Brisbane Festival 2026

Brisbane Festival returns from September 4–26 with a city-wide program of world premieres, international productions, free events and large-scale spectacles taking over parks, theatres, riverbanks and public spaces across Brisbane.

The first festival curated by new artistic director Ebony Bott is built around the theme Switch On, Light Up, Come Alive. Festival favourite Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust will light up the skies on Saturday September 5, while new addition Bright Nights by ANZ – a free nightly river spectacle – will feature fountains, lasers and water effects choreographed to an exclusive soundtrack by The Veronicas.

At the heart of the action is the Festival Village at South Bank, where the Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent will host international hit The Choir of Man, a family comedy from The Listies and the country-meets-opera production Are You Lonesome Tonight. Visitors can also enjoy giant community sing-alongs, sunrise wellbeing sessions and plenty of free entertainment in the village precinct throughout the three-week festival.

The program also features Suzie Miller’s world-premiere production Strong is the New Pretty, Los Angeles acrobatic sensation ESCAPE, New York puppetry adventure Dead as Dodo and the Australian premiere of Fijian Flying Circus.

The live-music line-up is equally impressive, with Night at the Parkland featuring performances from Missy Higgins, PNAU, Human Nature, Aloe Blacc, Icehouse, The Temper Trap, The Cruel Sea and Magic Dirt, alongside Katie Noonan performing Jeff Buckley’s Grace in full. Community favourites including Moorooka Block Party and The Common People Dance Eisteddfod also return alongside a packed program of comedy, dance and theatre.