Night At The Barracks Returns to Sydney in 2026 for a Fifth Consecutive Season

Manly’s beautiful North Head Sanctuary will light up again this September and October welcoming the finest live music back to the historic precinct, with the popular Night at The Barracks series of concerts returning for a fifth breathtaking season under the stars, presented by Toyota.

The stellar programme of Sydney performances commences on Friday 11 September, rolling out across 4 magical weekends before concluding on Saturday 3 October.

The spectacular open-air concert series will this year feature 2 acclaimed international artists in both Aloe Blacc and Ben Folds.

Blacc’s show on opening weekend, Saturday 12September, forms part of the Grammy nominated American singer-songwriter and producer’s Wake Me Up tour and will be the first time he has performed in Sydney in 7 years!

Powerhouse pianist and Emmy nominated singer-songwriter and composer Ben Folds is scheduled for Saturday 26 September as part of his Ben Folds & A Piano tour, performing hits from both his extensive solo and Ben Folds Five catalogue.

The line-up will once again feature performances from Australia’s finest artists including ARIA award-winning bands The Temper Trap, indie-folk band Boy & Bear, The Cruel Sea with Magic Dirt, and JET. The Cruel Sea will be performing an exclusive celebration of the 30th anniversary of their #1, double-platinum album Three Legged Dog.

Everyone’s favourite Aussie rocker Dave Gleeson (The Screaming Jets/ The Angels) is premiering his award-winning new show Long Way to The Top on Sunday 13 September with songs by AC/DC, INXS Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Powderfinger and many more, brought to you by Triple M.

Platinum selling electro-pop, dance act Sneaky Sound System featuring the incredible Connie Mitchell and DJ Angus McDonald are confirmed for the second weekend with guests The Potbelleez on Saturday 19 September, with LA based, ARIA award-winning Australian electro pop pioneers PNAU bringing their live show to Manly on Friday 25 September. Lauded as one of Australia’s most successful dance acts globally with 4 billion streams to their name, the trio will be performing all their hits plus tracks from their new album “AHHCade” out in late July. Both Sneaky Sound System and PNAU shows will be unseated for dancing room only.

Katie Noonan, widely regarded as one of our country’s most versatile and prolific artists is performing her critically acclaimed live show, Jeff Buckley’s Grace, on Sunday 27 September. This follows a sell-out national tour of over 25 performances celebrating this iconic and influential album.

In addition to these headliners, an exceptional list of support acts has been confirmed including Lastlings, Charlie Collins, Wilsn, Alice Ivy, Lindsey Kraft, Georgia Fields, Birren and more.

Night at The Barracks general public tickets go on sale Wednesday 20May from 9am AEST with tickets and further information at nightatthebarracks.com.au

For further Night at The Barracks artist line-up and performance information, refer here

The successful concert series will also be returning to Brisbane in September this year for Night at The Parkland (presented by Toyota) following their triumphant launch at Roma Street Parkland in 2025, with more news set to follow in the coming weeks.

Event Promoter, Second Sunday Co-founder Cameron Coghlan said today, “Now in its fifth year, Night at The Barracks continues to elevate its offering, reinforcing its place as a premium destination for live music.”

Brendan Maher, Second Sunday Co-founder concurred, expressing, “We are proud to continue to bring stellar line ups to our series year after year. It is always so rewarding to see people having the times of their lives in our beautiful and unique venue.”

Janet Carding, Executive Director of the Harbour Trust said today, “The Harbour Trust welcomes this standout event on the Australian music festival calendar – where music, heritage and atmosphere meet for an extraordinary experience uniquely at North Head Sanctuary against the backdrop of its historic buildings”

Northern Beaches Mayor, Sue Heins added “We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome Night at the Barracks back to North Head Manly for 2026. This event is a highlight on our calendar, bringing the community together to celebrate incredible live music, support our local businesses and showcase our stunning coastline, all while limiting our carbon footprint. We are pleased to have served as a partner since the festival’s inception. There’s something truly special about seeing world-class acts perform in such a unique, intimate and historic setting – it’s an experience not to be missed!”

Along with Toyota returning as Presenting Partner, The Night at The Barracks team is delighted to confirm that ENGIE, Felons, Tempus Two, Ampersand, Shaw and Partners and Northern Beaches Council are major partners in this year’s event.

As with the previous series, organisers are continuing with existing sustainable initiatives this year such as reusable aluminium cups, merchandise made from 100% recycled materials, to waste management and powering the site from 100% renewable energy with a goal to minimise their carbon footprint across all areas of planning and execution. Ticket holders are encouraged to use public transport with 100% electric buses being introduced for all event shuttle transport in 2026. There will once again also be bike racks on site to encourage visitors to cycle to the event.

Manly’s North Head Sanctuary is a hidden wonderland, with audiences invited to journey into this enchanting location steeped in historical significance and natural beauty.

The historic Barracks Precinct at North Head Sanctuary forms an integral part of Australian history and event organisers feel extremely privileged to again be able to share this event series at this iconic location with the general public.

NIGHT AT THE BARRACKS

September 11 – October 3 2026

NORTH HEAD, MANLY NSW

www.nightatthebarracks.com.au

Presale tickets available Friday 15May, 9am – Wednesday 20May, 8am AEST

General public tickets on sale Wednesday 20May at 9am AEST