What’s On This Weekend in Brisbane: Sitchu’s Top Picks

Brissie is heating up, and that means a calendar full of pre-Chrissie events and summer soirees. Fresh new flavours are appearing on menus, and arts and culture events are unfolding around the city.

For weekend plans, hit your local market before making a bakery run to stock your fridge with top-notch produce from local farmers and food artisans.

Scroll on and let’s see what else is on in Brisbane this week.

Pick Up Last-Minute Gifts at This Handmade Christmas Market

Nothing beats a handmade gift! Supporting local makers, BrisStyle’s Handmade Christmas Market is the perfect spot to pick up some last-minute bits and bobs. Shop underneath Brisbane’s iconic flying whales, wandering up and down the stalls as you take a gander at all kinds of goodies, from jewellery and homewares to handcrafted foodstuffs. It might be an idea to pick up a few extras so you don’t get caught out with any unexpected gift giving!

Saturday 20th December, 10am to 3pm

Whale Mall, Queensland Museum

Sono Lumo, the City’s Largest Christmas Festival, Is Back!

Hurrah! It’s time to immerse yourself fully in festivity because Sono Lumo is back for 10 nights of sound, light and magic. Each night, between 6pm and 10pm, the riverfront will transform into a haven of seasonal eats, live entertainment, pop-up bars and DJs, all set to be enjoyed alongside sound and light shows playing at The Landing.

This year’s theme is Steampunk City ,so you can expect a glorious Victorian-era revival, complete with a seven-metre inflatable airship bar.

6pm to 10pm, Wednesday 10th December to Sunday 14th December & Wednesday 17th December to Sunday 21st December

Queens Wharf, Brisbane

Soak Up Eat Street’s Festive Atmosphere

One to drop in the group chat! Everyone’s favourite food market, Eat Street, has popped on its antlers and upped the festive vibes with neon-lit laneways from now till Boxing Day.

Swing by this hive of activity to sample over 60 micro-restaurants serving up everything from seasonal fresh mango salads to decadent desserts with festive twists. You’ll also find plenty of live music and five riverside bars (don’t miss the festive Merry Mule Christmas cocktail).

$6 entry

Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 4pm

221D Macarthur Avenue, Hamilton

The Enchanted Garden

Ah, the perfect event to get you into the festive spirit is back for another year! Wander the lush surrounds of Roma Street Parkland as you’re treated to the sight of thousands of twinkling lights making up The Enchanted Garden. Fast becoming a city tradition, this year’s experience promises to be more immersive than ever with interactive elements dotted all the way along the one-kilometre trail. 

There will also be on-site food trucks and a pop-up licensed bar serving up seasonal treats, making your night all the more special. 

From $9.50 per person 

Friday 21st November to Saturday 20th December 

Roma Street Parkland, 1 Parkland Boulevard, Brisbane City

Festive High Tea 

Feeling festive this month? Get into the Christmas spirit early with a Festive High Tea at The W Hotel’s Living Room Bar. The highlight of this experience has to be the build-your-own gingerbread house that arrives on top of your high tea platter. Enjoy savoury morsels like turkey and cranberry brioche sliders and smoked salmon blinis with cream fraiche before moving on to the sweets. 

Sitchu Tip: Elevate your dining experience by adding a glass of Ruinart champagne, 

From $80 per person

Thursdays, Saturdays & Sunday, 7th November to 28th December 

The Living Room Bar, Level 1, The W Brisbane, 81 North Quay, Brisbane City

The Art of Banksy: Chapter 2

The world premiere of the largest Banksy exhibition ever staged is coming to Brisbane! With over 300 pieces included, you can explore 100 original pieces, plus rare installations, sculptures and holograms. 

If you’ve ever wanted to explore Banksy’s work up close, this is your chance to make it happen! 

Sign up for pre-sale tickets here to ensure you don’t miss the opportunity to step inside the mind of one of the world’s most elusive artists. 

From $39 for adults, $27 for children

Opens 5th November

Uptown, Queen Street Mall, 91 Queen Street, Brisbane City   

Yum Cha Sundays are Back at Stanley!

Everyone’s favourite Sunday ritual is back, just in time for silly season. Looking for somewhere to while away a few hours over steaming bamboo baskets and champers? Beeline your way to Stanley for tunes, dim sum, and plenty of Cantonese small plates. There will even be a roving Bloody Mary cart. Heaven is a place on earth! 

$59 per person 

Every Sunday, 11:30am to 4pm 

Howard Smith Wharves

Head to South Bank for a Festive Boost

South Bank is turning it up this December with a swathe of Chrissie activations that will boost your Christmas spirit. Start your South Bank exploration with a giant elf hunt. There are 12 five-metre elves to spot, each with a story to tell. Pick up an elf map and wander your way through the precinct, soaking up the atmosphere.

South Bank will also be hosting Santa photos, an open-air cinema, story time with Mrs Claus, Christmas craft for the kiddos and a festive spin on the Collective Markets. Catch the full schedule here.

