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What’s On in Brisbane This Weekend (25-26 July 2026)
Our pick of all the events happening this weekend in Brisbane.
This weekend in Brisbane (25-26 July 2026), the weather is looking mild, so the world, or Brisbane rather, is our oyster! Our editors will be making the most of the packed weekend event schedules, from James Street’s annual Food & Wine Festival to the anonymous art fair Incognito.
Ready to plan? Read on for all the details you need to know…
In This Guide
Editor’s Picks
Beyond
Sirromet Vineyard has been transformed into an interactive wonderland for a month of merry after-dark wandering. The 2km Beyond light trail has arrived just in time for the school holidays and features over 25 displays. Your journey will take you through a garden full of blooms, a cosmos full of laser fields and an ancient forest.
Sirromet are also offering a number of wine and dine packages that can be added to your experience — think two-course dinners, an overnight stay and a firepit experience.
Where: Mount Cotton
When: Until Wednesday 26th July
Cost: From $19
Best For: Kids, Families, Outdoors, Date night, Wine lovers
Need To Know: The first session of each day is reserved as a low-sensory session with smaller crowds and lower-intensity lights.
Eat & Drink
James St Food & Wine Trail
Brisbane’s most elevated food festival is back this month, and we’re already planning our day-of food purchases. The one-day-only James St Food & Wine Festival will see the closure of James Street for a lively, open-air market showcasing 25 of the resident venues across 35 pop-up market stalls. On top of dedicated dessert stalls and bars, highlight dishes include the 100s and 1000s lamington from Jocelyn Provisions and The Calile Lobby Bar’s Moreton Bay bug roll with garnishes from their rooftop kitchen garden.
On top of tastings aplenty, there will also be a live chef stage with demonstrations running throughout the day, limited capacity workshops from Mud Australia, wine tasting sessions from Shaw + Smith and an express multi-course lunch from Hellenika.
Where: James Street
When: Sunday 26th July, 10am to 4pm
Cost: Free
Best For: Families, Weekend plans, Free events, Foodies
The Curated Plate
The Sunshine Coast turns winter into a full-table affair when The Curated Plate returns for ten days of fire-led feasts, seafood by the water, orchard picnics, river lunches and chef-led dining across the coast and hinterland. From Island Fire at Alsahwa Estate to Mooloolaba Seafood Market Day, Glasshouse Country Long Lunch and one-off farm, distillery and producer events, this is the food festival worth building an entire winter escape around. Tickets are limited, so choose your headline feast early.
Where: Across the Sunshine Coast
When: 24th July to 2nd August, 2026
Cost: Various prices, with select free events
Best For: Food lovers; winter weekenders, and long-lunch loyalists
Need to know: Events run across the Sunshine Coast from 24th July to 2nd August, with many headline lunches, farm events and seafood experiences capped, so book early if you have your eye on a particular feast.
Arts & Culture
Incognito Art Show
Whether you’re new to art and looking for something affordable or fancy taking all preconceptions out of your next purchase, the Incognito Art Show is the place to go. The aim of the game is to raise money for funding development programs for artists with disabilities via the sale of donated A5 artworks. The twist? You won’t know who the artist is until after you’ve purchased the piece. With pieces donated by some of Australia’s most established artists, and some by talented newcomers and amateurs, it’s a bit of a lucky dip but as long as you love the piece, you’ll be leaving happy. There will be over 15,000 pieces for sale covering everything from still lifes to portraits, landscapes to abstract.
Where: Long Island, Brisbane
When: Saturday 25th July & Sunday 26th July
Cost: Free entry, artworks are $100 each
Best For: Markets, Art lovers, Unique experiences
The FRIENDS™ Experience
FRIENDS™ fans, it is the moment you’ve been waiting for. You’re invited to take a seat on the orange sofa and relive some of this iconic show’s most beloved moments in an immersive experience. Curated by Original X Productions in collaboration with Warner Bros, Discovery Global Experiences and Fever, it will be the first The FRIENDS™ Experience has popped up in Queensland.
You can expect replica costumes, interactive recreated sets, exclusive merch, and, of course, a trip to Central Perks.
Where: 91 Queen Street Mall, Brisbane
When: Sessions throughout July
Cost: From $26
Best For: Exhibitions; Film buffs; Visitors; Group catch-ups; Fans
Horizons of Khufu
There’s no need to jump on a plane to have an almighty adventure this Autumn. The immersive VR experience Horizons of Khufu is touching down late March, inviting 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: Level 1, 123 Gotha Street, Fortitude Valley
When: Sessions available throughout July
Cost: From $40
Best For: Cultural experiences; Exhibitions; Education; Families; Visitors
Le Festival 2026
This year, France is coming to us, so beeline it down to Roma Street Parklands for a little taste of la belle vie. Sip on French champagne, whilst being serenaded by live performances and wandering your way through the French market. If you’d like to immerse yourself a little further, consider booking one of Le Festival 2026‘s masterclasses, which include spirits and cheese pairings, a beef wellington cooking class and a paint and sip session.
