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What’s On in Brisbane This Weekend: 15-16 August 2026
Our pick of all the events happening this weekend in Brisbane.
This weekend in Brisbane (15-16 August 2026), we’re expecting some delicious winter sun. Our editors will be making the most of it, tucking into festive eats at Night Feast, soaking up Ekka, and enjoying free tunes from City Sounds.
Ready to plan your weekend? Read on for all the details you need to know…
In This Guide
- Editor’s Picks For This Weekend in Brisbane
- Food & Drink Events in Brisbane This Weekend
- Art & Culture in Brisbane This Weekend
- Live Music in Brisbane This Weekend
- Outdoor and Active Things to Do This Weekend
- Free Things to Do in Brisbane This Weekend
- Coming Soon: What’s On in Brisbane This Weekend
- What’s On in Brisbane This Weekend: FAQs
Editor’s Picks For This Weekend in Brisbane
Straddie Arts Trail
Spend your weekend meandering your way through three townships of North Stradbroke — Goompi, Pulan Pulan and Mooloomba — on the hunt for locally made art. Over 90 artists will be displaying their work along the Straddie Arts Trail route, which will also be lined with cultural experiences, open studios, workshops, music, feasts and more.
Where: North Stradbroke Island
When: Friday 14 August to Sunday 16 August 2026
Cost: Free
Best For: Locals, Visitors, Weekend plans, Art lovers
Night Feast
Returning for its fifth year, Night Feast is back bigger and better than ever. This free entry festival is championing cooler nights with immersive art, live music, and, of course, plenty of tasty festival-exclusive eats. We’ve got our eye on the luxe nuggs from Wine & Dine’m Catering, Donna Chang’s crispy pork kebab and Ruby, My Dear’s Japanese Carbonara Udon.
Where: Brisbane Powerhouse
When: Wednesday 29 July to Sunday 23 August 2026
Cost: Free
Best For: Foodies, Locals, Markets, Families, Group catch-ups
Need To Know: This year, the festivities will culminate in an exclusive shared table dining experience, Better Off Red, on Sunday, 16th August.
Ekka: The Royal Queensland Show
Always an annual highlight, this year’s Ekka is even more special as Queensland’s largest annual event is celebrating its 150th birthday. You can expect the usual draws, from agricultural competitions and firework displays to showbags, kids’ activities, wood chop and carnival rides, alongside seasonal specials from local cafes, restaurants and bakeries.
Where: Brisbane Showgrounds
When: Saturday 8 August to Sunday 16 August 2026
Cost: From $40.95 for an adult ticket
Best For: Families, Weekend plans, Kids, Foodies, Cultural experiences
Food & Drink Events in Brisbane This Weekend
Midweek Magic at South Bank
Keen to ensure you don’t miss date night with the cost of living rises, South Bank has introduced a series of Midweek Magic dining deals for two. You’ve got an entire month to sample your way through these bargain dinners, which will take you from burgers, drinks and dessert at Brooklyn Depot to oysters and wine at River Quay Fish. There are eight deals in total, so start pencilling in those catch-ups.
Where: South Bank
When: Monday to Thursday, 27 July to 27 August 2026, from 6pm
Cost: $50 per meal for two
Best For: Date night, Girls’ night, Food lovers
Art & Culture In Brisbane This Weekend
Horizons of Khufu
There’s no need to jump on a plane to have an almighty adventure this winter. The immersive VR experience Horizons of Khufu invites you to take a trip to the Giza pyramids. Journey underground into secret chambers and sail along the Nile, as you move about freely, exploring the shared virtual reality space.
Where: Fortitude Valley
When: Sessions available throughout August 2026
Cost: From $40
Best For: Cultural experiences, Locals, Visitors
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Stories You Wear: Magpie Goose
Exclusive to the Museum of Brisbane, this exhibit connects audiences with the world’s oldest living culture through wearable art. Curated in collaboration with sustainable and Aboriginal-owned label Magpie Goose, the collection features First Nations creatives from across the country, with a particular focus on South East Queensland. Journey through the stories, textures and processes of different communities, whilst learning more about sustainability and fashion in Australia.
Where: Level 3, City Hall
When: Until 5 October 2026
Cost: Free
Best For: Art lovers, Cultural experiences, Free events
Live Music in Brisbane This Weekend
City Sounds
This city initiative supports emerging and local artists and also provides hours of free entertainment to anyone looking for a soulful serenade. All genres are covered with musical acts popping up across some of Brisbane’s most iconic civic spaces. This weekend, we’ve got multiple performances by Jazz Eclectic, Accomplice Collective, SAMARA, Bela Pontual and Maggie Elysse.
Where: Queen Street Mall
When: Friday 14 August to Sunday 16 August 2026
Cost: Free
Best For: Free events, Live music, Locals, Weekend plans
Need To Know: Concerts take place weekly so if you can’t make these be sure to check the schedule for next weekend’s program.
