Navigating the Brisbane Festival with teens can be a bit of a challenge, but I’ve discovered some seriously cool installations and must-see performances that will keep the whole family entertained. Tell your teens about these Insta worthy installations and creative shows… in a cool, off hand, ‘only if you want to’ kind of way… and thank me later!
In 2024 you can choose from the bold and breathtaking spectacle of Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fashion Freak Show to the quirky and immersive experience aboard The Art Boat, there’s something here to spark the interest of every teen.
Whether you’re exploring Indigenous pop culture with “Meet Your Maker” or getting your groove on at the nostalgia-fuelled “Sweet Relief!”, Brisbane Festival offers endless opportunities to create unforgettable memories together. Join me as we dive into the best of what this year’s festival has to offer for families with teens. Perfect for school holiday activities with your ‘hard to please’ teenager!
If you’re on a budget, (who isn’t?) you will love that some of my suggestions are totally free! Not only that, I have an additional article detailing all the best FREE family friendly things to do at the Brisbane Festival this year. Trust me – there are a tonne of great family friendly options!
Lightscape
That is my walk-through of Lightscape above in my Instagram/Facebook post.
The Lightscape experience is reimagined for 2024, showcasing Brisbane’s City Botanic Gardens in a new light, with breathtaking installations created by acclaimed local and international artists. This internationally acclaimed multi-sensory experience is set to wow families from Thursday 29 August – Saturday 12 October 2024.
A special feature of Brisbane’s Lightscape will be two incredible sculptural installations created by Queensland First Nations artists Paul Bong (aka Bindur Bullin) and Michelle Yeatman.
Uniquely curated to take you on a journey of the senses through light, colour and sound, enjoy the City Botanic Gardens as never before. Beginning beneath glowing tree canopies filled with colour, stroll alongside larger-than-life flowers and neon roots bursting from the undergrowth, through sparkling tunnels of light and under giant poppies suspended high in the night sky. Soak in the breath-taking lightworks created by the best local and international artists. It’s an after-dark oasis of botanical brilliance.
Lightscape is a timed entry event running between 29 August and 12 October and it sells out across the world so be sure to book ASAP. Session tickets are available between 5.45pm and 8.30pm on event dates. You can enjoy Lightscape at your own pace. Organisers recommend 1.5 – 2 hours to make the most of the experience. If you are heading into Lightscape on a weekday evening, perhaps consider Little Miss Sunshine as a place to eat?
Event Details:
- Venue: Brisbane City Botanic Gardens, 147 Alice Street, Brisbane
- Dates and Times: 29 August – 12 October
- Tickets: From $24
Find out more about ticket prices and opening times here.
Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fashion Freak Show
About: Jean Paul Gaultier is set to shake up Australian audiences when his stunning creation, Fashion Freak Show—fifty years of pop culture through the eyes of fashion’s enfant terrible—takes up residence in Brisbane as a sensational centrepiece of this year’s Festival. An explosive combination of both a musical revue and fashion show, the production depicts the sensational life of Jean Paul Gaultier against a backdrop of his generation’s most defining political and cultural changes.
- When: Friday 30 August – Sunday 15 September
- Showtimes: 2pm, 7pm, 7:30pm, 8:30pm
- Where: South Bank Piazza
- Tickets: From $89
The Art Boat
About: Step aboard and immerse yourself in an unforgettable voyage through the heart of Brisbane. Against the stunning backdrop of the ever-expanding city skyline, journey along the iconic waterways of the Brisbane River. The Art Boat, reimagined, is chartered and curated by the world-class local legends BRIEFS FACTORY. On selected Saturdays and Sundays, step aboard for a balmy afternoon cruise and dive into family fun holiday entertainment, where queer punk circus delights kids and adults alike!
