feet tappin’, hips swingin’, and butts off seats.

They mash up the classics with fresh hits, serving up a sound that'll have the whole crowd vibin’. Forget the daily grind—this is your Friday night soundtrack.

Bring your mates and your best dance moves. You will boogie. Guaranteed.

The Waltzing Matildas

Awesome news! The Waltzing Matildas, Europe's top Aussie Bush Dancing troupe, will be strutting their stuff at the Downunder Fest. We can confidently call them the best because, well, they're the only ones we know of in Europe!

You might be wondering, ""What the heck is Australian bush dancing?"" This dance style has roots in Europe, brought Downunder by settlers, and soon took the whole country by storm, right into the deepest outback. It's designed so you can do the simple, energetic steps with a drink in one hand and your partner in the other.

Oh, and did we mention the Nutbush?