Brisbane Festival reports an audience of more than 1.7 million for 2026

BRISBANE, Australia, 27 September 2026 - Brisbane Festival has closed its 2026 program after 23 days with a total audience of more than 1.7 million across ticketed and free events, Australasian Leisure Management reported on 26 September. It was the first festival programmed by artistic director Ebony Bott.

The Festival Village at South Bank drew more than 535,000 visitors, most of whom attended two or more events there, according to the report. The village offered more than 90 free workshops, talks and interactive experiences, the nightly Bright Nights by ANZ light display, the Giant Sing Along installation by Daily tous les jours and the Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent.

Works named in the report include Suzie Miller's AFLW drama Strong is the New Pretty, DIAVOLO's ESCAPE, Be the Sky by Tenzin Choegyal and Philip Glass, and Calvin Bowman's The Complete Bach Catalogue for Organ at QPAC. Community events included Brisbane Serenades, the Moorooka Block Party and the Common People Dance Eisteddfod.

Riverfire, the fireworks display that marks the opening days of the festival, was held on Saturday 5 September. Australian Associated Press reported an estimated crowd of 500,000, and an additional sixth fireworks barge that extended the display along the river towards the city.

“There are things you imagine when you're building a festival, and then there's what happens when you hand it over to a city,” Bott said, as quoted in the report.

The festival's website lists the 2027 festival for 3 to 25 September, with Riverfire on Saturday 4 September 2027.