The Oberon Shakespeare Festival is returning in 2026 — and organisers are promising a bigger, bolder celebration of The Bard, with romance taking centre stage across three memorable days.
Set to run from 5–7 March 2026, the Festival builds on the success of 2025, which explored myth and magic through A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This year’s theme turns toward love in all its complexity, culminating in a powerful outdoor performance of Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy Romeo and Juliet in the Oberon Common.
Audience favourites are back, including the much-loved Feast and Performance at the Malachi and the open-air theatre experience that has quickly become a Festival highlight. Acclaimed Shakespearean troupe Come You Spirits will once again be at the heart of the program, delivering performances and workshops that blend classical text with energy, insight and accessibility.
There’s also a fresh look for 2026. The Festival’s promotional material features a reimagined Shakespeare, created by two-time Emmy Award–winning animator Jen Dickinson. With a playful twinkle replacing the traditional stern gaze, the new image perfectly reflects the Festival’s spirited, welcoming tone.
As with the inaugural event, the Festival is proudly produced and funded by the Oberon Rotary Club, with valued additional support from Mayfield Garden.
Festivities begin on Thursday 5th March, with special Shakespeare performances for aged care residents at Columbia Aged Care and Oberon Hospital. Next is Friday night’s Feast and Performance at the Malachi promising a true feast for the senses, with Elizabethan-inspired fare, live Shakespeare, costumes, prizes and plenty of fun. Guests are encouraged to bring a hint of Shakespeare — or go wild.
Saturday’s program brings the Festival to life across the heart of Oberon, beginning with the Festival Market from 9am. The much-loved Oberon Community Market, already a staple on the local calendar, will expand into a vibrant festival marketplace for March 2026, featuring local makers, sellers and creatives showcasing their wares while connecting with visitors and the wider community. Adding to the atmosphere are a series of special free events, including a Meet Romeo and Juliet Q&A, where actors Charlotte Edwards (Juliet) and Ciarán O’Riordan (Romeo) from Shakespearean troupe Come You Spirits will share insights into their roles, Shakespeare’s work and its relevance today. Also on offer is a free Elizabethan Era Fight Workshop, where troupe members will demonstrate historical stage combat techniques, exploring footwork, parries, character-driven choreography and the weapons of the time, including rapiers and daggers.
The Festival concludes on a high with a full outdoor performance of Romeo and Juliet in the Oberon Common from 6.30pm to 8.15pm. Audiences are encouraged to pack a picnic, bring a rug or chair and enjoy this powerful production under the evening sky. Entry is by gold coin donation, with Rotary offering sausage sandwiches, water, tea and coffee on site from 5pm.
Tickets are now on sale. For full program details and bookings, visit oberonrotary.com.au/oberon-shakespeare-festival.
