Each September, Brisbane city explodes to life, as Brisbane Festival brings a thrilling 3-week program of theatre, music, dance, circus and major public events. There’s a stacked music line-up, as well as an extensive catalog of theatre performances, comedy shows, and more.
With three full weeks packed to the brim with incredible performances and installments programmed across all art forms, it seems Brisbane Fest have seriously outdone themselves this year. To help you wrap your head around everything that’s gonna go down over the course of the festival, we’ve compiled a guide for this incredible event.
The city of Brisbane is bracing itself for three epic weeks of music and arts with Brisbane Festival just around the corner. Here’s our extensive guide to this phenomenal event.
Music
The music line-up for Brisbane Festival is absolutely huge. The list of artists is extensive, and there are events virtually every night. From beginning to end, the Brisbane Festival will be delivering all the tasty sonic treats your ears desire. Kicking things off with a bang on the 7th of September will be the Riverstage Birthday Bash, celebrating 30 years of Riverstage. With performances from Hot Dub Time Machine, Cub Sport, Confidence Man, Last Dinosaurs, and Clea, this will be an epic night you certainly don’t want to miss.
On the 18th of September, Australian electronic super-duo No Mono will bring their intriguing otherworldly sound to Tivoli the Round for what’s sure to be an incredible show. Also at Tivoli The Round, on Friday the 20th of September, Melbourne indie-folk quartet Husky will perform a gorgeous set of the organic, captivating tunes that their fans have come to know and love.
You’ll be able to catch a stunning performance from local Brisbane indie songstress Tia Gostelow at The Courier-Mail Speigeltent on Saturday the 21st of September. Then, on Thursday the 16th of September, the Speigeltent will also play host to Brisbane’s very own hip-hop sensation, Carmouflage Rose, who will, without a doubt, tear the roof off of the tent.
The festival begins with an epic night at Riverstage, and it closes with an epic night at Riverstage. On the closing night of the festival, Saturday the 28th of September, Canadian musician and singer-songwriter City and Colour will be playing a headlining set at the iconic stage. Supporting him will be The Jezabels, Asha Jeffries and more special guests yet to be announced. While these artists light up the stage, Sunsuper Riverfire will be lighting up the sky with a breathtaking display of fireworks.
It’s difficult to narrow down the line-up into just a few acts cause there are just too many. No matter what tickles your fancy, there will be something for you. Check out the full line-up here.
Visual and Performing Arts
Brisbane Festival promises to have a full program of arts events, from circus and cabaret to comedy and theatre, dance and visual art, there will be something for everyone. From the 11th-12th September, you’ll be able to catch a phenomenally absurd stand-up show from Australian comedian San Simmons: 26 Things You’ve Been Doing Wrong With San Simmons.
The Playhouse at QPAC will be alive from the 11th-15th of September with Brisbane drag queen musical collective Brief’s delightfully naughty show Close Encounters. This show features a heart-stopping blend of cabaret burlesque, comic caper, dazzling drag and jaw-dropping circus performances.
These are only a couple of the incredible events that will be going down this September. if you want to find out more, you can check out the full program here.
Family Events
Brisbane Festival will be packed with three weeks of exciting events and experiences for people of all ages, including the little ones. Brisbane Festival’s Family Program is packed with epic kid-friendly events designed to be fun for the whole family. Throughout the festival, there will plenty of chances to take the kids on a journey of music, song, dance, storytelling, and discovery.
From the 5th to the 8th of September, you and your family can head along to QPAC at Cremorne Theatre to see We Live Here, an inspiring circus show by Brisbane’s very own Flipside Circus, celebrating the memories and moments that make a life, this one is enjoyable for people of all ages.
While there are plenty more events that are suitable for both adults and kids, there are some that were created for kids. One of those is renowned Brisbane mash-up rock/electro/punk fun-time outfit Regurgitator‘s Pogogo Show; a sugar-soaked record written especially for kids. You’ll be able to catch that joyous show from the 14th-15th of September.
These are only a few family-friendly activities that will be running all throughout Brisbane Festival, you can check out the rest of the family events here.
Venue Accessibility
Brisbane Festival has taken extra measures to make this event as accessible and inclusive as it can be. The festival has teamed up with Cushman & Wakefield as the inaugural Access and Inclusion Partner for this year. Cushman & Wakefield champion diversity and inclusion in workplaces, thinking and culture, and are working alongside the festival to offer Auslan sign language interpretations for an increased number of performances throughout the program.
In addition to this, all venues have dedicated seating options for patrons with individual needs and their guests. As well as this, there’s a handy ‘accessibility’ filter on the festival website, so you can search for the events that are wheelchair accessible. They’ve also created some accessibility symbols that feature in the Brisbane Festival printed program and on event web pages.
Accommodation and Dining
Whether you’re a local or from out of town, why not make the most of your September and book a long weekend in the city? The festival have teamed up with some incredible accommodation partners to bring you some recommendations to add a little luxury to your Brisbane Festival experience. Check out the full list of accommodation partners here.
While there will be stacks of food trucks and tents available at various events, Brisbane Fest have also teamed up with a handful of partner restaurants so you can combine your love of the arts with fine cuisine throughout the festival. With spectacular restaurants specializing in cuisines ranging from modern Australian to traditional Vietnamese and Italian, there are plenty of tantalizing options that will complete your night out. Check out the full list of partner restaurants here.
Brisbane Festival 2019
Thursday 5th September – Saturday 28th September – Brisbane City, Queensland
You can find out more information about the festival here.
