The Curated Plate
Proving - once again - that we’re much more than simply ‘sunshine’ and ‘coast’ (though we do have that in spades) our winter line-up of events is packed with epic festivals worth your time.
Think multi-day art events that will have you seeing the Sunshine Coast in ways you’ve never seen it before, to foodie festivals that will leave you salivating, our off-season calendar is a true celebration of local culture.
Get ready to mark your calendars, because these Sunshine Coast events are ones not to miss.
Mary Valley GourMay
30 April – 3 June
When it comes to celebrating the best of winter produce, farmers and creators—Mary Valley GourMay is a glorious month-long festival dedicated to championing all three and you really can’t afford to miss it. Tucked away in the Gympie hinterland, the Mary Valley is a charming region famous for its country roads and seriously good produce. At GourMay you can expect a whole lot of food stalls, vendors, cooking demonstrations, farming presentations and competitions that celebrate the region’s produce. Hot tip, you’ll want to pace yourself for this month-long feast.
Queensland Garden Expo
7-9 July
Stilt walkers at the Queensland Garden Expo, Nambour
Whether you’re a bona fide horticulturist or a novice green thumb still learning the ins and outs of propagation, the Queensland Garden Expo is THE place to meet with gardening gurus. Spanning three mammoth days at the Nambour Showgrounds, you’ll be able to dive headfirst into workshops and classes on all the sustainable gardening practices you can use in your own garden, head to an actual Plant Clinic with a dedicated team of gardening experts on hand to answer your specific questions, let the little ones run wild on giant slides and jumping pillows, or take in a kaleidoscopic floral display.
Noosa Alive Festival
21-30 July
You’ve explored Noosa National Park, gone for a dip on Main Beach and dined out at one of the many drool-worthy restaurants that line Hastings Street, but have you seen Noosa Alive? This 10-day festival attracts performers, writers, film-makers, musicians, artists, chefs, environmentalists and commentators from across Australia and around the world to Noosa’s sandy shores. Expect a thought-provoking program of music and theatre that will have you seeing Noosa from a whole new perspective.
Horizon Festival
25 August – 3 September
Horizon Festival: credit Nic Morley and Horizon Festival
This winter, make sure you lap up the cultural vibrancy on hand at the Sunshine Coast’s home of contemporary art – Horizon Festival. This mega 10-day festival is loaded with visual art, music, interactive theatre, dance, film, large-scale installations and creative workshops all inspired by local stories. Horizon Festival believes that art is transformative and celebrates home-grown and global artists who create artistic experiences that reflect the here and now, igniting new ideas and fuelling the cultural vibrancy of the region. The festival delights in the natural beauty of the Sunshine Coast, with a program that honours the Traditional Custodians of this Country; the Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Peoples.
The Curated Plate
28 July – 6 August
The Curated Plate
Hot off the press is the announcement that The Curated Plate is back this year, inviting foodies to embark on a culinary journey from the seafood hub of Mooloolaba to the rich volcanic soils of the Hinterland. The Curated Plate is all about connecting people to place through food, and across the festival’s 10 days you’ll learn the stories of the local farmers, the producers whose secret ingredient is a generous pinch of passion and the chefs who celebrate local in every dish.
Buskers By The Lake
19-20 August
Lucy Gallant - Buskers by the Lake 2021
From juggling watermelons to dancing poodles and human scarecrows, Buskers By The Lake brings together the very best street performers from the Sunshine Coast and around the world. Set on the banks of Lake Kawana, this melting point of creativity and culture
will leave you wide-eyed with displays of sword swallowing, waterborne magic and the ever-popular floating half-pipe where BMX riders and skateboarding daredevils seem to defy the laws of gravity.
Australian Wearable Art Festival
11-12 August
Where Gautier meets Picasso, the Australian Wearable Art Festival is a weekend of creativity like no other. Here, you’ll witness 40 national and international designers storm the runway to compete in the 2023 Gala Awards, their models dripping in wearable art that truly has to be seen to be believed.
Gympie Music Muster
24-27 August
The Gympie Music Muster
Music lovers listen up, one of Australia’s best country, blues, folk and rock festivals is coming to Gympie this winter in a showdown that has your name written all over it. Over four days the Gympie Music Muster will feature more than 100 artists across six venues, all set against the backdrop of the picturesque Amamoor State Forest. With camping onsite, it’s a true country experience.
Rangebow Festival
10-13 August
No festival celebrates diversity, inclusiveness, sustainability and reconciliation all at once quite like The Rangebow Festival. Taking place annually in the Hinterland hills, this glitter-filled carnival boasts drag workshops, provocative theatre, Indigenous food experiences and hey, even a pyjama dance party.
Sunshine Sounds
Alongside ice cold brews and locally-crafted gin, Sunshine Sounds is a boutique and all-ages music festival presented by Kin Music—a production company run by five-time ARIA award-winning singer-songwriter Katie Noonan. Here, you’ll find performances of all-ages with plenty of local flair and community injected into every aspect of the festival - making it a perfect winter run for the whole family!