Nine Big Ticket Events That Are Worth Travelling to Brisbane For in 2022

A labyrinth of red and black wool is about to completely transform Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art from June 18–October 3. The eye-catching exhibition will showcase Berlin-based Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota and her work over the past quarter-century, coming to Brisbane after premiering in Tokyo back in 2019. And while it won’t sit 53 stories up or come with panoramic views of the city, as it did in Japan, Shiota’s string-heavy installations are certain to garner more than a little attention.

Fashioned from millions of strands, they resemble weaved, maze-like webs and take up entire rooms. The Soul Trembles is the largest-ever solo exhibition by the artist. Although GOMA hasn’t revealed just how much of the Tokyo lineup is coming to Brisbane, art lovers can expect an array of sprawling installations, sculptures and video footage of Shiota’s performances, as well as photographs and drawings. Highlighting her fascination with intangible concepts, such as memory, anxiety, dreams and silence, the ticketed display is Brissie’s big art date for the winter.

Image courtesy: Mori Art Museum, Tokyo. Photograph: Sunhi Mang.

Have you always wanted to wander around southeast Queensland’s Scenic Rim region, but never found the time? Well, consider the area’s annual Eat Local Week all the motivation you need. If exploring, eating and drinking can’t get you in the car and down the highway, then nothing can.

Unsurprisingly, that’s just the big-picture view of this nine-day festival. Promoting Scenic Rim produce and the people behind it, the program includes everything from olive grove tastings, brewery chats and artisan markets to a street food fest, wine and pizza in a vineyard and cheesemaking classes. Camel training, bush tucker, country cooking and a picnic in a Tamborine Mountain paddock are also on the bill — as is a spot of farm yoga. Basically, if it’s an event in the Beaudesert, Boonah, Beechmont and Mt Barney area between June 30 and July 8, it’s on the agenda.

Image: Scenic Rim Eat Local Week

Feed your curiosity with 17 days of installations and immersive experiences where science, art and technology meet. Follow a journey across the city with an interactive map, encountering soundscapes, projections and augmented reality (AR) at Brisbane’s incredible Curiocity event. 

You can expect the unexpected at this incredible festival. There’ll be mirages of icebergs provoking a sense of wonder, giant nests of repurposed consumer goods mixed with sound and AR elements speculating on the lives of megafauna and  “game music creation” that generates unique soundscapes specific to your time and place in the city. If that’s not enough, you can also get lost in immersive sound environments that draw together First Nations art and storytelling with science and electronic music or by attending live generative animation where the faces of the audience are woven into the projected artworks themselves.  

Top image: Tourism and Events Queensland.

Beer nerds, get ready to froff. There’s a brand new beer festival coming to Fortitude Music Hall. This modern beer experience will feature beers from local, interstate and international breweries — and your entry ticket generously includes samples from each and every one.

Don’t worry about running out of time to fit all the brews in — each session is four hours, so you’ll have plenty of time to sample the goods. Plus, you’ll be able to refuel between beers with on-site food including freshly shucked oysters, curry and steak frites. Whether you want to give some love to the locals at Working Title, head to the hazy masters at Mountain Culture or to dive into the weird and wonderful Wildflower brewing, you and your mates can kick back and enjoy good tunes and even better brews at this booze-filled event. Your ticket also includes a special commemorative glass to take with you. Score! 

World-class sports and international teams returning to Australia? It’s a post-pandemic dream come true for rugby union fans. For the first time since 2016, the England rugby union team will be back on Australian soil to face off with the Wallabies in a three-test series. And, the second test in the series will be battled out at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium in July.

At 7:55pm on Saturday, July 9, the old rivals will go head to head for a moment in sporting history that rugby union fans won’t want to miss. The Wallabies have been waiting for this moment for half a decade, and are set to give their rival a test series they won’t forget. Want to see the whole series? You can catch game one at Optus Stadium in Perth on Saturday, July 2 and the third and final game at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday, July 16.

Image: Visit Brisbane

The 2020 Queensland Champions Cup tournament is finally happening — in 2022. And although the big event is taking place two years later than planned, it’s still set to be one of the biggest events on Brisbane’s sporting calendar in 2022. 

The event will kick off with Brisbane Roar FC facing off against Leeds United on the Gold Coast. Then, Brisbane’s iconic Suncorp Stadium will host the battleground for a match between English Premier League teams Aston Villa and Leeds on Sunday, July 17. Consider yourself a superfan? You can splurge on one of the special packages on offer that include premium food and drinks, exclusive experiences and more.

Food fans, rejoice. One of the most anticipated food festivals in Queensland is back this year: Moreton Bay Food and Wine Festival. To make up for last year’s cancellation, it’s set to be even bigger and better than previous years. The event will take place from Friday, August 19 till Sunday, August 21 at Apex Park in Woody Point as part of the wider Tastes of Moreton Bay Feastival event.

Shining a spotlight on farmers, local producers and the freshest seafood, the event will highlight the abundance of local produce in the Brisbane and Moreton Bay areas.  You can expect a line-up of talented chefs and big-name restaurants from throughout the region who’ll be doing live cooking demonstrations at the festival. Plus, there’ll be live music to enjoy as you gaze over the glorious bay with a glass of local wine in hand — bliss.

If you want to emerge from your winter hibernation with a bang, Brisbane Festival has you covered. From Friday, September 2–Saturday, September 24, the city will be reignited with colour, light, art and music in a three-week celebration of arts and culture. This year, the festival kicks off with the annual Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust firework display, a distinct shift away from its usual position at the festival’s end. Then, boundary-pushing new art will converge on Brisbane, turning The River City itself into a giant gallery and theatre at once.

Expect international and homegrown curations, installations and performance — art that challenges and enlightens. Early announcements include a trilingual reworking of Shakespeare’s Othello, original Australian theatrical productions, and a showcase of First Nations artists and performers. The full program will be released soon, so keep an eye out.

The 35th incarnation of Woodford Folk Festival — a temporary village of alternative lifestyle, music, art and performance — is finally happening this December and January. Over six days and six nights, more than 2000 performers (and many, many more attendees) will bring this festival to life in the Sunshine Coast hinterland after a two-year pandemic-induced break. The festival will feature music from all over the globe including folk, rock, blues and First Nations performances, as well as children’s events, comedy, cabaret and talks on everything from social justice to science and innovation. 

You’ll be able to wander through market stalls, encounter installation artworks and take part in workshops and activities at the Bushtime camping experience on Jinibara Country as you see out the year in with thousands of other festival-goers. And that’s all before the mammoth closing ceremony fire display on New Year’s Eve that’ll help you welcome in 2023.