October in Brisbane: top events in your city this month
There are well over a thousand events on around Brisbane this month, and a long weekend to kick it off with a Grand Final in the middle of it. These are the forty-odd we'd actually message the group chat about.
Every pick below links to its live page on Keen, with dates, prices and the ticket link. The links retire once an event is done, so if one tells you it's been and gone, that's the truth doing its job. For the always-current version, what's on in Brisbane is rebuilt from the catalogue nightly. Heading down the M1? The Gold Coast has its own October picks now.
Grand Final Sunday: where to watch
Roosters v Knights on Sunday 4 October, and because Queensland keeps its clocks where they are, kick-off here is 6:30pm while Sydney calls it 7:30. Monday's the King's Birthday holiday, so nobody has an excuse. The full list is on where to watch the Grand Final in Brisbane.
Grand Final party at Riverside Arms
Eagle Street, Brisbane City · Sunday 4 October, from 2:30pm
A twelve-hour party: live music from 2:30pm, the build-up from 6pm, the game on the big screens and a DJ from full-time to the 3am close. Bookings essential, stamina optional.
Grand Final at Felons Barrel Hall
Howard Smith Wharves · Sunday 4 October
Eight screens under the bridge: book a spot inside the Barrel Hall or walk in and watch on the outdoor screens, with a DJ set after the match.
Grand Final at Valley Hops Brewing
Fortitude Valley · Sunday 4 October, from 11am
Stadium screens on the rooftop and in the beer garden, DJs from 11am and kick-ons into the public holiday. Book or walk in.
Grand Final at Gas Hound
Newstead · Sunday 4 October, from 3:30pm
A whole pig on the spit, carved hot and brought to your table, live music until 7pm and the game with full stadium sound.
Grand Final at the Pig 'N' Whistle
Brunswick Street Mall, Fortitude Valley · Sunday 4 October
A mega screen out in the mall itself, plus the big screens inside. Book a table if you want to sit down for it.
Grand Final at The Crossbar
Easts Leagues Club, Coorparoo · Sunday 4 October
Seats are $5 and come with a $5 food and drink voucher, which is the best maths you'll see all weekend. Limited, so book ahead.
The big nights
Post Malone's BIG ASS World Tour
Suncorp Stadium, Milton · Monday 12 October
A stadium singing every word back, with Don Toliver as special guest. A Monday night, so plan Tuesday accordingly.
Zara Larsson: Midnight Sun Tour
Riverstage · 13 and 14 October
A big outdoor pop show as the sun goes down over the river. Two nights, so you can't use "sold out" as an excuse.
Louis Tomlinson
Riverstage · Saturday 24 October
A big outdoor show and a crowd that knows every word. Somebody in your chat has been waiting a decade for this.
5 Seconds of Summer
Riverstage · Wednesday 28 October
A huge outdoor show from a band a lot of people grew up on, on their Everyone's a Star world tour.
Ezra Collective
The Tivoli · Friday 2 October
The Mercury Prize winners turn the Tivoli into a dancefloor. Jazz for people who think they don't like jazz.
Don McLean: American Pie 55th Anniversary Tour
The Fortitude Music Hall · Monday 12 October
American Pie and the rest, sung by the man who wrote them. The whole room will know all eight and a half minutes.
James with Razorlight
The Fortitude Music Hall · Tuesday 13 October
Two big British bands on one bill. A Tuesday you will be talking about on Wednesday.
TISM: No Mistakes Tour
The Fortitude Music Hall · Saturday 17 October
Balaclavas, chaos and songs you'd forgotten you knew. Do not overthink the outfit.
Portugal. The Man: The Denali Tour
The Fortitude Music Hall · Sunday 18 October
A major international act on a Sunday night, which is the civilised way to do it.
Ash Grunwald with the Brisbane City Gospel Choir
The Princess Theatre, Woolloongabba · Sunday 18 October
Gritty blues with a full gospel choir behind it. A Sunday night that sends you home lighter.
You Am I: Strung Up
The Tivoli · 22 and 23 October
One of the great Australian live bands, two nights. Bring the mate who owns the t-shirt.
The Whitlams: Return to Rock Island
The Triffid, Newstead · 23 and 24 October
An old-fashioned pub run back to the rooms that made them. Someone will request No Aphrodisiac; it will be you.
The Rubens: Group Therapy Tour
The Tivoli · Friday 30 October
A big Australian band and a room that sings every chorus. Friday night, sorted.
Festival days
Valley Fiesta
Brunswick Street Mall, Fortitude Valley · Saturday 3 October Free
The Valley's big free street party turns thirty, from 1pm to 10pm on the long weekend Saturday. Stages, food and the whole neighbourhood out.
Brisbane Writers Festival
Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm · 8 to 11 October
Four days of writers, panels and arguments about books. Highlights include Alice Oseman on Heartstopper and Shaun Micallef on Matthew Flinders, both on the 11th.
Hocus Pocus Halloween
Bulimba Memorial Park · Saturday 3 October
Billed as Brisbane's biggest Halloween festival, a month early: a kids' disco, games, food trucks and prizes for the best costumes, group ones included.
Brisbane Celtic Festival
Moorlands Park, Auchenflower · Sunday 11 October
Fiddles, pipe bands, highland dancers and a caber toss. Someone in your crew will want to have a go at the caber; let them.
Brisbane Pride Fair Day
New Farm Park · Saturday 24 October
Pride Fair Day takes over New Farm Park. Pack a picnic, find your people.
