Felicity and Josh join Stellar line up 2026

Powerhouse folk-country duo Felicity Urquhart and Josh Cunningham are part of a star- studded lineup for the 39 th Illawarra Folk Festival at Bulli Showground on January 16-18.

Urquhart, an award-winning Country music star and media personality, and Cunningham, guitarist in leading Australian Indi band The Waifs, have been partners in life and music since 2020. Both are accomplished songwriters, and together they have produced two award-winning albums, with a third due for release in March. They have also performed widely over the past five years, when Josh hasn’t been involved in touring and recording with The Waifs.

“We’re thrilled to have Felicity and Josh at the Illawarra Folk Festival,” Artistic Director Kay Proudlove said. “They are a great live act, with their magnetic personalities, heartfelt songs and outstanding musicianship. I am sure our audiences are going to love them.”

Urquhart and Cunningham join an outstanding lineup of around 80 international, national and local acts for the three-day festival presented by the Illawarra Folk Club. Bulli Showground will be transformed with stages and venues for music, comedy, poetry and dance, with multiple stalls selling food, clothing and jewellery adding to the village atmosphere.

International acts include French Canadian-Irish trio Grosse Isle, Canadian Richard “Old Man” Luedecke, English clawhammer banjo virtuoso Dan Walsh and Josefina Paulson from Sweden, who plays the Swedish instrument the nyckelharpa. National acts include long-time Illawarra Folk Festival favourites Cigany Weaver and The Handsome Young Strangers, one-man-band Alex Kosenko, Emmy Ryan and the Hard Times, the dynamic Rufous Whistler, Brisbane neo-trad band Amaidi, featuring Illawarra- raised Sam De Santi, and Melbourne-based Afro-fusion band One Spirit Africa.

Some of Australia’s leading Indigenous musicians will be performing at the festival, including the legendary Pitjantjatjara singer-songwriter Uncle Frank Yamma and the Stiff Gins, the musical duo of Wiradjuri/Yorta Yorta woman Kaleena Briggs and Yuwaalaraay woman Nardi Simpson. The Stiff Gins’ fifth studio album Crossroads released this year marked the 25-year career point for Australia’s longest-performing all-female First Nations band, and reaffirmed Nardi and Kaleena’s status as matriarchal pioneers in the Australian Blak music scene. 

They will be joined by Shellharbour Indigenous singer Kyarna, who impressed at her festival debut last January with her rich vocals and polished performance.

Other Illawarra-based acts include Kiama’s The Water Runners, musical comedy duo Rheinberger and Wilson, Americana duo Marco and Rusty, The Con Artists, Penelope Church and the Penny Hartgerink Trio, reuniting Penny with musical collaborators Tess Hathaway and Izaak Blomley after an 11-year break.

Festival Director Shane Moon said the Illawarra Folk Festival would cater for a wide range of musical tastes.

“There are so many acts to be excited about,” Shane said. “Josh and Felicity, One Spirit Africa, Stiff Gins, Ungus Ungus Ungus, The Inadequates, Whiskey Dram, Scott Cook, Patina, Old Man Luedecke, Alex Kosenko, Kyarna, Amaidi, Cigarney Weaver, Grosse Isle, Slippery John Sausage … the list goes on. The artistic team have put together a great lineup and it’s going to be a fantastic festival.”

An annual festival feature, the Folk School with sessions and workshops featuring festival performers, will again be part of the festivities.