At a glance
- When
- Saturday 23 to Tuesday 26 January 2027, 9am to 5pm each day (Victorian time, AEDT), according to the City; the sailors’ regatta starts on Friday 22 January
- Where
- Royal Geelong Yacht Club, Geelong Waterfront and Steampacket Gardens, 25 Eastern Beach Road, Geelong
- Cost
- Free, according to the City of Greater Geelong
- Highlights
- Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race, racing on Corio Bay, live music, food trucks, an artisan market, kids’ activities, free come-and-try sailing; on Saturday, fireworks over Corio Bay and an RAAF aerial display
- Facilities
- Catering, change rooms, children’s activities, first aid, seating, toilets, undercover areas and wheelchair access, as listed by the City
- Who it’s for
- Families, sailing fans and anyone who wants a summer day on the Geelong waterfront; entries for boats were open when the festival’s site was read on 29 October
- What to do now
- Put the Saturday in your diary, plan your parking or train trip early, and subscribe to the festival’s updates for the live music line-up
- Last checked
- Thursday 29 October 2026, against the City’s event page and the festival’s own website
- Not yet confirmed
- The live music line-up, fireworks and air display times, parking and road closures for the festival, and any shuttle plan
Festival of Sails returns to the Geelong waterfront from Saturday 23 to Tuesday 26 January 2027 as a free festival with the Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race, racing on Corio Bay and, on the Saturday, fireworks over the bay and an RAAF aerial display. The live music line-up, event times and parking plans have not been published yet.
When is Festival of Sails 2027?
The City of Greater Geelong lists four festival days, 23, 24, 25 and 26 January 2027, each from 9:00am to 5:00pm. The festival’s own Live Music page says live music runs from Saturday 23 to Monday 25 January “throughout the January long weekend”. The regatta itself starts a day earlier: the festival’s Competitor Hub says “Join us from 22-26 January 2027” and lists the Australian Yachting Championship for 22 to 26 January.
| Date | What the City and the festival say |
|---|---|
| Friday 22 January | Regatta starts for the Australian Yachting Championship; most other series have no racing and a weather briefing in the afternoon (provisional schedule) |
| Saturday 23 January | Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race; fireworks over Corio Bay and RAAF aerial display (City); live music from this day |
| Sunday 24 January | Racing on Corio Bay; waterfront festival and live music |
| Monday 25 January | Racing on Corio Bay; live music |
| Tuesday 26 January | Racing only for the Australian Yachting Championship, the sports boat championship and the cadet sprints (provisional schedule) |
The race program on the festival website is labelled provisional, and start times differ by class, so check the schedule page nearer the date. The festival describes the 2027 regatta as the 184th edition of the Passage Race, and as the Southern Hemisphere’s largest keelboat sailing regatta. The City describes more than 180 years of sailing tradition.
Is it free, and what is on?
The City lists the festival as free. Across the Saturday and Sunday, it says the waterfront will have live music and entertainment, food trucks, an artisan market, kids’ activities, community activations, car displays and free come-and-try sailing and watersports experiences.
The festival’s On Shore page names the Regatta Village, the Made in Geelong Artisan and Specialty Traders Market, the relaxed East Village, pop-up bars and local food vendors. It also lists a Sailors Lounge and a SheSails Women on Water Breakfast, which are part of the sailing program and may have their own ticketing, so check those pages before you plan around them.
When are the fireworks and the air display?
The City says the Saturday will feature a fireworks display over Corio Bay and an RAAF aerial display. Neither the City nor the festival has published start times for either. The only other published Saturday timing is for the racing: the festival’s provisional schedule has the Melbourne to Geelong Passage on Saturday 23 January. Come back to the festival’s website for times closer to the date.
Who is playing?
Nobody has been named yet. The Live Music page says the 2027 line-up will be released through announcements and invites visitors to subscribe to the mailing list “to find out when new acts are released”. The main Regatta Village Stage sits in the centre of the festival precinct.
How do I get there?
The festival’s Getting Here page covers four options. Its general descriptions are not specific to the festival days, so check timetables before you travel.
| How | What the festival says |
|---|---|
| Train | Regular services from Southern Cross Station to Geelong, then buses connect to the centre of Geelong and the Bellarine; check Public Transport Victoria for schedules |
| Road | Geelong in under an hour from Melbourne by the Princes Freeway; the Geelong Ring Road links to Torquay and the Great Ocean Road |
| Sea | Port Phillip Ferries cruises between Melbourne and Geelong; the Queenscliff to Sorrento ferry runs hourly, every day of the year |
| Air | Avalon Airport is about 20 minutes from Geelong; SkyBus and Gull Airport Service run transfers to central Geelong |
For the train from Melbourne, our guide to getting from Melbourne to Geelong by train has the services and fares to check.
Where can I park?
The festival does not publish festival parking. Its Getting Here and footer links point to a “Parking in Geelong” page that describes how to find a safe and legal park in the region. Our guide to central Geelong parking explains the meters, time limits and public holiday rules. The City’s meters are programmed for free parking on public holidays, but some private car parks still charge, so read the signs.
Can I enter a boat?
When the festival’s home page was read on 29 October 2026 it said entries were open. Boats entered by 31 October 2026 were to go into the draw for a B&G Zeus SR 10-inch chartplotter valued at $4,999 RRP, subject to terms and conditions. The page lists a Competitor Hub, Entry Guide and Notice of Race, and says interstate boats get free berthing at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club.
The championships hosted at the 2027 event are the Australian Yachting Championship, the Australian Sports Boat Association National Championship and the S80 Victorian Championship. Other series run one-, two- or three-day programs.
Where exactly is the festival?
The City gives the venue as the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, Geelong Waterfront and Steampacket Gardens, at 25 Eastern Beach Road, Geelong VIC 3220. The festival’s home page gives the same street address. Steampacket Gardens is also the precinct used for Christmas Opening Night in November, which our guide to Carols by the Bay and the Floating Christmas Tree covers.
Who do I contact?
The City lists the Royal Geelong Yacht Club as the contact, at info@rgyc.com.au and 03 5229 3705. The festival’s website gives the same email address and phone number.
What should I check before I go?
- The festival’s website and the City’s event page from early January for the live music line-up, fireworks and air display times, and road closures
- Your parking or train plan, because the festival publishes no parking arrangements yet
- Whether the activity you want, such as come-and-try sailing or the SheSails breakfast, has its own booking
Sources
- City of Greater Geelong: Festival of Sails 2027 (read 29 October 2026)
- Festival of Sails: home page (read 29 October 2026)
- Festival of Sails: Live Music and Entertainment (read 29 October 2026)
- Festival of Sails: Getting Here (read 29 October 2026)
- Festival of Sails: provisional race schedule, 22 to 26 January 2027 (read 29 October 2026)
Featured image: Geelong and the Royal Geelong Yacht Club from the air, June 2018 (photo: Bob T / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, Festival of Sails or the City of Greater Geelong. Event details can change; check the festival’s website before you go.