📍9 Best Brisbane Festival Events Not To Miss! (Free & Ticketed.) (2024.)

WANT HELP DECIDING WHICH BRISBANE FESTIVAL EVENTS TO SEE?

The most exciting reason to visit the Queensland capital in September is for Brisbane Festival, which kicks off with an epic outdoor event celebrating Brisbane’s status as Australia’s premier River City, before continuing for an enthralling three weeks with a massive, jammed-packed line-up for what is the state’s largest showcase of art, music, culture and performances.

With so much to see and do, it’s a fantastic time to soak up the atmosphere, but with over 70 gigs, acts and displays, it can get overwhelming to wade through the huge selection of offers to attend. Here are my personal preferences for what not to miss during 2024’s phenomenal schedule.

1. Brisbane Riverfire.

Kicking off the whole she-bang, Brisbane Riverfire is undisputedly the River City’s biggest and best outdoor event. Starting shortly before sunset on Saturday, 31st August 2024, the show begins with the military behemoth, the C17 Globemaster and supersonic FA/18 Hornet flying exhilarating low and loud over the inner city before two ARH helicopters fly by showcasing some of their unique tactical prowess along the same route.

Then at 7.00 pm, the skies come alive with a breathtaking 25-minute firework show happening all around the CBD, exploding off barges, buildings and bridges, including the iconic Story Bridge, which makes for a mesmerising sight and one of the best night outs in the city to remember.

Details:

• Date: Saturday, 31 August 2024.
• Time: ADF flybys – 4.55pm & fireworks – 7.00pm.
• Total Duration: 2.5 Hours.
• Where to watch: All along the riverfront and some clifftops between the Neville Bonner Bridge & Story Bridge and from several hotels. For a comprehensive list, click here.

2. Skylore. – The Rainbow Serpent.

Making its debut last year, this super popular cultural drone show is another unmissable free event returning to delight audiences again this year. Watch from the riverbank at ANZ Festival Garden (what the fenced-off area of South Bank is called during the Brisbane Festival.) or in reverse from the Bicentennial Bikeway and see over 400 drones hover over the river depicting the story of one of the most famous beings in Aboriginal folklore, the Rainbow Serpent.

It’s a unique and powerful way to bring the renowned Dreamtime Story to life in an unforgettably vivid way using modern technology to bring these ancient Indigenous stories into the 21st century and to new audiences.

And with three shows each night between the 19th and 21st, there are plenty of opportunities to fit this wonderful 15-minute free show into your itinerary.

Details:

• Date: Thursday, 19 September – Saturday, 21 September 2024.
• Time: 7.15pm, 8.15pm & 9.15pm every night.
• Duration: 15 minutes.
• Where to watch: The Clem Jones Promenade, South Bank/ANZ Festival Garden & Bicentennial Bikeway.

3. Lord Mayor’s City Hall Concerts – Interstellar with Roger Sayer.

If you love the soundtrack to the movie, Interstellar, or just powerful, emotive music, then attending Roger Sayen’s Organ Concert is an absolute must. The man behind the prominent organ role in the ground-breaking Christopher Nolan film is performing at City Hall for free as part of the music’s 10th anniversary and it’s one of the events I’m looking the most forward to.

With its deep and haunting notes masterfully played by this talented musician behind some of the most iconic moments in this dire existential space movie, it’s sure to evoke powerful feelings and emotions about our place in the world, whether you’ve seen Interstellar or not.

Details:

• Date: Tuesday, 10 September 2024.
• Time: Midday.
• Duration: 55 minutes.
• Location: Brisbane City Hall. – 64 Adelaide St, Brisbane City.

4. Lightscape.

One of the best-ticketed events happening throughout Brisbane Festival is Lightscape, which has many wonderful immersive illuminated artworks that attendees can walk through along the 1.8km trail in the famous City Botanical Gardens.

Some highlights include walking under towering flowers and tree canopies like you’re in a scene from Honey, I Shrunk The Kids, and through colour-changing tunnels, as if entering a wormhole to another dimension or astral plane. This award-winning display is so fun, intriguing and delightful that it’s perfect for all ages and imaginations. But it is an immensely popular show, selling out shows all over the world, so if you want to see this larger-than-life light art showcase, snag your tickets ASAP.

Details:

• Date: Thursday, 29 August – 12 October 2024.
• Time: From 5:45pm until late.
• Location: City Botanic Gardens, Cnr Albert and Alice Streets, Brisbane City.

5. Conrad Sewell.

One of the most talented musicians to come out of Brisbane in recent years is Conrad Sewell. With soulful singer behind mega-hits such as the poignant ARIA Song Of The Year, “Start Again”, the feel-good “Healing Hands” and the featured voice on Kyro’s romantic ballad “Firestone”, this hugely talented singer, who got his start on Australian Idol, is playing one show on the 13th September.

