Thirty Years On, The Balaklava Eisteddfod Is Still Hitting The Right Note
Not many country towns are known for music.
But for one weekend every year, Balaklava is.
Hundreds of performers, dozens of schools and thousands of visitors make their way to the Mid North for what’s become one of regional South Australia’s biggest music events.
And it all started with one simple question.
Balaklava Eisteddfod – Where It All Began
Back in the mid-1990s, Balaklava was, as current president Bronwyn Cottle puts it, “oozing with musical talent”. Local kids, choirs and school bands were constantly travelling to Adelaide to compete, so the committee asked themselves… why couldn’t Balaklava have its own Eisteddfod?
Turns out, it could.
Bronwyn, alongside Sally Cowan, Di Spence, Jo May, Trish Goodgame and Margaret Baker, formed the original committee and decided if they were going to do it, they weren’t just going to copy Adelaide. They were going to do it better.
Instead of running one discipline after another, they spread performances across multiple venues. Students could compete in several sections over one weekend, while audiences could wander from concert bands and choirs to piano, musical theatre and rock bands. And thirty years later, they’re still doing it that way.
It’s one of the reasons the Balaklava Eisteddfod has become one of regional South Australia’s most enduring music events, and why, remarkably, it remains the only music Eisteddfod in the state held outside metropolitan Adelaide.
Even more remarkable, three of the original committee members – Bronwyn Cottle, Sally Cowan and Trish Goodgame – are still helping steer the ship three decades later.
Growing Something Special
The inaugural Eisteddfod was held in October 1997 and attracted almost 1,000 people.
Back then, the entire program fitted onto a folded A3 sheet of paper. This year, it’s a whopping 68 pages.
With three decades under its belt, the Eisteddfod has collected a few memorable stories along the way.
There was the time organisers hired a C5 concert grand piano from Adelaide for the inaugural gala concert. It was such a valuable asset that members of the local CFS guarded it overnight before it headed back to the city the next morning!
Battle of the Bands became such a hit that hiring security eventually cost more than paying the adjudicators. The committee reluctantly pulled the pin and replaced it with today’s Rock Band competition, which remains one of the first sections to fill.
More Than Just A Competition
Thousands of young musicians have performed on the Balaklava stage over the past three decades. Some have gone on to international careers, including opera performer Nic Lester and acclaimed pianist Jamie Cock. Others, including Melanie Cavanagh, Tahlia Ries and Kate Walker, have continued building successful music careers closer to home.
But it’s not the famous names that keep the committee coming back.
“It’s never really been about the competition,” President Bronwyn Cottle said. “It’s about giving talented people of all ages with various skills the opportunity to perform in a welcoming and professional environment. They’re encouraged by professional adjudicators with amazing credentials, and they’re guaranteed a great audience to appreciate them.”
It’s hard to believe that what started as an idea around a dining room table now brings together more than 100 volunteers and over 100 sponsors each year to make it all happen.
Celebrating 30 Years
The Balaklava Eisteddfod returns on Friday, August 1 and Saturday, August 2, with around 30 schools filling Balaklava on Friday before hundreds of soloists, choirs and musicians take the stage on Saturday. For just $5 a day, visitors can wander between the Horizon Centre, Town Hall, churches and the Balaklava High School Performing Arts Centre, taking in everything from concert bands and choirs to piano, musical theatre and contemporary vocals.
The celebrations will continue on Saturday, October 25, when the Balaklava Eisteddfod brings together three decades of its history for a special 30th Anniversary Concert. Former competitors, committee members, adjudicators and supporters will return from across South Australia, with past performers who have gone on to successful music careers taking to the stage once again.
For one weekend every year, Balaklava becomes known for music. Thirty years on, that’s something an entire community can be proud of.
BALAKLAVA EISTEDDFOD
WHEN: Friday July 31 & Saturday August 1, 2026
WHERE: Various venues, Balaklava
COST: Adult $5 per day
Concession $3
Primary age and younger FREE
Click here for the full Program
BALAKLAVA EISTEDDFOD 30th ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
WHEN: Sunday October 25, 2026, 2pm
WHERE: Balaklava Town Hall
MORE INFO: Follow the Balaklava Eisteddfod Facebook Page for updates
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