YELO’s Brisbane Music Festivals Guide is your guide to major festivals, seasonal programs and live music events across Brisbane and nearby South East Queensland.
Major Brisbane Festivals
From inner-city showcase events to large-scale touring festivals, Brisbane’s live music calendar mixes industry gatherings, winter cultural programs and major destination drawcards across the year.
Peptalk perform at BIGSOUND in Brisbane. Photo: Facebook.
CMC Rocks — March 20–22
CMC Rocks is one of Australia’s biggest country music festivals, bringing major international and Australian artists to Ipswich each year. Over nearly two decades, it has built a reputation for blockbuster line-ups and large-scale camping festival energy.
Website → CMC Rocks
BIGSOUND — September 1–4
BIGSOUND is the southern hemisphere’s biggest music industry gathering, combining a major conference with a live showcase festival across Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. It has helped launch the careers of numerous Australian artists and remains one of the country’s key discovery events.
Website → Bigsound Festival
Open Season — May 25–July 25
Presented by The Tivoli Group, Open Season is an annual Brisbane winter program bringing together music, art and contemporary cultural events across multiple venues and public spaces. What began as a response to the shutdown of the live music industry has grown into one of the city’s defining seasonal programs.
Website → https://openseason.live/
Brisbane and South East Queensland festivals
Woodfordia villagers enjoy a sunrise at Woodford Folk Festival. Photo: Facebook.
Beyond the biggest headline events, Brisbane audiences also move between nearby South East Queensland festivals that help shape the wider live music year around the city.
Woodford Folk Festival — December 27–January 1
Held at Woodfordia, Woodford Folk Festival is one of Australia’s best-known music and cultural gatherings. The six-night event blends music, arts, ideas and community experiences, drawing large crowds each summer from across Queensland and beyond.
Website → Woodford Folk Festival
Minden Music Festival — April 17
Held in the Lockyer Valley, Minden Music Festival is a smaller-scale regional festival that pairs local music with a scenic regional setting. Its smaller scale and community atmosphere make it a very different experience from Queensland’s major touring festivals.
Website → Minden Music Festival
Where We Belong — June 27
Where We Belong is a community fundraising event held at Redcliffe, combining well-known Australian acts with strong local support. It has built a reputation as a grassroots live music event with a strong community focus.
Website → Where We Belong
Related YELO Guides
Looking for more live music around the city? Explore YELO’s Brisbane gig guides, venue pages and broader Queensland festival coverage.
