What's on at Brisbane Festival
this September
Brisbane Festival is set to return 1 – 23 September with city-wide celebration of music, theatre, and art that makes the impossible possible.
Staging more than 1000 performances in arts venues and some of the city’s most iconic locations, as well as cathedrals, warehouses, and suburban parks, there will be something new and exciting to experience at every turn.
From world-premiere theatre and dance, family fun and free community gatherings to late-night cabaret and live music, you are invited to celebrate, connect, and be inspired at #BrisFest 2023.
Not To Be Missed Festival Experiences
Get ready for a city-wide celebration under moonlit skies! Explore an after-dark oasis of botanical brilliance at Lightscape, attend The Party of the century, marvel at Hiromi Tango’s giant peonies, and be enthralled by mischief, music and mayhem, courtesy of Sahara Beck and Briefs Factory International!
Shake off school with some fun for the whole family! Don’t miss the thrill of Erth’s Shark Dive – an immersive puppeteering show. (It’s dry, we promise!) Brisbane Serenades returns with street parties and music for all, crazy kazooers of all ages unite for a mass-participation show of 10,000 Kazoos, and the power of friendship, adventure and First Nations’ cultures combine in Hide the Dog.
See the immensely powerful story of Daniel Riley’s Great-Great Uncle, Alec "Tracker" Riley, experience the epic World Premier of dance-theatre work Salamander, re-examine your relationship to love through the complex tapestry of Unconditional, and celebrate the glorious absurdity of following an impossible dream with new musical comedy BANANALAND.
From homegrown master storytellers Paul Kelly and Deborah Conway to international sensations Groove Armada and Soweto Gospel Choir and the talents of Busby Marou, Yirinda and Gretta Ray.
Brisbane Festival is Best Experienced Live.
Be haunted by the newest dance-theatre work from international artistic visionaries Maxine Doyle and Es Devlin. Set within a fully immersive climate-fiction dream-like world and inhabited by characters desperate to make a change before it’s too late.
See Salamander at Northshore Brisbane, 1-24 Sep.
If you’ve ever been to a wilder party – you’re under arrest! From the makers of Blanc de Blanc, Limbo and The Purple Rabbit, The Party is a highly exclusive evening of the upmost sophistication... with absolutely no rules. What could possibly go wrong?
You’re invited to The Party at South Bank Piazza, 1-23 Sep.
All Together Now! Join the high energy Festival Closing Party featuring Pasifika song and spirit, Flamenco dancing, a 10,000 strong mass community kazoo performance and the force of one hundred drummers accompanying Dancenorth. You’ll be swept away by this wonderful celebration of some of the multicultural creatives who call Brisbane home.
You’re invited to the official BrisFest Closing Party, All Together Now at Victoria Park, Sat 23 Sep. FREE.
Gather your gal pals, your mums, your gay-best-friends and your latest squeeze for this feel-good festival treat! From local hit-makers The Little Red Company comes this irresistible homage to romantic comedy soundtracks.
See There’s Something About Music at South Bank Piazza, 1-10 Sep.
Headlining Brisbane Festival's opening weekend, Brisbane’s night of the year kicks off three weeks of festive celebrations. Experience an unforgettable night of community celebrations and vibrant lights that paint Brisbane's skies.
See Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust, Sat 2 Sep. FREE.
Plunge into the world of sharks and choose your own audio adventure as you come face-to-face with Erth’s majestic puppeteered creatures. Will your soundtrack have you marvel in awe at their serene beauty, or be a high-energy, thrill-filled escapade?
Experience Erth’s Shark Dive at Brisbane Circus Centre, 17-29 Sep.
Following a sold season last year, Cirque Bon Bon will set the stage alight with excitement, drama and hilarity. An all-star cast of contortionists, acrobats and dancers will present an extravaganza of physical feats in an all-ages show that will have you screaming for more!
See Cirque Bon Bon at South Bank Piazza, 20-23 Sep.
Soaring from cathedral skies and accompanied by the magical music of Arvo Pärt, Circa's newest creation is a hymn to transcendence. These circus artists express the human experience through breath-taking acrobatics and awe-inspiring feats in a way that will touch your heart.
Experience Eternity at St John’s Cathedral, 13-16 Sep.
Hold onto your seats, as the Siva Mai Club brings a tsunami of Pasifika excellence to light up the stage! Get set for one big island social, packed with a bit of drama, a lot of competition, and an influx of outright pandemonium!
See Siva Mai Club at South Bank Piazza, 13-16 Sep.
Brisbane Serenades returns to the suburbs for a celebration of music and community like no other! Brisbane's favourite travelling music truck will traverse the city to 23 parks, streets and gathering places every Saturday and Sunday during the Festival. Moorooka Block Party and MOSAIC Festival also return with banging parties across Brisbane!
See Brisbane Serenades across Brisbane, 2-23 Sep. FREE.
Brisbane Festival is a valued partner of Must Do Brisbane.com
