The 10 best events to check out at Brisbane Festival 2024

It’s not quite Milan Fashion Week, but Brisbane Festival is set to showcase the latest trends and homegrown talent with a series of fashion-focused events. Leading the pack is Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fashion Freak Show – a tribute to the French haute couture icon, featuring a dazzling collision of fashion, music, pop culture, cabaret and art. This spectacular musical revue-style show will make its exclusive Aussie premiere down a runway at South Bank Piazza, where Gaultier will unveil hundreds of new outfits alongside some of his most celebrated creations – all set to the beat of funky disco, pop, rock and punk tunes. In a very special collaboration, Queensland Indigenous artist Grace Lillian Lee will debut a bespoke couture piece for the Fashion Freak Show catwalk, created in collaboration with Gaultier in Paris.

When: August 30 – September 15

Where: South Bank Piazza

Australians have a soft spot for a great love story, and so does beloved Brisbane-based author Trent Dalton. In 2021, Dalton sat on a busy street corner with a sky-blue typewriter and asked the world a simple question: can you please tell me a love story? Now, prepare to be swept off your feat again with the heartwarming tales from his book Love Stories, presented in a casual conversation between Dalton and some of the people behind the stories. 

Got a secret crush or feeling like cupid? You can write your very own love story and share it in an interactive love-letter experience at the Museum of Brisbane, open every day throughout the festival. 

When: September 8-29

Where: Playhouse, QPAC

More than a decade since its premiere, this spectacularly saucy cabaret show by the Blanc de Blanc crew is back in Brisbane. Popping up at the brand-new West End Electric, Limbo The Return will feature a seductive mix of cabaret, circus and acrobatics, performed to a backdrop of heart-pounding live music and hectic strobe lighting. The international cast is led by New York’s Jank maestro Sxip Shirey and also features Bulgarian aerialist Maria Moncheva (Harry Potter – Germany), slack rope daredevil David Marco and fire-eating singer Clara Fable. We’d suggest leaving the kids at home.

When: August 29 to September 21

Where: West End Electric

Brisbane, get ready to light it up. Globally acclaimed light installation Lightscape is coming to the City Botanic Gardens, illuminating the nights from August 29 to September 12. You can wander along the 1.8-kilometre trail as it weaves through the gardens, revealing enchanting glowing tree canopies and dazzling illuminated tunnels. The fields will flicker with hundreds of tiny flames, while towering flowers will radiate with an otherworldly glow. Look out for two brand-new sculptural installations created by Queensland First Nations artists Paul Bong (aka Bindur Bullin) and Michelle Yeatman. Sessions run every 15 minutes from 5.45pm, or you can purchase a flexi pass to enter at your leisure.

When: August 29 – October 12

Where: City Botanic Gardens

As always, Brisbane Festival will kick off with a bang at Riverfire, the city’s biggest and most beloved fireworks spectacular on Saturday, August 31. From 7pm, sparks will fly from Brisbane’s bridges, barges and city rooftops, painting the skyline with a kaleidoscopic display of colour and light. For prime views, grab tickets to the family-friendly Starlit Soiree at Fiume Rooftop Bar, perched above Howard Smith Wharves, or feast on a mezze-style sharing menu at Babylon Gardens, complete with roving entertainment and DJs all night long. Alternatively, pack a picnic and watch the fireworks for free from South Bank Parklands, Kangaroo Point Cliffs, River Terrace, Wilson’s Lookout and the Howard Smith Wharves. Just arrive early for the best spots!

When: August 31

Where: Brisbane River and surrounds

Ahoy, Aussies! Climb aboard The Art Boat for a dazzling voyage tracing the mighty banks of Brisbane River. This reimagined experience, brought to us by the world-class legends at Briefs Factory, will feature resident artists Fez Faanana, Mark Winmill and Brett Rosengreen, along with some fabulous special guests. You can bring kids along for a balmy matinee cruise, kickstart the weekend on a Friday knock-off cruise, or get all glam with a late-night Saturday sail.

When: Multiple nights from August 30 – September 21

Where: Pontoon B, Clem Jones Promenade, South Bank

Papunya-based Warumpi Band made musical waves in 1983 with the release of their debut single 'Jailanguru Pakarnu'. More than just a song, it marked the first time a rock’n’roll hit was sung entirely in an Aboriginal language, Luritja. Ilbijerri Theatre Company honours this remarkable achievement with Big Name, No Blankets, a joyous musical named after Warumpi Band’s 1985 album and narrated by founding member Sammy Tjapanangka Butcher. The show weaves in culture from Central Australia and North East Arnhem Land, playing out in English, Luritja and Gumatj. You can bring the whole family to experience this big-hearted story at two exclusive showings in September.

When: September 20-21

Where: Concert Hall, QPAC

Lights, camera, action! An electrifying 60 minutes of acrobatics, dance, contortion and more is returning to Brisbane after a sold-out run late last year. The brainchild of ex-Cirque Du Soleil assistant creative director Ash Jacks, Cirque Bon Bon pulls “every trick in the book” to create a truly “magical moment” for Brisbane audiences. Prepared to be wowed by an all-new, all-star cast who’ve performed everywhere from Broadway to West End to Las Vegas – and now Brisvegas.

When: September 18-20

Where: South Bank Piazza

One of Australia’s leading Indigenous artists and fashion designers, Grace Lillian Lee, will showcase eight captivating pieces in a brand-new, free exhibition at Brisbane Powerhouse. Best known for the ‘grasshopper’ weaving technique passed down to her by mentor and Torres Strait Elder Uncle Ken Thaiday, Lee’s works serve as a celebration of cultural heritage and the enduring power of art. The Dream Weaver: Guardians of Grace will feature eight ethereal Shields and Armours, each inspired by Lee’s totem, Koysemer (moth). Additionally, you can check out a selection of Lee’s striking full-body woven sculptures, Exposed Resilience, on display at Brisbane Quarter.

When: Stores Studio, Brisbane Powerhouse

Where: August 30 – September 21

Playing with food is totally acceptable at Kitchen Studios. By day, you can explore artist Elizabeth Willing’s dormant sculptural dining room, designed to offer fresh perspectives on the modern diet through the presentation of edible materials in unconventional ways. By night, you can join Willing for a series of provocative edible art experiences that are sure to leave a sweet taste in your mouth.

When: August 30 – October 26

Where: Metro Arts