Rainbow’s Big Sky Festival will make its return on Saturday with a line-up of talented musicians, a community market and plenty of entertainment options.

The free festival is hosted every second year at The Oasis – a creative events space and community hub at the site of the historic Rainbow Primary School – and will celebrate its fourth iteration in 2026.

Oasis president Ben Gosling said organisers were hoping to build on the success of previous festivals.

“We put a lot of effort into lining up the music and bringing it all together on the day. It’s really family friendly. We’ve got great kids’ entertainment lined up,” he said.

“I think it’s an extremely high standard of entertainment for any festival, let alone a free one, so I’d just encourage everyone from the area to come along.”

Headlining the festival are alternative country-rock acts like Brooke Taylor and the Poison Spitting Gin Queens, and Delsinki and the Quiet Coachmen, along with Skyscraper Stan and the Commission Flats, who play an eclectic mix of folk, country, soul, and indie rock.

Other acts include Ally Row, Grim Fawkner, and the Lazy Farmer’s Sons, with Nicholas Ridiculous providing children’s entertainment.

Mr Gosling said the community market featuring more than 20 stalls would be from 10am to 2pm, with music playing from 2pm to 9.30pm.

He said the market would also feature unique pottery demonstrations.

“We’ve had some really well-regarded ceramicists who have moved to Rainbow, and members of Dimboola Pottery will be there too,” he said.

“During the market hours we’ll have some high-quality pottery demonstrations with them making their works on site. You don’t often get to see something like that.”

Mr Gosling encouraged attendees to bring their own chairs and drinks to the festival and settle in for the day.

With organisers hoping to attract a crowd of more than 500 attendees, he said it would also be a good way to show off the town and the region.

“We’re always trying to build on it. We hope someone will have a good time, go away and tell somebody else about it,” he said.

“We get a huge number of people from outside the region come along. One of the things in my notes from last time was just how many people I didn’t recognise, which is a good thing.

“Last time we had people from all over Victoria and interstate. We want to show them why we think Rainbow is special.

“There are some new attractions here with the silo art, and an exhibition on at the gallery that is tied in with the festival.

“We want to encourage everyone to make a weekend of it and see what Rainbow and the Mallee has to offer.”

Mr Gosling thanked the event’s sponsors and the team of volunteers who help organise and run it.

For more information on the Big Sky Festival, people can visit www.facebook.com/events/1470149737359087.

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