Now in its fifth year, Samhain returns to Nambour on the Sunshine Coast with a bold program of live music, art, and film.
Set over three days – from October 30-November 1 – the Old Ambulance Station, on Howard Street, is set to come alive this spooky season in the region’s inner-creative hub.
There will be experimental live performance, immersive installations, and cinema, across three unique spaces.
Presented by Basket of Hammers, it all kicks off on Thursday, October 30, in the Gallery, with an evening of live music and visual art.
Headlined by Mick Turner, of Dirty Three (main picture), Mick will perform an exclusive set just for Nambour, which blends his signature guitar work with immersive sound and visuals.
The opening night also features Heinz Riegler (sound and installation works), Naomi Blacklock (experimental sound and movement-based pieces) and Brinks Helm (visual art that plays with unexpected combinations of ideas).
EVENT DETAILS:
When: October 30 – November 1, 2025
Where: The Old Ambulance Station, Nambour, Sunshine Coast
What: Samhain: three days of music, art, and film.
Samhain tickets and full program: Humanitix.
Samhain is supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund – a partnership between Queensland Government, through Arts Queensland, and Sunshine Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
Full program: Samhain @ Old Ambulance Station, Nambour
Gallery | Thursday 30 October
The Gallery event opens Samhain 2025 with an evening of live music and visual art, headlined by
Mick Turner (Dirty Three), performing an exclusive live set just for Nambour that blends his
signature guitar work with immersive sound and visuals. The night also features Heinz Riegler with sound and installation works, Naomi Blacklock performing experimental sound and movement-based pieces, and Brinks Helm presenting visual art that plays with unexpected combinations of ideas.
Blackbox Theatre | Friday 31 October
- Our Carlson – Experimental breaks and ambient performance, with appearances at
Meredith Music Festival and Dark Mofo. - Kitchen’s Floor – Raw, lo-fi alternative rock, internationally toured and critically
acclaimed. - Deafcult – Six-piece blending shoegaze and alt-pop with dense guitar fuzz.
- Mo Shak (Moscos) – Iranian-born sound artist working across ambient techno and
industrial live sets.
Ramp Space Cinema | Saturday 1 November
- Film Safari Ghana: Redux – Andrew Leavold’s chaotic dive into Kumawood cinema.
- A Grand Mockery – Luminous Super 8 feature, winner of Best Feature at SXSW Sydney.
- All You Need Is Death – Australian premiere of Paul Duane’s Irish folk horror, starring
Olwen Fouéré (The Northman, Mandy).
Closing Party | Saturday 1 November - Borg DJ – Gubbi Gubbi-based selector closing the festival with an eclectic vinyl set.
Early-bird three-day weekender passes available until September – Just $80 for the whole
weekend! Day passes also available.
Main photo: Mick Turner via Facebook
Bringing music to ‘under-utilised’ and ‘unexpected’ space
The woman behind Samhain is Patricia McInerney, who has been putting on diverse experiences like Samhain for many years.
Patricia is one of many local creatives helping to stimulate the nighttime economy and put Nambour on the map, by bringing in residents and tourists from outside of the region’s CBD.
A musician herself, she performs as Diaspora The Explorer when she isn’t holding the fort at her promotion company.
Through Basket of Hammers and her home studio, GLÓR, Patricia creates raw, immersive experiences through supporting artists and musicians who work outside the mainstream.
Her focus is on transforming overlooked spaces and amplifying voices that challenge form and expectation.
She believes this curiosity builds culture, and the more room we make for unexpected encounters like Samhain, we get a stronger and more connected arts scene in return.
