We’re excited to share the dates and proposed theme for the 2027 Ballarat Heritage Festival and invite you to start thinking about how you might be involved.

The Festival will be held from 13 – 16 May 2027.

Theme: Connection

Connection explores the relationships that link us to people, place, stories, cultures, communities and shared experiences. It celebrates the many ways we connect across time and generations, helping us understand who we are, where we have come from and what brings us together.

The theme invites participants to explore the connections that have shaped Ballarat’s past and continue to influence its future. From stories, traditions and community relationships, to communication, cultural exchange, and the sharing of knowledge, there are many ways to interpret and bring this theme to life.

We’re encouraging participants to think creatively about topics such as:

• Connection between people, place, and community

• Shared stories, traditions, and knowledge  

• Belonging, identity, memory, and exchange

• Culture, communication, and shared experiences

• Relationships, networks, and journeys that have shaped Ballarat

• Connection across generations and cultures

Further information about Expressions of Interest will be released soon, with an information session proposed for Tuesday 27 October to provide an opportunity to ask questions about the 2027 festival, theme and EOI process. In the meantime, we encourage you to save the dates and start exploring content ideas that reflect and celebrate Connection as part of the 2027 Ballarat Heritage Festival.