This year’s Brisbane Festival program is jam-packed with lots of exciting and engaging shows and events for Brisbane Kids and their families. Officially opening the festival on Saturday 6th September is the family-favourite Riverfire, which is a night not to be missed.

Running over 20 days, the 2025 Brisbane Festival brings together more than 100 different events to celebrate our city, including Sea of Light (20th September – 5th October), Afterglow (5th – 27th September), Baleen Moondjan (18th – 21st September), and Skylore – Nieergoo: Spirit of the Whale (25th – 27th September).

Brisbane Festival provides a mix of free and ticketed events across lots of Brisbane’s premier entertainment venues, including South Bank, QPAC, Brisbane Powerhouse, Queen’s Wharf, the Museum of Brisbane, and the City Botanic Gardens

Check out our list of all the family friendly Brisbane Festival 2025 highlights below, appearing in order of starting date.

Brisbane Festival 2025 Highlights

With a massive lineup of performances and events across the festival, you can check out the full program for Brisbane Festival 2025 here. These are some of the family-friendly highlights:

Afterglow

When: From 5:45pm daily, 5th – 27th September

Where: City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane City

Tickets: from $20 child, Adult $26 off peak, Child (3-12 Years) $26, Adult $32. Flexi tickets also available. (bookings essential)

As twilight falls, Brisbane’s City Botanic Gardens glow with Afterglow, a breathtaking family-friendly experience of fire sculptures, light, and sound. This magical after-dark journey runs in September. It’s popular and unforgettable, so book well in advance to secure your spot.

For more information, click here.

Sea of Light

When: 20th Sep – 5th Oct

Where: INVENTory, Queensland Museum Kurilpa. Level 4

Cost: Ticketing information coming soon

Sea of Light at Queensland Museum Kurilpa is a 30-minute interactive adventure filled with glowing art and imagination. Suitable for all ages, families can paint with light, explore luminous sea floor artworks by Elizabeth Close, and enjoy a gentle soundscape inspired by Australia’s land and sea connections.

For more information, click here. 

ANZ’s Walk This Way by Craig & Karl

When: 5th – 27th September

Where: Neville Bonner Bridge, the Goodwill Bridge, and the new Kangaroo Point Bridge.

Cost: Free

Brisbane bursts with colour as acclaimed art duo Craig & Karl transform three major walking bridges into immersive installations. Their bold, playful designs light up the Neville Bonner, Goodwill, and Kangaroo Point bridges, creating a vibrant centrepiece for Brisbane Festival 2025. Don’t miss this joyful celebration of art and place.

For more information, click here.

Riverfire 2025

When: Saturday 6th September

Where: All riverside areas, South Bank

Cost: FREE, depending on the location you choose

The iconic Brisbane Riverfire is a not to be missed fireworks spectacular that will officially open the Brisbane Festival in 2025. Families come from all over Queensland to watch this world class display, which features fireworks fired from multiple bridges, barges and city rooftops, set to an amazing soundtrack. 

For more information and the best vantage points, click here.

Skylore — Nieergoo: Spirit of the Whale

When: 25th – 27th September, 7.15pm, 8.15pm and 9.15pm each night

Where: Queen’s Wharf

Cost: Free

Hundreds of drones dazzle above the Brisbane River in Skylore: Nieergoo – Spirit of the Whale, a breathtaking Brisbane Festival event. Narrated by Yuggera and Turrbal man Shannon Ruska with music by Guy Webster, this stunning tribute to Culture and Country is best viewed from South Bank or Queen’s Wharf.

For more information, click here.

For more information on all Brisbane Festival events, full program details and ticket sales, click here.