Teddy Swims, Melt Festival and Barktoberfest – what’s on in Brisbane this weekend
Oct 16, 2025, updated Oct 16, 2025
Teddy Swims | Credit: image from website
If you thought that festival season was over, think again. This week marks the start of a month-long Night Feast at Brisbane Powerhouse with bold flavours, one-off bites and art after dark. Melt Festival is also galavanting around town and if you’d like to win some tickets to the opening night, scroll down below. However in the meantime, whether you’re staying within city limits or venturing out, there’s something for everyone this weekend. Check below for our guide to what’s on in Brisbane from October 17–19.
Concerts on in Brisbane this weekend
American singer-songwriter Teddy Swims is hitting the big stage at Brisbane Entertainment Centre this Saturday October 18 and Sunday October 19. Melding vintage soul with cutting-edge production, expect a phononmenal live show with platinum hits such as ‘Lose Control’ and ‘The Door’. Tickets are going fast so be sure to secure one over here.
Brisbane-based band Concrete Gold will be tearing it up at The Brightside this Saturday October 18. Supported by the legendary Clay Pigeons and Porcelain, this is an Aussie legend show you will not want to miss.
Nashville’s outlaw country queen Nikki Lane and her band are heading down under to Lefty’s Music Hall this Friday October 17. Join in for a night of vintage country and rock n roll hits with support by Vincent Neil Emerson.
Theatre and live events on in Brisbane this weekend
Don’t miss the final weekend of fast-paced comedy thriller The 39 Steps at QPAC’s Playhouse theatre. Starring Lisa McCune, Ian Stenlake and the Umbilical Brothers, the performance mixes Hitchcock suspense with Monty Python chaos. Four actors play 130 roles in 100 minutes of non-stop laughs and action. Tickets are on sale here.
Venture to a small inner-city Melbourne pub with QPAC’s latest theatre show, The Lark. Showing at the Cremorne Theatre until Sunday October 26 the story focuses on a mediation of life, death and change through the eyes of one woman in her seventies.
Head to Hollywood with the captivating stage adaptation of beloved romantic comedy – Pretty Woman: The Musical currently showcasing at QPAC Lyric Theatre. The production will be brought to life by a powerhouse team of creatives, representing the best of music, Hollywood, Broadway and glamour. For something a little extra, head to QBar on the ground floor for a speciality cocktail in honour of the musical. Click here to grab your tickets.
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Don’t miss the final weekend of Heathers The Musical production by Beenleigh Theatre Group. Based around the dark story of brainy, beautiful teenage misfit Veronica Sawyer who hustles her way into the most powerful clique at Westerberg High, the Heathers. This laugh-out-loud and confronting tale will look at the joys and anguish of being in high school. Tickets are available here.
Art and exhibitions on in Brisbane this weekend
Archie Moore’s kith and kin exhibition continues its showcase at QAGOMA. Archie has traced over 65,000 years of Kamilaroi and Bigambul relations via fragile chalk on blackboard. This extensive drawing captures First Nations Peoples of Australia alongside animals, plants, waterways and landforms in order to highlight our responsibilities to each other and surroundings. This exhibition is free.
Pia Murphy’s exhibition Omnivorous Cast is currently showcasing until Tuesday October 28 at the Edwina Corlette gallery in New Farm. Pia works directly on the canvas without sketches or preconceptions, allowing forms to emerge spontaneously. This exhibition explores themes of openness, curiosity and the creative possibilities of abstraction. Click here for more information.
Sequins, self-expression and 90s dancefloor energy have taken over Queensland Museum, with Make a Scene: Fashioning Queer Identity and Club Culture in the 90s now in full swing. This glitter-drenched exhibition captures the fearless spirit of Brisbane’s underground club scene, where fashion was more than just style – it was survival, celebration and a statement of pride. Find out more information here.
