From Sydney Fringe Festival to Surfers Paradise’s springtime festival, these are the bests spring 2023 festivals in Australia.
Sunny days and cool nights – September to November means getting out to enjoy the delicious weather at Australia’s best spring festivals. Whether you’re cracking up over comedy shows at the world-renowned Sydney Fringe Festival or taking a trip out of Brissie to appreciate the jacaranda blooms at the Grafton Jacaranda Festival, our list has something for all ages and price brackets, so you’ll have every reason to get out and soak up the sun.
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The below festivals acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which our events are held and recognise elders past and present, as well as the first nations people of Australia.
The best spring festivals in Australia: NSW
Sydney Fringe Festival
Festival dates: 1 – 30 September 2023
Expect the unexpected at Sydney Fringe Festival this spring, where often-underrepresented homegrown talent will showcase their creativity acrossmusical theatre, cabaret, dance, comedy, music, and even circus performances. With more than 450 events taking place across 70 locations in Sydney, this is your chance to rediscover the city from Harbourside to Inner West, with drag from RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under season two winner Spankie Jackzon, (bad) mum advice from Jo Ghastly, and more.
📍 Multiple locations across Greater Sydney
Heading to Sydney for the occasion but not sure where to grab a bite or a drink? Rediscover our top 10 best outdoor seafood restaurants in the city and a selection of rooftops where you can enjoy a drink with a view. And remember that Westpac Concierge is here to help with your bookings.
Broken Heel Festival
Festival dates: 7 – 11 September 2023
Fans of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert can embark on their own desert adventure at the Broken Heel Festival, wheredrag queens and kings pay homage to the Aussie cult classic movie. Cabaret, comedy, opera, live music, and DJ performances can be expected, along with a drag parade taking over Main Street and an interactive screening of the movie. Those who choose to spend the whole weekend at the festival can stay on for a Monday recovery session too.
📍 227 Argent Street, Broken Hill, NSW 2880
Grafton Jacaranda Festival
Festival dates: 27 October – 5 November 2023
Grafton’s hundreds of jacaranda trees come to life during the Grafton Jacaranda Festival – an all-out celebration ofspring’s lilac-coloured homecoming. You’ll want to book a few nights to witness as much as possible, including the crowning of the Jacaranda Queen, a parade of jacaranda-themed floats, and an Aboriginal culture celebration day. Plenty of local food and drink is guaranteed, too, with complimentary breakfast even on offeron the town’s half-day public holiday, Thursday 2 November.
📍 Multiple locations across Grafton
The best spring festivals in Australia: Queensland
Brisbane Festival
Festival dates: 1 – 23 September 2023
Brisbane Festival puts the city’s cultural ingenuity in the spotlight with plenty of local and international acts staging everything from dance and comedy to cabaret and visual art installations. Expect a grander scale than ever before with a 10,000-kazoo orchestra that the whole family can participate in (complimentary kazoo included); a multidimensional, 400-drone light show of the city’s 65,000-year-old past; and even an 80s street party complete with roller-skating and dance competitions.
📍 Multiple locations across Brisbane
Keep the festivities going with our suggestions of fun things to do in Brisbane after dark.
SPRINGTIME Music Festival
Festival dates: 1 – 3 September 2023
Kick off the official start of spring at the SPRINGTIME Music Festival, a high-octane music extravaganza for all ages that you can attend at no charge. You’ll get to relish the first taste of the spring sun right on Surfers Paradise beach while listening to the likes ofBag Raiders, BENEE, and Matt Corby, or even participate in Quest of Chaos– an obstacle course, live action video game, and retro art installation rolled into one.
📍 Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, QLD 4217
The best spring festivals in Australia: ACT
Floriade
Festival dates: 16 September – 15 October 2023
2023’s Floriade theme of Floral Wonderland promises more than one million blooms for you to explore in the Commonwealth Park, including the Tulip Trail withmore than 300,000 bulbs planted by the local community in anticipation of the festival. Live performances, Aboriginal cultural celebrations, food and wine, horticultural workshops, diverse market traders, and inspiring artistic displays are expected at this year’s festival, along with a special day for your fur babies to enjoy on Sunday 15 October.
📍 Commonwealth Park, Commonwealth Avenue, Canberra ACT 2601
The best spring festivals in Australia: SA
Adelaide Film Festival
Festival dates: 18 – 29 October 2023
The Adelaide Film Festival is the perfect opportunity for avid movie-goers tobe among the first to see films and shorts from Australia and the world in a creative environment of like-minded aesthetes. There are also special days for middle and senior school students to experience a curated lineup of films. You’ll need to buy tickets to see the selected films, with the MultiPass being the more value-for-money option for you to see three, seven, or 10 films.
📍 Multiple locations across Adelaide
If you’re a culture buff, you’ll also like to hear about the best art galleries and museums in A-town. And because we can’t possibly let you experience the city’s vibrant cultural life on an empty stomach, we’ve also scoured its streets to bring a list of the best street-food bites to try around Adders.
The best spring festivals in Australia: WA
Everlasting Kings Park Festival
Festival dates: 1 – 30 September 2023
Western Australia’s renowned wildflowers will be on full display at the Everlasting Kings Park Festival, with exhibitions; guided walks and bike tours; and outdoor wellness activities such as yoga, meditation, and tai chi on offer. Those wanting to upgrade their gardens can attend workshops by, and purchase native plants directly from, expert horticulturalists, giving you a great opportunity to get firsthand advice on how to manage your garden for Australia’s diverse environmental conditions.
📍 Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Fraser Avenue, Perth WA 6005
Feeling romantic this spring? Here’s our top 12 romantic restaurants in Perth.
