Karnidale: the world-class circus & music festival

Karnidale is a dazzling two-day camping festival bringing together some of the most incredible performers on the planet. The world-class circus and music festival happens from 15 to 16 January 2027.

Now in its 19th year, the celebration of circus acts is the product of juggler, unicyclist and comedian Matt “Fatso” Yates turning his dreams into action.

Yates scouted the South West for the perfect plot of land, eventually turning 10 acres in Karridale into the perfect festival site.

“I used to live in England, and when I was growing up, I was inspired by the old English folk festivals and some of the larger festivals like Glastonbury,” Yates says.

Located 30 kilometres south of Margaret River, Karnidale is home to seven big tops, an open-air amphitheatre, a converted double-decker bus and the Dr Reg Bolton Cabaret Bar, which serve as epic stages for circus and cabaret performers, comedy acts and musicians. This year it has a new addition to these quirky venues in the Edith Spiegeltent, a beautifully handcrafted wooden Belgian tent filled with velvets, mirrors and stained glass.

The festival draws around 3,000 revellers every year, with family-friendly performances and activities during the day, and adults-only entertainment after dark. There are often acts from Cirque du Soleil, as well as performers on the way to or from Glastonbury Theatre & Circus.

“It’s one of the most unique festival experiences you’ll find,” says Yates. “A lot of people who come once will come back year after year after year.”

Alongside the circus acts, Karnidale showcases the music of extraordinary musicians, who will be playing across the weekend and keeping the vibes high.

Then there are eclectic market stalls, laden with curiosities, clothes and wares from talented makers. Not to mention delicious food trucks and hands-on workshops for kids, guided by Karnidale coaches who make learning new skills a blast.

Karnidale has kickstarted international careers for many local performers, including young talent who hone their skills at the Lunar Circus International Training Project, which is held onsite in the lead-up to the festival.

“It’s a really highly respected event within the Australian circus industry, because it has spawned so many great performers,” Yates says. “A lot of those kids are off now touring the world with international companies, and they’ve had the opportunity to have access to some of the awesome international artists that we invited over the years.”

The project runs for two weeks, with coaching from world-class circus performers on purpose-built stages. Students get to showcase what they have learnt in special performances at the end of each week. There are training options for adults too, but places for all courses tend to go fast.

“The training is just fantastic, it’s awesome for the kids, they get so much out of it,” says Yates. “Then leading through to all of the actual shows during the festival for the community to enjoy, it’s all brilliant.”

Karnidale doesn’t just attract gifted performers. It’s also a space where performers get noticed.

“The organiser of the circus and theatre field for the Glastonbury Festival, he comes to our festival every year,” Yates says. “And so, he sees lots of acts and lots of those acts then go and perform in the UK at Glastonbury in the summer, which is great.”

Karnidale hosts over 70 circus artists from around Australia and the world. This year’s line-up is the festival’s most international yet, with artists arriving from Spain, France, Ukraine, Belgium, Canada and beyond to join Australian stars including Gravity & Other Myths, YUCK Circus and the Splash Test Dummies.

Tickets are on sale from 1 September, along with weekend camping passes and a web app that makes finding your favourite acts a breeze. Priority Access tickets are also available, allowing people with access limitations to find a seat early.