And with his catchy beats, smooth sounds and deep, meaningful lyrics, he’s one of my favourite artists, don’t miss out on seeing him! I’m gutted that I will have to, as he just happens to be playing the one day in September I can’t attend! Dammit! I’ll have to catch you on the next one, Conrad.

Details:

• Date: Friday, 13 September 2024.
• Time: To be announced.
• Duration: 7pm until late.
• Location: The Princess Theatre, 8 Annerley Rd, Woolloongabba.

6. Adrift.

One of the most unique and psychologically deep offerings in this year’s Brisbane Riverfire lineup is Adift, a part mystery-part participatory theatre game that invites the audiences to explore themes of isolation portrayed in the context of nature should a mass extinction event occur.

Audience members are given headsets, which provide instructions and invite them to interact and discover the world around them through fantastical stories involving infatuated dolphins, lonely whales, and remote lighthouses asking the existential question, “Are our relationships with nature just as fragile as our relationships with each other and is there hope.”

Details:

• Date: Wednesdays – Saturdays between 11 September – 28 September 2024.
• Time: Matinees – 2:30pm, evening performances – 6pm, 8:30pm
• Duration: 1.5 hours.
• Location: Metro Arts, 97 Boundary St, West End.

7. Volcano.

Another performance that piqued my interest is Volcano. Described as a “fever dream of questions and upended assumptions,” the multi-award-winning show is a unique blend of experimental theatre, contemporary dance and psychological sci-fi thriller following the lines of two roommates and the precarious nature of their situation, blurring the lines between fiction and reality across four 45-minute episodes.

Details:

• Date: Friday, 30 August – Saturday, 14 September 2024, except Sundays & Mondays.
• Time: 6.00 pm.
• Duration: 3 hr 45min, including intervals.
• Location: Powerhouse Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse, Level 1, 119 Lamington St, New Farm.

8. Spirit Of The Wild: A Vision Of Nature.

For those who love music and the natural environment, another incredible show not to miss is Spirit Of The Wild: A Vision Of Nature. Led by chief conductor Umberto Clerici, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra delivers a powerful musical performance as a response to climate change and reminiscing about our past, present and future on this watery planet we call home.

Details:

• Date: Friday, 13 September – Saturday, 14 September 2024.
• Time: 13 September – 11:30 am, 14 Sep – 7:30 pm.
• Duration: 1 hr 40min.
• Location: Concert Hall, QPAC, Cnr Grey & Melbourne St, South Brisbane.

9. Cirque Bon Bon — Le Retour.

From the talented minds of two Brisbane natives with world-renowned pedigree – former Cirque Du Soleil Assistant Creative Director Ash Jacks (McCready) and Choreographer Julieann Nugent, they. have assembled Cirque Bon Bon, an enthralling and exhilarating show. Features bendy contortionists, high-flying acrobats and skilled dancers hand-picked from around the world and led by beloved Brisbanite frontman, Mario Queen of the Circus, for a night of high-stakes entertainment, breathtaking stunts and spectacular high-flying performances, it’s sure to be an unforgettable night.

Details:

• Date: Wednesday, 18 September – Friday, 20 September 2024.
• Time: 18 & 19 September – 6.30 pm.
  • 20 September – 5.30 pm & 7.45pm.
• Duration: 1 hr 10min.
• Location: South Bank Piazza, 186 Little Stanley Street, South Brisbane.

Chronoharp.

Details:

• Date: Friday, 30 August – Saturday, 21 September 2024, except Mondays.
• Time: During Festival Garden opening times.
• Location: ANZ Festival Garden, South Bank.

Flow.

Details:

• Date: Saturday, 14 September – Monday, 16 September 2024.
• Time: 6.00 – 9.00pm.
• Location: Cyber Palace, Suite 4, level 1/161 Wickham St, Fortitude Valley.

Spectrum of Happiness at Portside Wharf.

Details:

• Date: Friday, 30 August – Saturday, 21 September 2024, except Mondays.
  • Time: 3pm – 9pm Tuesday to Thursday & Sundays.
    3pm –10pm Friday to Saturday.
• Location: Portside Wharf, 39 Hercules St, Hamilton.

The Dream Weaver: Guardians of Grace.

Details:

• Date: Friday, 30 August – Saturday, 21 September 2024, except Mondays.
• Time: 10am until late.
• Location: Stores Studio – Brisbane Powerhouse, 119 Lamington St, New Farm

From performances to musicals and more, Brisbane Festival really puts on an epic showcase during September, but with these suggestions, it’ll help you see some of the best it’s massive lineup has to offer.

If you plan to visit Brisbane, consider looking at these other posts.