From August 9 to November 2, Da Vinci Machines: Inventions brought to life brings Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions to life across the City of Moreton Bay’s vibrant museums. The free exhibition will be showcased across Bribie Island Seaside Museum, Pine Rivers Heritage Museum and Redcliffe Museum, inviting visitors to get up close with Da Vinci’s work through hands-on models and informative displays.
Faith, art and the everyday come together in The God of Small Things: Faith and Popular Culture – a must-see new exhibition at QAGOMA. At the heart of the exhibition are 48 rare oleographs by Ravi Varma (1848-1906), one of India’s most influential 19th-century artists, whose work blends European techniques with Indian iconography. Admission is free.
Under a Modern Sun: Art in Queensland 1930s–1950s is currently showcasing at Queensland Art Galley until January 25, 2026. This thrilling exhibition displays the work of Queensland artists and those working in the state in the middle decades of the twentieth century, exploring the connections and development of modernist sensibility.
Artist Mandy Quadrio brings fun and creativity to QAGOMA’s Art Box for Kids, running until October 26. As part of the ‘Art Box for Kids‘ project, Mandy’s activity Paper Treasure Carrier invites children to create their own unique paper treasure carrier to hold their cherished objects, secret finds and tiny keepsakes. No bookings needed.
Check out photographic exhibition All Shades by Kamilaroi artist Dean Saffron at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Dean travelled many kilometres to capture images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from all walks of life. This mesmerising collection reflects 32 large-scale portraits, each image created in collaboration with the subject, location and story behind it.
Discover the depths of a dark forest with Harry Potter A Forbidden Forest Experience now on at Sirromet Winery. Come face-to-face with magical creatures as you explore and interact across the outdoor trail. Tickets are on sale now.
Museum of Brisbane’s 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 to 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.
Stroll through Museum of Brisbane’s New Light: Photography Now + Then free photography exhibition. 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
Night Feast kicks off its fourth season at Brisbane Powerhouse from Wednesday October 15 to Sunday November 9. Serving up three delicious weeks of after-dark feasting, live DJ sets, giant art installations and 20 of Brisbane’s best restaurants (including tasty newcomers) all in one riverside precinct. For a list of must-try dishes, click here.
Celebrate the Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Anniversary at the Yatala Drive-in this Saturday October 18. Dress for a trip to Transylvania with a sing-along, dance-along screening with two sessions at 7:00 pm and 9:30 pm. Tickets are available here.
Get ready for a day of laughter at Caxton Street Comedy Festival this Saturday October 18. In partnership with Good Chat Comedy Club the day will feature some of comedy’s biggest names and local favourites across four venues.
Two Broke Chicks are bringing their sold-out Sydney show to The Triffid this Sunday October 19. Expect a night stocked with laughs, surprise guest appearances and spicy confessions. Tickets are selling fast over here.
Felons Brewing Co. is uncorking a ten-day champagne celebration until Sunday October 26 in honour of Global Champagne Day. The offer includes $3 Sydney Rock Oysters and bottles of Veuve Clicquot, Moet & Chandon or Louis Roederer. More information can be found here.
Transport 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.
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!
Melt Festival has returned until November 9, transforming Brisbane into a kaleidoscope of queer art and culture. Across 18 days and more than 60 venues, the city will come alive with pageants, parades and protest, alongside a spectacular program of musical theatre, comedy, burlesque, visual arts, theatre and a monumental choral installation. Our top picks for this weekend are Malacañang made us, Subversive Threads, Backbone Festival: Look Up and the launch of contemporary artist Gerwyn Davies latest exhibition Shimmer. Click here for the chance to win tickets the opening night of Melt Festival.
Markets on in Brisbane this weekend
Get ready for a fur-tastic morning at Barktoberfest this Saturday October 18 at Carseldine Markets. Brisbane’s ultimate dog festival will run from 6:00 am to 12:00 pm with over 200 stalls, live entertainment, competitions, dog demos and more. Register for your free ticket here.
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. Want to discover more Brisbane markets? Click here.