Until 5th January 2026

South Bank, Rainforest Green, Riverside Green, Flowstate, Little Stanley Street 

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Moonlight Cinema

Moonlight Cinema returns to Roma Street Parkland this November, celebrating 30 summers under the stars. Grab a blanket, your crew, and settle in for movie night done a little differently. From new releases and family favourites to Christmas classics and retro hits, there’s something for everyone, and you can even vote for your favourites in The People’s Program. Popcorn in hand, chilled drinks at the ready — and for the first time this summer, pups can snack on a Lyka doggie bag meal too.

See the full program here.

November 26th, 2025 to February 15th, 2026

The Amphitheatre, Roma Street Parkland / Turrbal & Jagera

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.

Free

Until 5th October 2026

Level 3, City Hall

Front 2 Back Listening Sessions at Stan’s

We love seeing venues step back into more analog ways of doing things and Stan’s Front 2 Back sessions are a nostalgic and welcome way to enjoy tunes. Dedicated to deep listening, the weekly series will take place in the moody bar, encouraging people to sit back, relax, enjoy curated bevvies and bites (hello, $10 snack menu) and, of course, slow down.

The series will be counting down albums that have shaped generations, across all genres, and pairs two records with a lowkey link.

Every Wednesday, 7pm to 9pm

5 Boundary Street, Brisbane

Enjoy a Festive Candle-lit Concert

Fever’s candlelight concerts are always a good time, and this Christmas, they’re upping the ante with two festive iterations. Choose from a Christmas Classics concert, complete with all of your favourite carols, or a Christmas Movie Soundtrack extravaganza. Both will be performed in the soft glow of candlelight by a string quartet, within the cosy confines of St John’s Anglican Cathedral. Looking to achieve a minimal waste Christmas? A voucher makes for a great early Chrissie gift to a music-loving giftee.

From $34, tickets available here

Dates throughout December

Olafur Eliasson: Presence

An immersive exhibition by Berlin-based artist Olafur Eliasson has just touched down at Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art, challenging viewers perceptions via major installations, sculptures, photo series and more. Exclusive to Brisbane, the interactive exhibition is designed to be a collaboration between viewers and the artist, commenting on how we give shape to our experience of the world and how that differs person to person. The one directive? Be present.

Highlights include Riverbed 2014, a recreation of a rocky stream with running water, and The Cubic Structural Evolution Project 2004, an all white lego city that is built and rebuilt by viewers as the exhibition progresses.

From $14

Until 12th July 2026

$2 Summer Dips are Back!

Whether you’re looking to get a head start on your 2026 fitness goals, or just fancy luxuriating in the water, there’s never been a better time to dive into the city’s council pools with the return of Brisbane’s $2 Summer Dips initiative.

There are 22 Brisbane City Council Pools across the city calling your name. Why not make it a challenge to visit them all?

Until 28th February 2026

Spot Christmas Tiny Doors Across the City

Brisbane is not lacking in any Christmas spirit this year. For the kiddos and the kids at heart comes this sweet treasure hunt across the city. Whether you’re making your daily commute or doing your shopping in the city, keep an eye out for the Christmas-themed tiny doors dotted throughout. Local artist Mace Robertson is responsible for this extra whimsical touch.

Monday 1st December to Wednesday 24th December

Across the city

Festive Putt Putt

Have a holly jolly game of golf this month at Victoria Park, with the return of Christmas Putt Putt! The pros at themed putt putt have done it again with this year’s festive course, adorned with bells and baubles to get you in the mood for the silly season. The course is fully licensed, so you can order drinks and snacks from the QR codes at each hole to make sure you’re staying well-fed and hydrated while you play. 

Sitchu Tip: Don’t forget to stay sun safe and bring a hat and sunscreen to protect your pretty face as you putt the day away!

Friday 7th November to Sunday 4th January 2026

309 Herston Road, Herston

TotalFusion Chermside Sunset Bathhouse & Beats

If you’re trying to divert your social hour from happy hour, TotalFusion have just launched the perfect event! Bathhouse & Beats is your new favourite way to wind down as the week draws to a close.

 Each fortnight, you can elevate your Friday night with the perfect blend of recovery and rhythm. Move between hot and cold pools, infrared saunas, traditional saunas and steam rooms, before reclining on a daybed with a cocktail or a refreshing tonic from the bar, along with the full food menu. 

To set the mood as the sunsets, live DJs will mix the perfect soundtrack to kick back to as you settle in for a little bit of self-care. 

Friday nights, fortnightly

From $59 per person, free for membersRooftop Bathhouse, TotalFusion Chermside, Gympie Road

Looking for more fun things to do in Brisbane this month? See what’s happening on the foodie scene with our food news, or explore what’s on around our beautiful river city.

Writer

Olivia Storrie

20 December 2025

Armed with an Arts Degree in History and Psychology from the University of Sydney, a natural curiosity and a ravenous appetite, Olivia is your go-to for restaurant recommendations across the city. She also has a keen interest in hiking, patting other people’s dogs, travelling, curating her maximalist home and reading every book she can get her hands on.