Peter Pan, St Patrick and PJ Harvey – what’s on in Brisbane this weekend
After a wet and wild time of battening down the hatches and sheltering in place last week Brisbane is ready to burst back into bloom with a raucous weekend filled with things to do. St Patrick’s day is ready to paint the town green with a cavalcade of events celebrating all things Irish. Meanwhile, many much-anticipated premieres roll out the red carpet, from La Boite’s witchy Macbeth to Disney and Dead Puppet Society’s Peter and the Starcatcher. It’s all here in our guide to the very best of what’s happening from March 13-16.
St. Patrick’s Day events this weekend
Celebrate the luck of the Irish at the Brisbane St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The classic parade encompasses over 700 participants and 40 floats. This year the fun starts and ends at the Brisbane Botanic Gardens on Alice Street.
The Elizabeth Picture Theatre will be screening The Secret of Kells as part of the Brisbane Irish Festival on Saturday March 15. Post-parade, settle into the enchantment of the Irish children’s movie about a young boy in a remote medieval outpost under siege from barbarian raids beckoned to adventure when a celebrated master illuminator arrives with an ancient book, brimming with secret wisdom and powers.
You can raise a glass of Guinness to St Paddy and the snakes at any number of bars and pubs this weekend. Venues celebrating include Gilhooleys Irish Pub, Irish Murphy’s, Finn McCools, Regatta Hotel, Friday’s Riverside and Riverland Brisbane.
Concerts on in Brisbane this weekend
Brisbane Powerhouse’s ΩHM Festival of Other Music is running from February 28 to March 22, 2025. This genre-defying festival showcases a diverse line-up of artists who explore the fringes of sound and performance. This weekend catch Nigerien rock band Etran de L’Air as they bring their raw, reverb-drenched sound from Agadez to Brisbane.
Lauded and awarded songwriter and multi-instrumentalist PJ Harvey will be performing her critically acclaimed new show at the Brisbane Convention Centre on Saturday March 15. The show incorporates her Grammy-nominated tenth studio album I Inside the Old Year Dying, as well as songs from her extensive back-catalogue.
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Queensland’s chamber orchestra, Camerata, debuts its 2025 opening concert at QPAC on Thursday March 13. Featuring Camerata’s artistic director and leader Brendan Joyce on solo violin for Schumann’s Violin Concerto and ‘getting the back back together’ by welcoming its wind, brass and percussion sections for a spectacular program of rarely heard musical gems.
Theatre and live events on in Brisbane this weekend
By the pricking of our thumbs, something wicked this way comes … La Boite’s Macbeth is a Shakespearean subversion that moves the weird sisters to centre stage. Experience a bold new take on one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies in this daring reimagining.
Written and directed by Leach Purcell – renowned First Nations stage and film actress, novelist, playwright and director – Is That You, Ruthie? returns to QPAC’s Cremorne Theatre from March 6–15. The powerful play based on Dr Ruth Hegarty’s books – the award winning Is That You, Ruthie? and Buthalangi: A Maranoa Woman – is a story of resilience, courage and the enduring human spirit.
Peter and the Starcatcher flies into Brisbane from Friday March 14. Originally developed by Disney Theatrical Group and written by renowned playwright and four-time Tony Award nominee Rick Elice, this thrilling tale of pre-Peter Neverland has been reimagined for Australian audiences by David Morton, Helpmann Award-nominated director and co-founder of Brisbane’s very own Dead Puppet Society.
Say Hallelujah! The smash-hit musical sent from above, Sister Act is in Brisbane. Based on the film, Sister Act is set to light up QPAC and lift your spirits with its irresistible energy from February 8. Starring Casey Donovan as Deloris Van Cartier, Genevieve Lemon as Mother Superior and Rhonda Burchmore as Sister Mary Lazarus, the award-winning musical features original music by eight-time Oscar award-winner Alan Menken.
If you’re feeling spicy this weekend, Blanc de Blanc Encore promises a night of laughs and lots of skin. Performing at Brisbane’s newest theatre and bar The West End Electric, this riotous revue of acrobatic talent and great tunes has been choreographed by Kevin Maher (whose past clients include Madonna and Britney Spears) and scored by Danish electronic artist Kenneth Bager. Running into the new year, Blanc de Blanc Encore invites you to escape the ordinary for a captivating night of circus cabaret.