Stage and orchestra
Cinematic: The Wonder of Animation
QPAC, South Brisbane · 23 and 24 October
The songs from the animated films you loved, played live by an orchestra. Expect at least one person in your row to tear up at a song from their childhood.
Maestro 8: Scheherazade
QPAC, South Brisbane · 16 and 17 October
Scheherazade, with the solo violin doing the storytelling. Grand, sweeping and worth dressing up for.
Saturday Night Comedy: An Improvised Musical
Big Fork Theatre, Fortitude Valley · Saturday 3 October
A whole Broadway musical made up on the spot. Your suggestions become the songs, so choose wisely.
The Dark Side of the Moon
Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, Mt Coot-tha · Saturday 3 October
Pink Floyd wrapped around you under the planetarium dome. Lie back and let it happen.
Exhibitions and slow afternoons
Brisbane Sculpture Festival
Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Mt Coot-tha · until 30 October
Sculpture scattered through the botanic gardens. Wander, take it in, pretend you have opinions about bronze.
Precious
Museum of Brisbane · all month
Thousands of curiosities from Brisbane's most obsessive collectors. It will make you feel better about your own shelf.
Lord Mayor's Photographic Awards
Museum of Brisbane · until 25 October
Everyday Brisbane through the eyes of the people who live here.
Convict Brisbane Walking Tour
Museum of Brisbane · Saturday mornings
Ninety minutes tracing the convict town under the modern city. You will never look at Queen Street the same way.
Comedy
Che Durena
The Tivoli · Friday 9 October
A decade-honed stand-up set from a very online comic, finally in a room.
Shane Todd: Hold Me Back
The Tivoli · Wednesday 28 October
Sharp storytelling from a comic who takes nothing seriously, least of all himself.
Friday Night Comedy with Suren Jayemanne
Good Chat Comedy Club, Petrie Terrace · Friday 2 October
A heritage-listed comedy room hidden under Caxton St Brewing, with Suren Jayemanne headlining the long weekend's opening night.
Ciang Ajeic: Ain't Sh*t Funny (Encore)
Good Chat Comedy Club, Petrie Terrace · Friday 23 October
The last run of a show about finding the funny when life is doing the absolute most, before it's retired for good.
Food and drink
WHISKYMOFO
John Reid Pavilion, Bowen Hills · 16 and 17 October
Rare drams, distillers to chat to and a festival built entirely around whisky. Designate the driver in advance.
Oktoberfest in the Gardens
Brisbane Showgrounds, Bowen Hills · Saturday 10 October
Oktoberfest takes over the Showgrounds: steins, sausages, oompah. Lederhosen are encouraged and, sadly, not enforced.
House of Sparkling
Mary Mae's, New Farm · Friday 30 October
Three hours, a dozen producers and bubbles by the river. A very good way to finish the month.
Markets and free days out
Riverside at the Gardens Market
City Botanic Gardens · Sunday mornings
Forty years of craft stalls and live music in the gardens. A Sunday coffee that turns into a whole morning.
Bands in Parks: Twilight Jazz by the River
Queensland Maritime Museum, South Brisbane · Friday 9 October Free
Big band jazz and a sunset over the river, straight after work.
Bands in Parks: Jacarandas and Jazz
New Farm Park · Sunday 11 October
Jazz and swing under the jacarandas while they're in full purple, with food trucks nearby. Bring a rug and someone who can dance.
Late ones
Sol y Sombra: Monkey Safari
MAYA Mexican, Fortitude Valley · Sunday 4 October Free
A four-hour rooftop set as the long weekend Sunday turns into night, free to get in.
Sonny Fodera
The Fortitude Music Hall · Thursday 15 October
A big house name behind the decks. A Thursday that forgets it's a Thursday.
Alan Fitzpatrick
The Prince Consort, Fortitude Valley · Friday 16 October
Proper techno, built for the floor and played loud.
Crooked Colours: Dirt Road Gold Tour
The Triffid, Newstead · Saturday 31 October
Euphoric builds and big electronic hooks. A Halloween option for people who don't do costumes.
Something different
The Australian Burlesque Festival: The Big Tease Gala
The Princess Theatre, Woolloongabba · Friday 16 October
Feathers, sequins and the festival's biggest night in an old theatre. Dress up; everyone else will.
Alcotraz
Fortitude Valley · sessions all month · 18+
Orange jumpsuits, crooked guards and cocktails made from whatever you smuggled in. Deeply silly, played completely straight.
Splash Out: The MELT Parade Cruise
City Botanic Gardens River Hub · Saturday 24 October
Three levels of Pride on the river, drag and DJs the whole way.
The part where you actually go
That's the list. The gap between reading it and standing in one of those rooms is the same as ever: someone has to pick a date and make the call.
That's the job Keen does. The quickest way in is Find a time: pick two or three dates that could work, add an idea or two from this page, and drop one link in the group chat. Everyone answers from their browser, no app and no account needed. You see which date wins, tap once, and it's a real plan with RSVPs and a chat of its own.
And once your mates are on Keen too, it starts doing the noticing for you: everyone marks the nights they're free, and when yours line up, Keen tells you, along with what's on that actually suits the crew. The King's Birthday long weekend (3 to 5 October) is the obvious place to start.
October's forty-odd best excuses are above. Pick one, name a night, and send the message.
Start closer in. See what's on in the next few days, pick a night, send the link.
What's on in Brisbane this weekendGet Keen free on the App Store or Google Play.
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