Outdoor and Active Things to Do This Weekend
Sirromet Signature Fire Pit Experience
Treat someone special to a private fire pit experience at one of the region’s finest wineries this winter. All you have to do? Show up! Sirromet have done all the hard work and will have your fire blazing when you get there, with a picnic rug (for you to take home) and a picnic hamper basket stacked with a generous antipasto spread. Your ticket also includes two glasses of mulled wine or a bottle to share, as well as two Sirromet keep cups as a momento of your experience. Now this is living!
Where: Mount Cotton
When: Saturdays and Sundays until 30 August 2026
Cost: $189 for two
Best For: Couples, Wine lovers, Foodies, Weekend plans
Free Things to Do in Brisbane This Weekend
Enjoy a Free City Tour
Brisbane is full of passionate locals and this free city service is proof. Whether you’re looking to orient yourself on a trip to the city, or are a local keen to dive a little deeper and glean some new tips, the 8 tours on offer all deliver. Opt to uncover a new suburb or get the lowdown on the city of Brisbane itself, learn about penal history or 21st century Brisbane. They even have tours available in 20 different languages!
Head here for details on available tours.
Where: Brisbane CBD
When: Ongoing
Cost: Free
Best For: Free events, Cultural experiences, Visitors, Locals
Need To Know: Choose from eight tour options covering Brisbane’s history, suburbs and modern city stories, with tours available in 20 different languages.
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
Wildlife photography is amazing as is, but comedy wildlife photography? Even better. After collecting submissions from all over the world, the 60-image showcase will feature a range of winning images and finalists from across the years, as well as this year’s winner.
Where: Redcliffe Museum
When: 30 May 2026 to 16 August 2026
Cost: Free
Best For: Families, Art lovers, Cultural experiences, Free events
Coming Soon: What’s On in Brisbane This Weekend
Southern Realm Festival
Hear ye, hear ye! Southern Realm Festival is back for another year of medieval markets and armoured combat and you’d be mad to miss it. Live out your wildest medieval fantasy as you weave your way through the historic village, filled with re-enactors bringing traditional crafts and skills to life right before your eyes. Shop for mead, salves and period clothing, before securing a pork knuckle and settling in to watch a battle.
Where: Boonah
When: Saturday 22 August to Sunday 23 August 2026
Cost: From $25
Best For: Families, Group catch-ups, Unique experiences, Weekend plans
What’s On in Brisbane This Weekend: FAQs
Brisbane is packed this weekend, with highlights including the Straddie Arts Trail, where over 90 artists are displaying their work across North Stradbroke Island, and Night Feast at Brisbane Powerhouse, a free-entry festival of immersive art, live music and festival-exclusive food. Adding to the calendar is Ekka, the Royal Queensland Show, which is celebrating its 150th birthday this year with agricultural competitions, showbags, carnival rides and plenty of seasonal eats.
Night Feast at Brisbane Powerhouse is the one to know, serving up festival-exclusive dishes alongside art and live music until 23 August — and this weekend sees the culmination of the festival with exclusive shared-table dining experience, Better Off Red. South Bank’s Midweek Magic deals are also running through to 27 August, offering dinners for two at $50 across eight participating venues. Wine lovers should also look into the Sirromet Signature Fire Pit Experience, which pairs a private fireside setting with an antipasto hamper and mulled wine or a bottle to share.
Stories You Wear: Magpie Goose at the Museum of Brisbane (Level 3, City Hall) is a free exhibition connecting audiences with First Nations culture through wearable art, running until 5 October. For something more immersive, Horizons of Khufu in Fortitude Valley takes you on a virtual reality journey through the Giza pyramids and along the Nile. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards at Redcliffe Museum is also on until 16 August, showcasing 60 images of winning wildlife comedy photography from across the globe.
City Sounds is bringing free live performances to Queen Street Mall this weekend, with sets from Jazz Eclectic, Accomplice Collective, SAMARA, Bela Pontual and Maggie Elysse across Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Night Feast at Brisbane Powerhouse also features live music alongside its food and art program, running through to 23 August. The Straddie Arts Trail on North Stradbroke Island rounds out the weekend with music woven throughout its three-township route.
Ekka at Brisbane Showgrounds is the standout family event this weekend, with rides, showbags, fireworks, agricultural competitions and kids’ activities — and the added excitement of its 150th birthday celebrations. The Straddie Arts Trail on North Stradbroke Island offers a family-friendly day out with open studios, workshops and cultural experiences across three townships. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards at Redcliffe Museum is also a fun and free outing for kids before it wraps up on 16 August.
Night Feast at Brisbane Powerhouse is free to enter and running until 23 August, offering immersive art, live music and a buzzing festival atmosphere. City Sounds brings free live performances to Queen Street Mall across the whole weekend, covering a range of genres from emerging and local artists. The Straddie Arts Trail is also free, as are the Stories You Wear: Magpie Goose exhibition at the Museum of Brisbane and the free city tours available across the Brisbane CBD.
The Southern Realm Festival is heading to Boonah on 22–23 August, promising medieval markets, armoured combat, historic village re-enactors and plenty of period food and drink. Tickets start from $25 and it’s well suited to families and groups looking for something a little out of the ordinary.
Looking for more fun things to do in Brisbane this weekend? See what’s happening on the foodie scene with our food news, or explore what’s on around our beautiful river city.
