Hamilton Eisteddfod

The Hamilton Eisteddfod is an annual event held at the Performing Arts Centre in Hamilton. It offers musicians a platform to perform before a live audience.

What sets this event apart from other music festivals is that in addition to music and dance, the artists’ performances are judged by a panel of professionals in their specific artistic fields.

The Hamilton Eisteddfod is an annual competition for performers in the disciplines of Music, Dance, Speech and Drama. Held in Hamilton in Victoria’s Western District, the event attracts competitors and audience members from throughout regional Victoria, Melbourne and interstate.

The competitors are assessed by high-calibre adjudicators, and have the opportunity to perform, learn and meet with like-minded students and artists.

With a rich history of over 61 years, the event is a creative platform for musicians and dancers drawn from students just about to sit their examinations. The judges’ assessment provides a much-needed critique to make improvements where necessary.

In addition, the Hamilton Eisteddfod creates awareness of the arts in Hamilton and highlights the excellent Performing Arts Centre in Hamilton as a premier facility for arts. The event stretches over a fortnight, with one week dedicated to dancing and the other to music, giving visitors a rich experience while music and dance students thrive off the event’s competitiveness.

While this is undoubtedly an exciting event, there are some rules that visitors must abide by. Digital devices, including smartphones, cameras, and video cameras, are strongly prohibited; those who fail to observe this rule may be ejected from the auditorium. However, authorised photographers on location can photograph during the performances and make photographs available for sale.

Following an outstanding anniversary year, they’re confident that the 2025 Hamilton Eisteddfod will be a great start to our next 60 years of performance and competition here in Hamilton!