The Brisbane Festival 2026 program has just been announced, running from 4–26 September 2026. Under new Artistic Director Ebony Bott, this year’s line-up is packed with interactive installations, world-class puppetry, high-flying circus, and plenty of free events perfect for the upcoming spring school holidays.
Here is your ultimate parent guide to the best kid-friendly, family-approved highlights of the Brisbane Festival 2026.
The big events
1. Riverfire
- When: Saturday, 5 September 2026
- Cost: FREE
- What it is: The ultimate Brisbane family tradition is back to kick off opening weekend. Gather the family along the riverbanks for the thrilling RAAF flyovers before the night sky ignites with a massive fireworks display launched from city bridges, barges, and rooftops.
2. Bright Nights
- When: Running three times nightly throughout the festival
- Cost: FREE
- What it is: Located at the South Bank Cultural Forecourt, this nightly show transforms the Brisbane River into a massive, choreographed canvas. Expect lasers, floating fountains, and water jets soaring up to 80 metres high, all set to an exclusive soundtrack by Brisbane’s own The Veronicas. Each night begins with a Welcome to Country and storytelling by Traditional Owner Shannon Ruska.
Brisbane Festival Family Fun Day. Credit: Mellumae Camera
Action-packed at the Festival Village (South Bank)
The Festival Village at the South Bank Cultural Forecourt is the beating heart of the festival, featuring a heavy line-up of family activities right through the school holidays.
- Giant Sing Along: A completely free, interactive installation by Montreal studio Daily tous les jours. It is a field of open microphones with a community-curated song list that blends individual voices into a mass choir. Perfect for kids who love to sing out loud!
- The Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent: The iconic tent returns to host The Listies’ anarchic family comedy show, This Show is a Joke, alongside specialized sock puppet and circus workshops for kids.
- The Outdoor Village Green: A buzzing hub featuring free dance workshops with the ABC’s Dance with Tom and the Queensland Ballet, as well as Living Sculptures: How the Birds Got Their Colours—an Indigenous-led contemporary circus piece.
Brisbane Festival Manly Serenades. Credit: Nikita Pere
Magical stage shows & exhibitions
If you want to book a special theatre experience, these four kid-friendly shows are top of the list:
Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company
- Where: Queensland Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA)
- What it is: A nostalgic and enchanting journey through the creative magic behind screen history’s most beloved characters. Kids (and parents!) can get up close with Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, the Fraggle Rock crew, and the fantastical worlds of The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth.
Fijian Flying Circus
- Where: South Bank Piazza (Under the Big Top)
- What it is: Making its Australian premiere, this high-energy show by the internationally renowned Fijian dance tribe VOU follows a young girl named Loma and her hilarious sidekick on a quest through a mystical world. It features incredible aerial acrobatics, gravity-defying stunts, and laugh-out-loud storytelling.
Dead as a Dodo
- Where: QPAC / Festival Stages
- What it is: Created by the acclaimed New York puppetry company Wakka Wakka, this is a wildly inventive musical odyssey about two skeleton friends—a dodo bird and a young boy—navigating a magical transformation. It combines stunning visual effects, humor, and world-class puppetry.
Betsy Balloon and the Very Great Terrible Flood
- Where: Festival Stages
- What it is: A rambunctious modern fable from New Zealand about a girl from a balloon-factory island whose world quite literally pops. Presented as a lively staged reading filled with original music and whimsical illustrations.
Betsy Balloon and the Very Great Terrible Flood. Credit: Rebecca McMillan Photography
Free community music & festivals
If you want a relaxed day out closer to home, check out these local community celebrations:
- Brisbane Serenades: A series of free, family-friendly outdoor concerts popping up in local parks, including Manly Serenades (George Clayton Park) and St Lucia Serenades (University of Queensland).
- Moorooka Block Party: Celebrating its 5th year at Peggs Park with a full afternoon of live music, dance, workshops, and kids’ activities.
- Quandamooka Festival: A major cultural highlight celebrating the living culture, art, and stories of the Quandamooka people of Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island).
- Common People Dance Eisteddfod: Brisbane’s most hilarious and beloved suburban dance battle, where everyday locals high-kick and body-roll their way to glory.
Common People Dance Eisteddfod. Credit: Joel Devereux
Tickets for all Brisbane Festival 2026 events are officially on sale now. You can check out the full program and secure seats at brisbanefestival.com.au.
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