Brisbane Festival 2023 Is Filling Victoria Park with a 10,000-Kazoo Orchestra — and You Can Take Part

Brisbane will really be humming at this mass-participation event, which is aiming to break the record for the largest kazoo ensemble ever.
Sarah Ward
May 28, 2023

If playing a musical instrument in public is on your bucket list, and breaking a world record as well, then the first event announced for Brisbane Festival 2023 other than perennial favourite Riverfire has you covered. 10,000 Kazoos is exactly what it sounds like, amassing 10,000 Brisbanites to get humming and hopefully go down in history. Never played a kazoo before? That doesn't matter.

This kazoo orchestra will unleash its tunes on Saturday, September 23, on the last day of this year's Brisbane Festival, taking over Victoria Park. The greenery will indeed be alive with the sound of music, in a huge mass-participation that just might make the record books.

Michael Pham

That said, given that 10,000 Kazoos is popping up in Melbourne this winter as part of the Victorian capital's RISING festival, Brisbane's version will need to top whatever numbers its southern event pulls in. If you're keen to help, registrations to take part open on Sunday, May 28. And no, you don't even need your own kazoo.

Biodegradable versions of the buzzing musical instrument will be provided to everyone on the day. Once you have one, you'll just pop it in your mouth and start humming, which is what makes the membrane of the kazoo vibrate.

As well as the big performance, Brisbane Festival's newfound kazoo obsession will span free kazoo workshops in 20 or so spots around the city in order to help whip up the original composition that will be played by the 10,000 kazoodlers.

Until a few years back, Brisbane Festival previously wrapped up with fireworks, rather than started with them — but this is bound to make a memorable closing concert.

Wondering what else will pop up at this year's citywide arts and culture celebration? More news is on the way soon, and the full lineup will be revealed in July.

Victoria Park

Brisbane Festival 2023 runs from Friday, September 1–Saturday, September 23 all around Brisbane, with 10,000 Kazoos popping up at Victoria Park, Herston, on Saturday, September 23. You can register to take part from Sunday, May 28.

Published on May 28, 2023 by Sarah Ward
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