The Brisbane Festival 2025 launched with a spectacular Riverfire flyover and fireworks display that illuminated the night sky on September 1st. Fireworks were launched from multiple pontoons, buildings, and bridges, creating a breathtaking surround sound-and-light experience for spectators along the Brisbane River. This annual event, a highlight of the city’s cultural calendar, promises to captivate audiences with its vibrant offerings over the next 23 days.
The river, a central artery of Brisbane, plays a pivotal role in the festival, facilitating access to various venues along its banks. Both sides of the river are pedestrianized, allowing festival-goers to explore the area on foot, by bike, or scooter. This year, the festival’s signature visuals transform the pedestrian bridges into canvases of brilliant, bold artworks. These installations, created by expatriate Brisbane artists Craig & Karl in collaboration with digital artist David McLeod, capture the festival’s spirit with their colorful and quirky designs.
A Celebration of Art and Culture
The Brisbane Festival is renowned for its diverse array of events, boasting over 100 performances across more than 40 venues. Dance enthusiasts are in for a treat with international acts such as LA Dance Project, Club Guy and Roni, and the Netherlands’ ISH Dance Collective. Their performance, “Elements of Freestyle,” promises an adrenaline-fueled fusion of extreme urban sports, dance, music, and theatre.
First Nations stories take center stage with performances like Baleen Moondjan, The Boodong’s Song, and Breaking Ground. Among the festival’s most original offerings is the “Dance Battle of the Burbs,” a satirical dance-off by The Common People Dance Project Eisteddfod. Participants, donned in sequined armor, engage in a playful suburban gladiator showdown. The Common People Dance Project also offers free dance workshops, inviting everyone to join in the fun.
Theatrical Highlights and Outdoor Experiences
One of the standout performances from the opening weekend was “Back to Bilo,” a verbatim play that draws from real-life interviews to tell the poignant story of Sri Lankan refugees Nades and Priya. The play combines reportage, lighting, archival footage, and the stunning vocals of Menaca Thomas to narrate their journey and the community’s fight for their release from detention.
Another highlight, “Gatsby at the Green Light,” offers an energetic and immersive spectacle inspired by Fitzgerald’s iconic novel. The audience becomes part of the show as cast members serve drinks and perform an array of acts, including juggling, tap dancing, and aerial tricks, bringing to life the glitzy love story of Gatsby and Daisy.
Beyond the theatres, the festival spills into the outdoors with installations like “Afterglow,” a walk-through sound-and-light experience in the city’s botanic gardens. Thousands of flames create a mesmerizing multisensory journey, enhanced by the local fruit bats and accompanied by marshmallow toasting and a bar, highlighting Brisbane’s renowned hospitality.
Community Engagement and Cultural Diversity
The festival’s opening weekend also featured outdoor community “mini” festivals, celebrating Brisbane’s rich ethnic diversity. Attendees enjoyed Indian cooking, Italian music, and a celebration of 50 years of Papua New Guinean independence, along with opportunities to engage with Pacific art at Pacifica Made.
The festival will conclude with another dazzling light show above the river. “Skylore: Nieergoo – Spirit of the Whale,” now in its third year, will see hundreds of drones soar above the city. Shannon Ruska and Tribal Experiences will narrate a powerful story of culture, country, and connection, celebrating the essence of Brisbane.
As the Brisbane Festival 2025 unfolds, it promises a vibrant celebration of art, culture, and community, drawing locals and visitors alike into its enchanting embrace.
