Brisbane Festival evolved from the Warana Festival founded in 1961. Warana was billed as “entertainment for the people, by the people” and offered a number of festivals and activities. Although it was much loved by Brisbanians, the city had aspirations for something more sophisticated, which needed a new approach. So, the Warana Festival was replaced by Brisbane Festival, whose first installment was held in 1996.
Originally a biennial event, Brisbane Festival has been held annually since 2009 when it merged with Riverfestival. Since its inception, the festival has had four artistic directors: jazz musician and composer Tony Gould (1996–2004), operatic baritone Lyndon Terracini (2006–2009), producer and impresario Noel Staunton (2010–2014), and theater director David Berthold (2015–2018).
Brisbane Festival is held every spring in September, running over three weeks. It attracts an annual audience of one million spectators from all over Australia and abroad. The festival is a curated event and its character depends on the vision of the artistic director.
The festival program encompasses classical and contemporary music, theater, dance, comedy, opera, circus, cabarets, street performers, fireworks, performances, exhibitions, film screenings, and more. Brisbane Festival offers an excellent line-up featuring local, national and international acts. There’s also a special program for children and their families.
One of the festival’s signature events is Riverfire, a massive fireworks display held on the final day of Brisbane Festival. Another highlight of Brisbane Festival is Theater Republic, a special program for independent artists offering free performances in the Theater Republic Bar. A lot of visitors are drawn by Arcadia, an amusement park with fairground rides, food stalls, bars, live music, and other entertainment for people of all ages.
Photo: brisbanefestival.com.au
