Gatsby glitz, BMX ballet and sky-high spectacles – 12 events not to be missed at Brisbane Festival 2025
The countdown is officially on – Brisbane Festival is set to light up the city from September 5–27 with a three-week program overflowing with bold premieres, after-dark adventures and unmissable moments. From riverside rituals and Gatsby-style glamour to BMX ballets, fire-lit gardens and drone-filled skies, we’ve handpicked 12 standout events guaranteed to dazzle, surprise and delight at this year’s festival.
Gems – by L.A Dance Company, Playhouse – QPAC, September 4–7
Presented in full for the first time, Gems is a glittering ballet trilogy from Black Swan choreographer Benjamin Millepied. With a live score from Camerata and pianist Yangfen (Tony) Bai, Gems is a layered exploration of movement and music inspired by George Balanchine’s Jewels. This shimmering season is an historic Brisbane Festival and Australian exclusive.
Baleen Moondjan, The Landing, Queen’s Wharf Brisbane, September 18–21
Beneath monumental whale bones floating on the Brisbane River, Stephen Page’s new creation unfolds in a powerful blend of choreography, moving live music and soulful storytelling. Co-created by visual artist Jacob Nash, this breathtaking riverside spectacle tells the powerful story of a proud Elder, her curious granddaughter and the day a baleen whale passes their shores.
GATSBY at the Green Light, Twelfth Night Theatre, September 2–28
Part cabaret, part party, this high-style production brings F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel The Great Gatsby into the modern day, transforming Bowen Hills’ Twelfth Night Theatre into the Green Light – a glittering nightclub owned by Gatsby himself. In this lavish collision of jazz music, acrobatics, cabaret and 1920s decadence, guests are invited to dress up and kick back with a martini at the ‘hottest club in town’.
Elements of Freestyle, Brisbane Powerhouse, September 24–27
Get ready for flips, tricks and serious flair – Elements of Freestyle brings BMX, breakdance, free-running and more to Brisbane Festival in an adrenaline-charged mash-up of movement and music. Created by the Netherlands’ ISH Dance Collective, this is extreme sports meets street dance – performed with jaw-dropping precision. Think ballet with handlebars and theatre on wheels.
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ANZ’s Walk This Way by Craig & Karl, across Brisbane, September 5–27
Creative duo Craig & Karl will reimagine three of Brisbane’s most iconic pedestrian bridges as immersive art installations. Their vibrant designs will transform Neville Bonner, Goodwill and Kangaroo Point bridges into eye-popping public artworks – a festival centrepiece you can walk right through (and photograph obsessively).
The Lovers, Playhouse – QPAC, September 13 to October 5
Shakespeare gets turned up loud in The Lovers – a modern-day, pop-drenched riff on A Midsummer Night’s Dream where ancient magic meets modern-dating drama. Laura Murphy’s reimagined script sees Oberon and Puck back on the job, but between ghosting, mixed signals and swipe-fatigue, they find matchmaking isn’t what it used to be. Directed by Nick Skubij and backed by a live band, The Lovers is a must-see remix bursting with heart and humour.
Afterglow, City Botanic Gardens, September 5–27
When night falls, Brisbane’s City Botanic Gardens will come alive with Afterglow – a mesmerising and immersive after-dark adventure of fire, light and sound. Wander through a dreamscape of flickering sculptures, candlelit installations and live performances crafted by world-renowned fire artists and local creatives.
Bad Nature, Brisbane Powerhouse, September 3–7
In this powerful world premiere, Australasian Dance Collective and the Netherlands’ Club Guy & Roni push the boundaries of dance, design and perception to explore the best and worst of humanity. Bringing together celebrated creatives Boris Acket, MAISON the FAUX and HIIIT, Bad Nature fuses couture, evocative visuals and emotionally charged movement to delve into our complex relationships with nature and each other.
Milestone, Concert Hall – QPAC, Tuesday September 9
To mark his 80th birthday, legendary storyteller William Yang presents Milestone – a powerful reflection on a life shaped by art, identity, family and connection. His iconic photographs and deeply personal stories are paired with a poignant original score by longtime collaborator Elena Kats-Chernin, performed live by Camerata. Poetic, moving and unmissable, this has been dubbed Yang’s most ambitious work yet.
Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust, Brisbane River, Saturday September 6
It’s the city’s biggest night – and the official opening bang. Brisbane Festival launches in spectacular style with Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust lighting up Brisbane’s skyline. Fireworks erupt from barges, bridges and rooftops in a dazzling city-wide display. Watch it live from the riverside or tune into Channel Nine or Triple M – and don’t miss Craig & Karl’s vibrant bridge installations adding extra sparkle to the night sky.
The Chronicles, Talbot Theatre – Thomas Dixon Centre, September 10–13
Twelve dancers and the soaring sounds of the Voices of Birralee children’s choir collide in The Chronicles — a bold new work from Stephanie Lake Company. Powered by Robin Fox’s evocative score, this contemporary dance work pulses with rhythm, tenderness and raw physicality. Exploring life’s ever-shifting cycles and the lapsing of time, Stephanie’s signature choreography blends explosive energy with poetic stillness in a deeply human and unmissable performance.
Skylore – Nieergoo: Spirit of the Whale, Queen’s Wharf Brisbane and South Bank, September 25–27
Skylore is back by popular demand to Brisbane Festival, and this year, hundreds of drones will soar above the river in a luminous retelling of a traditional story of culture, Country and connection to place by Yuggera and Toorabul man Shannon Ruska. Set to an original score by Guy Webster, Skylore – Nieergoo: Spirit of the Whale is spectacular blend of tech, culture and sky-born storytelling – and it’s not to be missed!
To view the full program of events, head to the Brisbane Festival website.
This article was written in partnership with our friends at Brisbane Festival.