A festival for a tram line is such a quintessentially Melbourne idea, the only question is why no-one thought of it earlier.
Maybe someone forgot to charge their Myki?
The 86 tram line runs from Bundoora to Docklands, along the way taking in many High Street music venues in Westgarth, Northcote, Preston and Thornbury.
A wave of new venues in the inner north sparked the idea of a grassroots festival named for the tram line, according to artistic director Woody McDonald.
"We started to realise we must have more music venues than any other street in the world," he said at Tuesday's launch.
Organisers describe the area as the "Bonsoy Belt" and along with a widespread preference for interesting types of milk, it certainly seems to draw a crowd - even the launch (at which there was no live music) was so packed it had to be transferred to a bigger venue.
The Eighty-Six program features a free "Super Saturday" - 24 hours of music with 200 performances across about 40 venues, with gigs at bowls clubs and bocce courts.
Even the local op-shop wants to build a stage, McDonald said.
Thornbury restaurant 1800 Lasagne is hosting a street party with a HowlOween Dog Parade and Costume Contest.
It's billed as a chance for locals to live out their competitive pet fantasies and find out if their rescue greyhound really is the smartest in the north.
The festival is the post-COVID boost the area desperately needs, according to the Mayor of Darebin Cr Julie Williams, who was feeling a bit competitive too.
"Melbourne is the place to live and be at, not Sydney ... Melbourne," she said, as an 86 tram went past outside.
The slate is not entirely grassroots though - international acts include US indie rock legends Built To Spill, Kyoto punk band Otoboke Beaver and surf-disco outfit Los Bitchos.
There's also a record expo to showcase the city's 80-plus independent labels and celebrate the resurgence of vinyl.
The inaugural event hasn't even happened yet and there are already hopes it will become an annual fixture for music lovers.
"Our aim is to make The Eighty-Six one of the country's marquee music events," said McDonald.
The Eighty-Six Festival runs from October 23-31 and people can sign up for free tickets to the Super Saturday event from Wednesday.
