The festival has received more than $10,000 in federal funding ahead of its inaugural outing. Photo: Supplied.
Get ready to swing into action when a new music festival arrives on the NSW South Coast this autumn.
The three-day Milton Folk, Jazz and Blues Festival will be held from 9 May to 11 May at venues across the village, including the iconic Milton Theatre, as well as its pubs and cafes. It will showcase performances by some of Australia’s most renowned artists and talented local musicians.
The festival’s line-up will include more than 30 free performances and four ticketed shows.
One of the organisers, Jacob Woods, said he had always dreamt of creating a free music festival in Milton, the town he was “lucky to call home”.
“Music brings people together, and it has always brought me closer to the people around me,” he said.
“I want to live in a place where you walk down the street, and everybody is singing, smiling, connecting – and during the Milton Folk Jazz and Blues Festival, that is exactly where I’ll be.”
He said the community would benefit, with businesses given a “chance to thrive” when the festival arrives in a usually quiet time of year for the South Coast.
“The community has shown so much excitement with their overwhelming support of the event, which has come in the form of artists, volunteers, sponsors and donors all coming forward to offer themselves to the inaugural event,” he said.
“One of our objectives is to create more jobs for artists, and with this continued support we are able to do just that,” Jacob added.
One of the people supporting the festival is the Member for Gilmore, Fiona Phillips.
“I congratulate Jacob and his team on bringing this community cultural event to Milton,” she said.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for local musos to show their diverse talents alongside some amazing performers that Jacob has been able to secure.
“I’m so excited to see this event come together for locals and visitors to the area, and I’m really pleased to have secured $10,915 from the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund to help kick it off.”
Mrs Phillips also recently attended a fundraiser for the event at the Milton Hotel where she met with organisers, including Mr Woods.
The Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund has provided $610,000 to support 27 new projects in regional, rural, and remote New South Wales throughout 2025. These include the Berry OpenField Festival, which will run from 13 to 15 June.
Mrs Phillips said the fund helped to get projects off the ground and boost employment opportunities for artists and arts workers in regional and remote areas of Australia.
“I’m really proud to deliver these great events that provide a platform for local and visiting artists to share their work and engage with audiences in two of our beautiful heritage towns,” she said.
“I love music and music festivals, and I’m proud to support local creatives and to help promote two great weekends of entertainment for locals and visitors to our region during the quieter winter period.”
The Milton Folk, Jazz and Blues Festival will be held from 9 May to 11 May in Milton.
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