Festivals hero
It’s time to clear your calendar and plan your next escape around these Sunshine Coast festivals in 2022.
January
30 January: Malt and Meat Festival, Maltshovel Taphouse
Nothing says festival like a Sunday afternoon filled with brews, meats and mates!
There will be a lineup of 40 beers to sample, slow cooked meats to taste and a Gentleman Jack whiskey bar by Jack Daniels where you can explore the malted flavours of whiskey.
February
From 12 February: Salty Saturdays, Coolum
On the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month, you will find free entertainment and delicious food by the beach in Coolum.
25 February: Night Market - Brazilian Carnaval, Nightquarter
No one parties like the Brazilians so why not join them? Experience the magic, the groove and the colour of the Brazilian Carnaval with samba dancers and Carnaval drummers and Brazilian eats this summer.
March
5-13 March: Noosa Festival of Surfing
Considered Australia's largest surfing event and the only one of its kind in the world, this is a beach vibe that is hard to pass up.
Noosa Festival of Surfing
There will be legends, pros, amateurs and even dogs hitting the waves in Noosa, plus a beach bar, live music, art show and shaping exhibitions.
11 March: Mooloolaba Triathlon
Mooloolaba Triathlon
It may not sound like a festival but for sport-lovers, the Mooloolaba Triathlon (Moo Tri) is definitely a party. Moo Tri offers four great races in one stunning beach town, and it is the second biggest triathlon in the country.
19 March: Asian Food Festival, Spicers Tamarind Retreat
Celebrate with your tastebuds! Enjoy incredible Asian food and cooking demonstrations in the beautiful rainforest surrounds of Maleny. There will be live entertainment all afternoon and a Riesling Master Class.
19 March: Craft Beer & Cider Festival, Nightquarter
Craft Beer & Cider Festival
It’s a ‘cellar-bration’ of all things Craft Beer & Cider right here on the Sunshine Coast! There be will 20 hand-picked Australian brewers and cideries showcasing over 100 brews, some of the rarest and sought-after creations of the Sunshine Coast region all ready for the tasting.
Wash it down with some great food stalls and local produce.
26 March: Offbeat Festival, Eumundi
It’s a line-up of musicians, artists and performers that is a little offbeat, a little quirky, a little off the beaten track, and a little bit of the unexpected!
It’s an outdoor music event that promises to be a fantastic day of music.
April
8-10 April: Australia Body Art Festival, Cooroy
Want to see some humans transformed into canvases of incredible art? The theme this year is ‘Time Travel’ and both artists and art lovers alike will be able to come together in Cooroy to celebrate all things body art – expressing their interpretation of this year’s theme.
29 April: Anywhere Festival, Maroochydore
Discover places and performances by amazing artists in the nooks and crannies of the Sunshine Coast with this a unique cultural experience for locals and visitors alike.
From poetry in light houses, circus in driveways, music in backyards, storytelling on ferries and theatre in hedge mazes, you never know what you might find.
30 April: Maleny Wood Expo
It’s an extravaganza of woodcrafts, carving and even steam bending for the uninitiated! Wander at leisure through lovingly crafted timber products, talk to the craftsmen and women who’ve created them, glimpse skills of the early timber-cutters and smell the spicy aroma of newly milled timber.
May
21 May: Australian Wearable Art Festival, Bokarina
Art collides with fashion and costumes at this event. Be prepared for an excess of beauty, creativity and splendour all in one room. With four main categories, the wearable artworks might be made from beautiful fresh flowers, repurposed bicycle tyres, teabags or police tape.
21-22 May: Multisport Festival, Ewen Maddock Dam
Go off thebeaten track with two action packed events including TreX Cross Triathlon Champs and Trail Run Australia in a spectacular part of the Sunshine Coast. The majority of the action takes place on winding single track through ferned rainforests, so you might not even notice your muscles burning!
29 May: Goomeri Pumpkin Festival
Add the ‘Great Australian Pumpkin Roll’ to your list of quirky things to tell your friends you did on holiday… This crazy festival also includes pumpkin bowls, pumpkin shotput, and the pumpkin pull.
The Great Australian Pumpkin Roll
There is all day entertainment on the big stage and street markets featuring a wide range of food containing pumpkin – pumpkin scones, pumpkin bread rolls, pumpkin pies, pumpkin sausages, and – of course – pumpkin soup.
June
5 June: World Environment Day Festival
A festival that lasts an entire month and spans the entire Sunshine Coast is hard to pass up. Enjoy family-friendly tree plantings, workshops, live music, art and more. The program covers everything a budding environmentalist could want in these categories 'Coastal', 'Wetland', 'Community', 'Rainforest' and 'Regenerative Agriculture'.
July
8-9 July: Queensland Garden Expo, Nambour
Queensland Garden Expo
Queensland Garden Expo is a three-day celebration of gardening. Great food, entertainment and a range of free children's activities all combine to make Queensland Garden Expo a great day out for all the family.
August
6 August: The Rangebow Festival, Montville
A week-long festival celebrating the creative life and spirit of the range communities with a focus on four themes: diversity, inclusiveness, sustainability and reconciliation.
20-22 August: Buskers by the Lake, Bokarina
Buskers by the Lake
Get ready for the biggest busking festival in Australia! While busking is the heart and soul of the event, there are lots more you can enjoy: Afro-Brazilian drums, daring stunts, floating half-pipe, and so much more.
25-28 August: Gympie Music Muster
More than just music can be found in the forest at Amamoor. From campfire cook ups around the campsite to boot scootin' in front of the main stage, the Muster has a way of bringing people together.
Discover a mix of country, roots, blues, folk and rock music as well as workshops, dancing and bush poets at one of Australia’s oldest camping and music festivals.
26 August: Horizon Festival
Horizon Festival
Put it in your diary: 10 days and nights of visual art, music, theatre, dance and creative workshops across the Sunshine Coast.
The program of events celebrates home-grown and global artists who create artistic experiences that reflect the ‘here and now.’
26-28 August: That’s Not My Dog! The Festival, Kings Beach
It’s a three-day festival of laughter, tunes and food with some of Australia’s biggest names in comedy and music. Hosted by Aussie entertainment legend Shane Jacobson, the festival will bring That’s Not My Dog! (The Movie), to life.
October
30 September – 2 October: Caloundra Music Festival
Caloundra Music Festival
If you're looking for ideas for your next holiday and you love great music, then this three days of sun, surf and sounds is a must-do.
On the shore at King’s Beach, enjoy world-class music, food, arts and local culture.
November
24-26 November: Yonder Festival, Imbil
It’s time to get spiritual. Yonder welcomes you to lose yourself in the beautiful site – to find moments of peace at The Space Between Notes, to dance without inhibition at Yonderland, to discover new artists, and build new friendships.
The festival boasts everything from a stacked music lineup across four stages to a feast of roving, theatrical and visual artists, plus a heap of workshops and panels on wellbeing.