Portarlington Mussel Festival 2026

Portarlington Mussel Festival

Saturday 10 January 2026: Featuring Elton Jack

The world’s number one Elton John tribute show

The renowned Portarlington Mussel Festival is back for another huge day of live music, market stalls, family fun, and of course, plenty of local mussels. Set along the beautiful Portarlington foreshore, it’s the perfect excuse for a summer day out on the Bellarine.

This year, we’ve added even more flexibility to make getting there and back easier than ever. Over the years, passengers have often asked for more morning services, so we’re running two in a row from Docklands — departing at 10.00 am and 10.40 am.

After a great day at the festival, you can choose to head home on either the 4.30 pm or 5.00 pm ferry from Portarlington. It’s the ideal amount of time to enjoy the event at your own pace and still be back in Melbourne by early evening.

Leave the car behind, sit back, and cruise your way to one of Victoria’s favourite summer festivals.

Availabilities for the Mussel Festival Ferries are:

Docklands > Portarlington

10.00 am Docklands > 11.10 am Portarlington
10.40 am Docklands > 11.50 am Portarlington

Portarlington > Docklands

4.30 pm Portarlington > 5.40 pm Docklands
5.00 pm Portarlington > 6.10 pm Docklands

Special One-Hour Mussel Festival Cruise

If you’re heading to the Portarlington Mussel Festival on Saturday 10 January 2026, treat yourself to a refreshing one-hour escape on the sparkling waters of Port Phillip Bay. Step aboard for a relaxed cruise, enjoy a drink from the onboard bar and take in a different view of the festival. It’s the perfect way to unwind, recharge and experience the day from a whole new angle.

Please note: as this is a special Mussel Event Cruise, Kids Go Free tickets do not apply. However, we’ve created special family bundle discounts for a range of groups sizes.

FIND OUT MORE AND BOOK THE SPECIAL CRUISE >>

About the festival

The Portarlington Mussel Festival started as a street festival back in 2007 as a way to celebrate and promote the local mussel industry. Today it’s grown into one of the most popular community festivals in Victoria with over 30,000 visitors, live music all day long, hundreds of market stalls and a whole lotta delicious mussels. A great day out for the entire family!

Set against the backdrop of picturesque Portarlington beach, this one-day festival is the perfect reason to explore the Bellarine Peninsula this summer. And best of all, leave the car at home and catch the ferry directly between Docklands and Portarlington!

Enjoy a full day of activities including:

• Live music over three main stages all day long
• Mussels cooked in a variety of styles
• Kids activities
• Cooking demonstrations
• Art and photo exhibitions
• Classic car displays
• Beer and wine tasting
• Over 200 market stalls

Please Note When Booking

With a few different ferry times available, start by selecting your preferred departure to Portarlington and add it to your cart. You’ll then be prompted to choose your return ferry, which will be added to the same booking. We recommend booking early to secure your preferred travel times, as this service sells out every year.