Major Brisbane Festivals

For three weeks in September Brisbane comes alive. The Brisbane Festival promotes the arts in Brisbane like no other event. The city lights up with free events daily such as BBQs, symphonies, interactive art exhibitions and of course the Brisbane Riverfire. The festival also includes paid events, with more dance, theatre and music performances than you can count. They get both international and local acts in, offering up the arts by the bucket load. If you are ever inclined to see a performance then the Brisbane Festival is the time to do it.

This year, I made my way to watch the Santos City of Lights display. Choreographed to music, strategically placed lights on building in the city and on the Brisbane river came alive and produced an awe inspiring show. Playing with fountains of water on the Brisbane River, I felt as though the lights made a pathway to a fantasy world. It really was something to behold. I also made my way to a dance performance called Mortal Engine which used cutting edge technology with lights and lasers to create yet another spectacle. The Brisbane Festival really did have a light theme this year.

Of course the highlight of the festival will always be the Brisbane Riverfire as the River really is set alight with fireworks. This display is better than NYE. The Story Bridge was alight with molten gold fireworks gushing off it like a waterfall. Absolutely breathtaking.

The Brisbane Festival is an annual event and while this years has only just past, I highly recommend keeping an eye out for what will be on offer in 2012.

I felt bereft after the Brisbane Festival closed in 2011. My husband and I sat opposite each other on the couch in wide eyed dismayed and talked seriously about moving to Sydney or Melbourne.
Brisbane Festival is the highlight of my social calendar. For three weeks, Brisbane comes to live with fireworks, theatre performances, dance, music and experimental arts.
This is spread out over several venues - The Powerhouse, QPAC, La Boite Theatre, Southbank and everyone's favourite - The Speigeltent. The festival kicks off with the famous Riverfire - an evening of spectacular fireworks across Southbank and the city. If you want to indulge, it's worth booking a CBD or Southbank apartment with views of the fireworks and throwing a Riverfire party.
The highlight of last year's festival for me was the absurdist theatre piece The Dream Menagerie, which played every weekend at The Spiegletent. I was also lucky enough to catch the controversial, Chinese, award winning play 'Rhinoceros In Love' at the Powerhouse and Lior. For those on a budget, there are also some brilliant free events. Last year, I packed a picnic basket and headed out to the Hamilton racecourse and caught the opera La Traviata. There's also free music every night at the Wunderbar in QPAC's courtyard and the Santos light show over the Brisbane River.
Since its inception in 1996, when it was still called the Riverfestival, its fan base has grown exponentially. For those who missed out in 2011, fear not. There's only another nine months before it returns.