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September is the month Brisbane stops apologising for itself.
I say that with affection. For most of the year this city is pleasant and slightly understated. Then spring arrives, the humidity hasn’t kicked in yet, and suddenly there’s a festival on every corner and fireworks over the river.
If you’re trying to work out what’s worth your time this month, here’s my honest run-through. Some of it is unmissable. Some of it depends entirely on what you’re into.
Brisbane Festival: the big one
September 4–26, citywide
This is the anchor event, and it’s genuinely enormous — more than 700 performances from over 2,000 artists, spread across QPAC, Brisbane Powerhouse, South Bank and Roma Street Parkland.
The program covers immersive theatre, outdoor installations, contemporary dance and pop-up dining. My advice, having watched people try to “do” the festival properly: don’t. Pick three things. Trying to see everything is how you end up exhausted and resentful in a queue.
Riverfire
Saturday, September 5
If you only do one thing, do this.
Riverfire is the city’s biggest annual fireworks display, synchronised to a broadcast soundtrack, with Australian Defence Force flyovers along the river. It’s loud, slightly ridiculous, and the entire city turns out for it.
A practical note from experience: the “best” viewing spots are packed by mid-afternoon. Plenty of less famous vantage points along the river work just fine, and you’ll actually be able to leave afterwards. Public transport home is the part nobody plans for and everybody regrets.
Night at The Parkland
September 11–20, Roma Street Parkland
An outdoor concert series set among the tropical gardens, with Missy Higgins, Human Nature, PNAU and The Temper Trap on the bill.
That’s a nicely varied lineup — singer-songwriter, harmony pop, dance, indie rock. The setting does a lot of work here. Outdoor music in Brisbane in September is close to ideal weather-wise.
At the Spiegeltent, South Bank
The Choir of Man runs September 3–26. Direct from London’s West End, it mixes pub songs, folk, rock and tap dancing. It’s the kind of show people go into sceptical and come out grinning.
This Show is a Joke! takes over September 20–26 — a family comedy showcase pitched at all ages. Useful if you’ve got kids and have run out of ideas.
Theatre and classical at QPAC
QPAC is having a busy month. A few that stood out to me:
Strong is the New Pretty (September 1–19, Playhouse) — a Queensland Theatre world premiere built around determination, competitive drive and athletic pride, told through local stories.
Ocean In Concert with David Attenborough (September 16–17, Concert Hall) — a screening of Attenborough’s Ocean, scored live by Camerata, Queensland’s chamber orchestra. Live orchestra with film is a format that sounds gimmicky and almost never is.
LEGENDS (of the Golden Arches) (September 17–20, Cremorne Theatre) — a comic theatrical journey through Chinese folklore and afterlife mythology.
Escape (September 23–27, Playhouse) — physical theatre combining architectural stage structures, aerial acrobatics and multimedia projection.
Betsy Balloon and the Very Great Terrible Flood (September 23–26, Cremorne Theatre) — family-friendly, with live illustration, storytelling and original music, based on the Bill Manhire tale.
Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Two dates worth noting:
- Maestro 6: La Mer on September 4, an ocean-themed program of Debussy, Ravel, Shostakovich and Stanhope, with pianist Stefan Cassomenos.
- Maestro 7: Symphonic Dances on September 25–26, featuring Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances and Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances.
If you’ve never been to an orchestral concert and feel vaguely intimidated, the dance program is a friendly place to start. Familiar rhythms, plenty of momentum.
Concerts
Jason Derulo — The Last Dance World Tour, September 17 at Brisbane Entertainment Centre. A full arena production with choreography and a career-spanning setlist.
Agnes Obel, September 24 at QPAC’s Concert Hall. The Danish pianist and songwriter brings her chamber-pop arrangements to town. Completely different energy to the Derulo show — quiet, melancholy, best appreciated in a proper concert hall. Which is exactly where it’s landed.
Conan Gray — Wishbone World Tour, September 29 at Brisbane Entertainment Centre, supporting his latest album.
Sport
NRLW Elimination Final, September 19. The Brisbane Broncos Women take on the Newcastle Knights Women as the NRLW finals series opens. Sudden-death football with a home crowd — the atmosphere at these has grown a lot in recent years.
Brisbane Bullets vs Illawarra Hawks, September 25 at Brisbane Entertainment Centre. The Bullets open their NBL season at home with a Community Round fixture.
The full calendar
| Event | Date | Venue | Category |
| Brisbane Festival | Sept 4–26 | Citywide | Arts Festival |
| The Choir of Man | Sept 3–26 | Spiegeltent, South Bank | Musical Theatre |
| QSO: Maestro 6 – La Mer | Sept 4 | Concert Hall, QPAC | Orchestral |
| Riverfire Fireworks | Sept 5 | Brisbane River / South Bank | Public Spectacle |
| Night at The Parkland | Sept 11–20 | Roma Street Parkland | Live Outdoor Music |
| Ocean In Concert | Sept 16–17 | Concert Hall, QPAC | Orchestral / Film |
| Jason Derulo | Sept 17 | Brisbane Entertainment Centre | Arena Concert |
| NRLW Elimination Final | Sept 19 | Brisbane | Rugby League |
| This Show is a Joke! | Sept 20–26 | Spiegeltent, South Bank | Comedy |
| Escape | Sept 23–27 | Playhouse, QPAC | Theatre / Physical |
| Agnes Obel | Sept 24 | Concert Hall, QPAC | Contemporary Music |
| Brisbane Bullets vs Hawks | Sept 25 | Brisbane Entertainment Centre | NBL Basketball |
| QSO: Symphonic Dances | Sept 25–26 | Concert Hall, QPAC | Orchestral |
| Conan Gray | Sept 29 | Brisbane Entertainment Centre | Arena Concert |
A few practical thoughts
Book the popular stuff early. Spiegeltent shows and QPAC premieres tend to sell out in the second half of the run, once word gets around.
Plan your transport, especially for Riverfire. The event itself is the easy part. Getting home is where the evening can unravel.
Cluster your outings. South Bank puts QPAC, the Spiegeltent and the riverfront within walking distance of each other. An early show followed by dinner nearby works far better than driving across town twice.
Leave a gap. There’s a temptation in a month like this to book something every weekend. The best September I’ve had here involved three events and a lot of sitting outside doing nothing much.
Spring in Brisbane is short and very good. Use it.