- When: Friday 30 August – Saturday 21 September
- Showtimes: 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, 9pm
- Where: Departs from Clem Jones Promenade, South Bank
- Tickets: From $35
Meet Your Maker
About: A high-octane, pop-fuelled debut premiere from Alethea Beetson (Kabi Kabi/Gubbi Gubbi and Wiradjuri). Set in the fictional universe of Queen’s City, Meet Your Maker, re-imagines a world where Indigenous communities were given their land back. In another time, we get to see what might happen if we had gone down a different path if Indigenous pop culture was the norm and not the token.
- When: Saturday 31 August – Saturday 7 September
- Showtimes: 2pm, 7:30pm
- Where: Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm
- Tickets: From $25
Sweet Relief!
About: Indulge in a blissful moment of Sweet Relief! as the iconic festival of music, art, and performance returns for its sensational second year. Sweet Relief! is here to satisfy party lovers with a nostalgia-fuelled celebration of dance floor hits, led by the icons behind them. Taking centre stage is Kelis, the pioneer and provocateur of Y2K R&B pop, famed for her unforgettable anthem ‘Milkshake’. Joining her are acclaimed Aussie party starters The Presets, who will perform their electrifying live show, fresh from the Eurovision stage, the ever-vibrant duo Electric Fields, bold electro-pop-icons Haiku Hands, genre-bending DJ dameeeela, pop mavens JUNO, and more juicy announcements to come!
- When: Saturday 7 September
- Showtimes: 12pm
- Where: Ballymore Stadium, Herston
- Tickets: From $39.50
ChronoHARP
About: Set in the heart of ANZ Festival Garden, ChronoHARP interprets and extends the beauty of the traditional harp into a visual experience. Unlike its inspiration, which is designed to be played by a single person, ChronoHARP invites participation, reacting to human movement by casting vibrant animation through its woven structure. As the audience interacts with the work, the light will transform from a white prism to a colourful spectacle, culminating with a light and sound show when at full capacity.
- When: Friday 30 August – Saturday 21 September
- Where: ANZ Festival Garden, South Brisbane
- Tickets: Free
Spectrum of Happiness
About: Spectrum of Happiness is an interactive swing that invites people of all genders and generations to experience shared moments of happiness together. The rainbow symbolizes an optimistic, new, bright beginning. It embodies diversity in its diverse colours, the same as diversity in each individual, which together shines as the beloved and celebrated rainbow of humankind.
- When: Saturday 30 August – Saturday 21 September (closed on Mondays)
- Where: Portside Wharf
- Tickets: Free
Skylore – The Rainbow Serpent
Back by popular demand and following the huge success of last year’s Nieergoo: Spirit of the Whale, a three-dimensional multicolour drone show returns for another glittering spectacular.
At Festival Garden in South Bank or at Queen’s Wharf, watch as 400 drones dazzle over Brisbane’s iconic skyline, telling the captivating story of The Rainbow Serpent. This First Nations creation story for the Brisbane River, narrated by Traditional Owner and Tribal Experiences Managing Director Shannon Ruska, will be brought to life through a carefully choreographed drone performance, accompanied by an original sound composition by Guy Webster.
Skylore — The Rainbow Serpent is a larger-than-life highlight of the Brisbane Festival, celebrating culture and place in a bright and bold display.
Event details:
- Venue: Festival Garden, 186 Little Stanley Street, South Brisbane
- Dates: 19 – 21 September
- Times: 7:15pm, 8:15pm, 9:15pm each night
- Booking: Non-ticketed
- Duration: 15 minutes
- Cost: Free
Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust (FREE) 31 August 2024
Of course, the most famous and spectacular free Brisbane Festival event is Riverfire.
Riverfire is one of the most electrifying fireworks displays in Australia, launched from multiple bridges, barges and city rooftops, and with aerobatics from the Australian Defence Force. Riverfire kicks off Brisbane Festival with a not-to-be-missed pyrotechnic extravaganza set to an almighty soundtrack.
- Date: Saturday 31 August 2024
- Location: Brisbane River and surrounds
- Price: Free, non-ticketed
- Entertainment from 4pm, fireworks from 7pm
Find out all about Riverfire here
Find out more about how to book tickets to these shows and others here.
