Luminous Festival

Overview

Maybe you'll see a glowing giraffe. Perhaps you'll spy a dazzling koala. Or, you might find yourself peering at the sun — but much closer than usual. They're just some of the lanterns that could be brightening up the inky night sky at the 2024 Luminous Festival, which returns to South Bank Parklands from 11am–8pm on Saturday, August 3, complete with a lantern parade from 6pm.

The parade part of the fest doesn't just give the riverside spot a new glow for the fun of it. As the entire event does, it celebrates multiculturalism and has for more than 15 years now. Over that time, Luminous has grown to become quite the hefty — and radiant — date on Brisbane's calendar, with 2024's timed to mark the start of Queensland Multicultural Month.

Free to head along to, the festival champions diversity and welcomes new Queenslanders, including migrants, refugees, international students and people seeking asylum.

As well as the lanterns, the program spans cooking demonstrations in the South Bank Piazza, music and dance workshops,  sports activations, live tunes and performances, and a market filled with food and craft stalls. So, your day can including catching Bollywood and Tibetan dancers, learning how to whip up South Sudanese and Samoan cuisine, giving African drumming a try, tucking into Afghan dishes, then hanging out with Brisbane Lions players.