Festivals, the Australian Way
As a country that loves life and lives in the moment, Australia is home to a thriving and diverse festival culture that celebrates everything from food and sustainability, to arts and creativity. With its doors finally open, Australia is welcoming travellers through its diverse and dynamic festivals scene, the perfect chance to gather with people from all over the world and revel in everything we’ve been missing.
After a two-year pause, many of Australia’s biggest festivals are finally making a comeback. And if making unforgettable memories is on the itinerary, joining the festivities in Australia is a must. Among the hundreds of festivals coming up throughout the year, here are just a few that exemplify Australia’s never-ending zest for life.
Splendour in the Grass (Bilinudgel, NSW)
22-24 July 2022
Rock out to the tunes of over 100 renowned artists and bands, including Gorillaz, The Strokes, and Tyler, the Creator, at one of Australia’s hottest music festivals. Festivalgoers will be treated to a spectacular view against the stunning backdrop of North Byron Parklands, a beautiful 660-acre cultural arts and music events venue featuring rolling green pastures, lush forest, and coastal surrounds.
That’s not all – soak in Australia’s creativity through the Splendour Arts program that will transform the area with a killer collection of artworks in the form of installations, sculptures, light installations and much more. Splendour 2022 caters to everybody and anybody, even little ones! Families can bring their kids to Little Splendour for them to partake in workshops and other fun activities that foster creativity.
Back in 2019, Splendour in the Grass won a green gong at the NSW Government Green Globe Awards and this year is no exception. The festival host takes its responsibility to Mother Earth seriously and has put in place a slew of environmental initiatives to help minimise the event’s carbon footprint.
Illuminate Adelaide (Adelaide, SA)
July 2022
Relatively new to the festival circuit, Illuminate Adelaide is putting the spotlight on South Australia. It’s a stunning city-wide spectacle that spotlights music, innovation, technology, and (you guessed it!) light throughout the entire month of July.
From city streets, laneways and buildings, explore the wonders of Adelaide through the full festival program, including an AI-driven multisensory experience, an up-close and immersive concert series combining classical music with hypnotic live visuals, and Instagram-worthy photo-taking hotspots courtesy of Illuminate Adelaide’s City Lights event.
Sample Food Festival (Byron Bay, NSW)
3 September 2022
After two heart-breaking postponements, the Sample Food Festival returns – just in time to celebrate their 10th anniversary at the Bangalow Showground. Since its debut in 2011, the festival has been actively connecting food, local producers, chefs, and foodies for a day of unforgettable tastes and flavours.
Get ready for a delightful treat and savour dishes from Northern New South Wales’ top restaurants and the region’s best beverages. In addition to live music and guest chefs, the festival will also feature an impressive selection of local producers and artisans who will take you on a gastronomic adventure.
Brisbane Festival (Brisbane, QLD)
2-24 September 2022
Be bold. Be brave. Be Brisbane. That is the spirit of Brisbane’s most anticipated event of the year, celebrating the city’s personality with an explosion of arts performances and experiences. The festival makes the river and iconic city landmarks its stage, creating art that enlivens, delights, and disrupts with its curated multi-arts program.
Brisbane’s artists bring their dream projects to life for the festival through dazzling events, including a moving orchestral performance, an enthralling theatre production, and a captivating opera show among others.
Environmental Film Festival Australia (Melbourne, VIC)
October 2022
In line with Australia’s efforts in sustainability and spreading environmental awareness, Environmental Film Festival Australia (EFFA)inspires people to discuss, explore, and act on important environmental issues. The festival features films from the most talented and socially-conscious filmmakers from around the world and explores topics such as sustainability, habitats, and the connections and challenges between people and place.
With the aim of fuelling passionate conversations about making the world a better place, EFFA is a 100% volunteer-run festival that accompanies online screenings, a developing environmental arts stream, and other events happening throughout the year.
“Diversity is a huge part of Australia’s story and we are thrilled to be seeing increased demand for supporting our multicultural landscape, icons, and people. The growing number of festivals in Australia celebrate this diversity in various creative ways — whether they be art and fashion festivals, or light festivals and even bloom festivals, and often in ways that are sustainable as well.”
Brent Anderson, Regional General Manager, South & South East Asia (SSEA), Tourism Australia