Where: Roma Street Parklands
When: Friday 24th July to Sunday 26th July
Cost: From $12 per person
Best For: Foodies, Group catch-ups, Families, Date night
Loving Our Edit of the Best Things to do in Brisbane This Weekend? Find More Here…
Brisbane’s First-Ever Frank Green Warehouse Sale
A New, Ambient Hidden Bar Has Arrived in Brisbane
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 5th October 2026
Cost: Free of charge
Best For: Art lovers, Cultural experiences, Exhibitions, Fashion, Education
Need to know: Curated in collaboration with Aboriginal-owned label Magpie Goose, the exhibition spotlights First Nations creatives, with a focus on South East Queensland, exploring wearable art, sustainability and storytelling.
Live Music & Shows
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 Dana Gehrman, Pat Tierney, Seina Larsson, Lily Daoud, Harry Heart and No way Jose.
Where: Queen Street Mall
When: Friday 24th July to Sunday 26th July
Cost: Free
Best For: Free events; Live music fans; Community events; 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.
Shopping & Markets
Brisbane’s First Frank Green Warehouse Sale
We do so love a bargain, and a practical bargain even more. For the first time, Frank Green is bringing its viral warehouse sale to Brisbane, with most stock sitting under $40. On top of cut-price drink bottles, you can expect daily giveaways and on-site monogramming. There will even be some mis-monogrammed stock present which is yours free if you can prove with ID that it matches your initials.
Where: John Reid Pavilion, Brisbane RNA Showgrounds
When: Thursday 23rd July to Sunday 26th July
Cost: Free to browse
Best For: Free events, Budget-friendly, Locals
Outdoor & Active
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: 850-938 Mount Cotton Road, Mount Cotton
When: Saturdays and Sundays until 30th August 2026
Cost: $189 for two
Best For: Couples, Wine lovers, Food & drink lovers, Weekend plans, Premium experiences
Free Things to Do
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 things to do, Cultural experiences, Visitors, Local insights, Walking tours
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: 30th May 2026 to 16th August 2026
Cost: Free
Best For: Families; Family-friendly; Art lovers; Cultural experiences; Exhibitions
Coming Soon
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 8th August to Sunday 16th August
Cost: From $40.95 for an adult ticket
Best For: Families, Weekend plans, Kids, Foodies, Cultural experiences
What’s On This Weekend in Brisbane: FAQs
Brisbane is packed this weekend with standout experiences across art, food and culture. Highlights include the Incognito Art Show at Long Island, where over 15,000 anonymous A5 artworks are up for grabs at $100 each, and Le Festival 2026 at Roma Street Parklands, bringing a taste of France to the city through live music, French markets and masterclasses. The James St Food & Wine Festival also takes over James Street on Sunday, with 25 venues, 35 pop-up stalls and a live chef stage running from 10am to 4pm.
The James St Food & Wine Festival is the weekend’s unmissable food event, offering free entry to an open-air market showcasing Brisbane’s best James Street venues, with highlights including a lamington from Jocelyn Provisions and a Moreton Bay bug roll from The Calile Lobby Bar. For something more intimate, Sirromet Winery’s Signature Fire Pit Experience offers a private antipasto picnic with mulled wine or a bottle to share, running Saturdays and Sundays until 30th August. Le Festival 2026 also brings French champagne, spirits and cheese pairings, and a beef wellington cooking class to Roma Street Parklands this weekend.
The Incognito Art Show is a must this weekend — a fun, anonymous art fair raising funds for artists with disabilities, with over 15,000 donated A5 pieces available for $100 each and free entry. At the Museum of Brisbane, Stories You Wear: Magpie Goose is a free exhibition connecting audiences with First Nations wearable art, running until October. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards at Redcliffe Museum is another free option, showcasing 60 images of winning and finalist entries from this beloved global competition.
City Sounds brings free live music to Queen Street Mall across the weekend, with performances from artists including Tiffany Grace, Hayley Marsten, Le Nuvole and the Brendan Forster Quartet spanning a range of genres. Le Festival 2026 at Roma Street Parklands also features live performances as part of its French cultural celebration. FRIENDS™ fans can catch The FRIENDS™ Experience at 91 Queen Street Mall, with sessions running throughout July in the first-ever Queensland pop-up of this immersive show.
The Beyond light trail at Sirromet Vineyard in Mount Cotton is a brilliant school holiday outing, with over 25 illuminated displays across a 2km trail from just $19 — and a dedicated low-sensory first session each day for families who need it. The Incognito Art Show offers free entry and a lucky-dip art experience that makes for a genuinely memorable family outing. Brisbane’s free city tours are another great option, with eight different routes and multilingual options to help families explore the city together.
The James St Food & Wine Festival is free to attend on Sunday, offering tastings, a live chef stage and pop-up stalls from some of Brisbane’s finest venues. City Sounds delivers free live music at Queen Street Mall across the weekend, while the Incognito Art Show offers free entry at Long Island. Stories You Wear: Magpie Goose at the Museum of Brisbane and the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards at Redcliffe Museum are both free exhibitions worth adding to the weekend itinerary.
Ekka: The Royal Queensland Show returns to Brisbane Showgrounds from 8th to 16th August, and this year is extra special as Queensland’s largest annual event celebrates its 150th birthday. Expect agricultural competitions, firework displays, carnival rides, showbags, kids’ activities and seasonal food from local producers. Tickets start from $40.95 for an adult.
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.