Art and exhibitions on in Brisbane this weekend
Outer Space is pleased to announce Climate of Violence II: Lamentum, the inaugural exhibition of its 2025 Main Gallery Exhibition Program. Featuring the works of artists Arianna Nixon and Amy Sargeant, this installation, with its monumental presence, speaks to the silencing and erasure of transfeminine voices.
Catch three exhibitions at IMA in Fortitude Valley. The gallery is currently hosting a number of engrossing exhibitions, starting with Archie Moore: Comic Paintings, Boom an artistic insight into a massive viral sensation Skibidi Toilet, and Platform 2025, the second iteration of IMA’s annual Queensland new-artists project.
QAGOMA’s fiercely anticipated flagship event The Asia Pacific Triennial continues for its 11th year with more than 500 artworks by artists from over 30 countries. Exhibition attendees can expect to discover a vibrant multi-part project from Haus Yuriyal (a collective of 28 artists from Papua New Guinea), a three-dimensional installation of suspended tunnels, cascading curtains and towering scrolls from leading Thai artist Mit Jai Inn, portraits of everyday life in Hong Kong by senior painter Yeung Tong Lung as well as plenty more installations, paintings, sculptures and multi-disciplinary projects.
Museum of Brisbane’s New Light: Photography Now + Then continues into the new year. Stroll your way through a mesmerising display of photographs spanning from 1890 to 2024. The collection features the remarkable tale of amateur Brisbane photographer Alfred Henrie Elliott (1870-1954), whose extraordinary images lay dormant for decades until they were discovered in 1983, stored in cedar cigar boxes beneath a home in Red Hill.
Art appreciation takes to the streets with Museum of Brisbane’s newly-curated immersive walking tour through The Star Brisbane and Queen’s Wharf Brisbane. Explore the art, history, and architecture within Brisbane’s visionary new lifestyle and cultural precinct. This bespoke 45-minute walking tour is free for a limited time, giving you a rare opportunity to explore Brisbane’s newest multi-million-dollar public outdoor art gallery as well as visit key heritage sites in the precinct.
Fun events in Brisbane this weekend
Sashay to the Valley this Saturday – ZA ZA TA’s Drag Brunch is back, henny! The Middle Eastern eatery is hosting a kiki not to be missed, so gather your best pals and get ready for a morning filled with glam, giggles and prizes fit for a queen.
Enjoy an amaro-soaked Sunday afternoon as Loborn Spirits pops up at Bar Miette. Tom Drewett, the founder and head distiller of Tamborine Mountain’s newest distillery, will be taking over the Bar Miette bar to dispense tastings of his range alongside a amaro-driven cocktail list. The bar Miette crew will be serving a special menu of pizza fritta with smoked scamorza and chicory, capocollo with grilled fennel and fried bread, and raw kingfish Siciliana. Bookings are encouraged.
Eat Like A King returns to Bowen Hills’ King St precinct this March, bringing a feast of exclusive food offers designed to satisfy every craving. With a line-up of mouth-watering deals across breakfast, lunch and dinner, King St’s renowned dining destinations are rolling out irresistible specials fit for royalty.
Step inside Bluey’s World – for real life! Bluey’s iconic Queenslander is calling Northshore Hamilton home until September 2025, allowing fans of the show to immerse themselves in the Heeler home they know and love. With innovative set designs, interactive games, and activities for children and adults alike, Bluey’s World has been carefully curated to mirror the spirit of the series, encouraging creative play and connection. A must visit for the young and young at heart!
Celebrate Margarita Month at Poca Madre in Brisbane. The team is rolling out an unmissable series of Cointreau-fuelled Margarita Masterclasses every Thursday this month. Guests will be guided through the art of making the perfect Margarita by tequila aficionado Carlos Hurworth of Church of Agave. The night kicks off with a classic Cointreau Margarita, followed by a hands-on guacamole-making session, a guided tasting of The Rock’s Teremana tequila range and the chance to shake up your own signature creation.
Markets on in Brisbane this weekend
Tote bag at the ready – fresh-local produce, bespoke goodies and street food snacks all await at Brisbane’s weekly markets as well. Kelvin Grove Village Market, Jan Powers Farmers Markets, Nundah Farmers Markets, West End Markets, Riverside Markets and the Redcliffe Markets are open and trading this weekend.