Carrie: The Musical, coffee raves and Stones Corner Festival – what’s on in Brisbane this weekend
Hello May! We welcome you with open arms, especially when your first weekend is another long one. After Labour Day we’re saying goodbye to long weekend’s for a while, however the events throughout Brisbane never stop giving. From coffee raves and street festivals, to Stephen King musicals and La Boite Theatre, there’s plenty to see and do around Brisbane from May 2-4.
Concerts on in Brisbane this weekend
Pure Data are bringing innovative live dance music to Felons Barrel Hall this Friday May 2. Pop down from 8pm for a night of liquid soundscapes, drum and bass mixed with explosive dance music. Sounds insane right? You’ll have to see it to believe it.
Brisbane-based band The Ambassadors are blending timeless groves with a modern twist at Felons Barrel Hall this Sunday May 4. Inspired by artists Tom Misch, Wayne Snow, Anderson.Paak, MNDSGN and Kaytranada, The Ambassadors are ready to get you moving and vibing well into Labour Day.
Reflecting on the last five decades of his music, Chris de Burgh presents his 50LO Tour at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. With a music back catalogue of twenty-two studio albums and performing almost 4,000 concerts worldwide, don’t miss a very special evening of music on Saturday May 3.
Theatre and live events on in Brisbane this weekend
Celebrate La Boite Theatre’s 100-year history with La Boite Encores showcasing until Tuesday July 1. Diving into Australia’s oldest continuously running professional theatre company’s rich history of theatrical excellence, this captivating play-reading series will be presented over ten weeks. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased directly from La Boite Theatre website.
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Discover the secret power of words with The Dictionary of Lost Words theatre at QPAC Playhouse. Adapted from Pip Williams’ award-winning New York Times bestseller, brought to life by Verity Laughton and directed by Jessica Arthur – it’s no wonder this play has become a huge success. The performance runs until Saturday May 10. Tickets can be purchased through the QPAC website.
Stephen King’s bestselling novel, Carrie: The Musical debuts at QPAC Cremorne Theatre this Friday May 2. Set in modern-day Chamberlain, Maine, USA the story focuses on Carrie, an outcast who is bullied by the popular crowd until she discovers her secret power. This performance is running until Saturday May 10 so don’t miss out!
Brisbane Comedy Festival is back and roaring until Sunday May 25 at Brisbane Powerhouse. Touted as the biggest and funniest iteration of the festival yet, the 2025 giant five-week program will feature more than 135 acts performing across four venues. More information can be found on the Brisbane Comedy Festival website.
If you’re a fan of storytelling, Shakespeare and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra then check out this performance at the QPAC Concert Hall. In this concert, Shakespeare’s tale of The Tempest will be performed alongside narration from living theatre legend John Bell. This one-night-only event is on Saturday May 3 at 7:30pm.
Art and exhibitions on in Brisbane this weekend
The Asia Pacific Triennial has official closed, however some major gallery spaces showcasing the exhibition will remain open to the public until Monday May 5. Continuing its 11th year with more than 500 artworks by artists from over 30 countries, don’t miss the last weekend of The Asia Pacific Triennial at QAGOMA.
Outer Space invites you to explore The Rigorabana, The Balawaia by Dean Ansell. This immersive exhibition explores Melanesian heritage, environmental processes, and the transmission of Indigenous knowledge through the lens of familial storytelling and cultural practice from Papua Niugini.
Multidisciplinary artist Danie Mellor is showcasing historical ‘truths’ in a new light through a profound and visually arresting body of work at QAGOMA. Titled marru | the unseen visible, Mellor invites audiences to experience and reflect on the relationship between First Nations people, culture and Country, and the environmental and social impact of colonial history.
Museum of Brisbane’s new major exhibition Precious showcases a stunning assemblage of items generously loaned from around 30 remarkable collections and collectors. Explore Brisbane through more than 3000 precious objects that reveal intriguing stories of culture, place, family and tradition, travel and trade.
Get hands-on at Micro Museum in the Museum of Brisbane open daily from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Pint-sized curators are encouraged to create their own collections from a huge range of vintage treasures, inspired by MoB’s Precious exhibition with a series of colour-filled, creative series of immersive experiences and interactive activities.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to stroll through Museum of Brisbane’s New Light: Photography Now + Then and are on the hunt for a free photography exhibition then go check it out. The collection features a mesmerising display of photographs (spanning from 1890 to 2024) by amateur Brisbane photographer Alfred Henrie Elliott (1870-1954). These extraordinary images laid dormant for decades until they were discovered in 1983, stored in cedar cigar boxes beneath a home in Red Hill.
Fun events in Brisbane this weekend
Stones Corner Festival celebrates its 10th Anniversary with craft beer, food trucks, markets and fun for the whole family this Sunday May 4. As always, the event will be held on Logan Road in Stones Corner and feature a diverse lineup of live music including headliner Busby Marou. Market stalls curated by The Market Folk will also be setting up shop and when you’re hungry, a selection of food trucks are at your fingertips. Don’t miss this perfect day out for you and your family!
Coffee raves are Brisbane’s latest morning ritual! Rise Bakery and Breakfast Creek Lifestyle Precinct are launching the Rise + Rave this Saturday May 3. From 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, Newstead will transform into a riverside rave party, including handcrafted coffee, artisan bites and live DJ sets to start your weekend right.
We told you – it’s a ritual now … Fonzie Abbot in Albion are also teaming up with AM Social for a bakery rave this Saturday May 3. If you feel like starting the morning just right, then head down to Fox Street from 7:00 – 11:00 am, grab a coffee and pastry and dance to beats from DJ Madan Miguel.
Step inside Bluey’s World – for real life! Bluey’s iconic Queenslander is calling Northshore Hamilton home until September 2025, allowing fans of the show to immerse themselves in the Heeler home they know and love. With innovative set designs, interactive games, and activities for children and adults alike, Bluey’s World has been carefully curated to mirror the spirit of the series, encouraging creative play and connection. A must visit for the young and young at heart!
Find yourself transported from a sophisticated French lounge to a pumping nightclub party at Blanc de Blanc Encore. Adding more dates to its show-stopping run at The West End Electric Theatre, get ready to be amazed at the world’s finest acrobatic talent, great tunes, big laughs, lots of skin and more than a few surprises. To find out more and buy tickets head to Blanc de Blanc’s website here.
Sunshine Coast bound this long-weekend? Be sure to make a trip to check out the brand-new Mater Prize Home in Eumundi – aka your dream home! The spectacular property features a four-bedroom main house with a gourmet kitchen, study, hybrid fireplace and elegant vaulted ceilings, plus an outdoor entertaining area, sparkling pool and spa. There’s also a charming two-bedroom self-contained cottage, a huge shed with a new ride-on mower and a Toyota Prado Kakadu in the driveway – and it could all be yours! The incredible prize home is open until Friday June 20.
Markets on in Brisbane this weekend
Fresh-local produce, bespoke goodies and street food snacks all await at Brisbane’s weekly markets. Kelvin Grove Village Market, Jan Powers Farmers Markets, Nundah Farmers Markets, West End Markets, Riverside Markets and the Redcliffe Markets are open and trading this weekend. Get that tote bag ready!