Social Events Calendar

Brisbane Bronco's v Gold Coast Titans

May 27th 2022

Round 12
7.55pm Kick Off

Suncorp Stadium, Milton

Queensland Firebirds v Giants

June 4th 2022

Round 13

Nissan Arena, Queensland Netball Centre, Nathan

Fastlove

June 11th - 12th 2022

Fastlove: A Tribute to George Michael, originally planned to be held in June 2020 then moved to April 2021, has been rescheduled to June 2022.

The Tivoli

Brisbane Bronco's v Canberra Raiders

June 11th 2022

Round 14
7.35pm Kick Off

Suncorp Stadium, Milton

Steve Hackett

June 20th 2022

Steve Hackett, as the powerhouse guitarist for one of the most important progressive rock bands ever, has been a guiding influence for musicians and guitarists for over 40 years.

The Tivoli

Wallabies v England

July 9th 2022

The Wallabies will play Eddie Jones's England side in the first SCG Test match since 1986, while the Wallaroos have locked in two Tests next month ahead of the Women's Rugby World Cup.

Australia Tests

Wallabies v England:

July 2 - Perth Stadium, Perth
July 9 - Lang Park, Brisbane
July 16 - Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney

Wallaroos fixtures:

v Fijiana, May 6 - Lang Park, Brisbane
v Japan, May 10 - Bond University, Gold Coast
Details of the Wallabies three-Test series against the 2019 World Cup finalists were confirmed on Tuesday, with Perth, Brisbane and Sydney to host games on consecutive Saturdays in July.

The SCG Test, on July 16, comes after last year's clash against France was shifted from the venue due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

They will also meet in Perth for the first time in 10 years, while England were the last nation to beat Australia at their Lang Park stronghold in 2016.

"We talk a lot about wanting to challenge ourselves against the best teams in the world, and three Test matches in a row against England is the perfect opportunity to do that," Wallabies coach Dave Rennie said.

Lang Park (Suncorp Stadium), Milton

Juicy Beer Festival

July 9th 2022

RAISE THOSE GLASSES!    Range Brewing announce the inaugural Juicy Beer Festival

Juicy Beer Festival is a brand new concept, created by beer brewers for beer lovers. Shaping up to be one of the largest celebrations of independent brewers in Australia, Gerard Martin and Matt McIver at Range Brewing are the masterminds behind this all-inclusive beer tasting extravaganza.

The first-ever beer festival hosted at The Fortitude Music Hall, Juicy Beer Festival’s two, four-hour sessions will feature a highly curated roster of independent brewers serving up over 40 specialty brews, while Sampology, Winston Surfshirt and the who’s who of local DJs step behind the decks.

One ticket. One glass. Countless brews. It’s the beauty of Juicy Beer Festival’s all-inclusive design. Just collect the exclusive Juicy tasting glass and get sipping. With no payments to process, cash to carry or mates to shout, the most difficult part of the day will be deciding which brew to try next.

The hop heroes over at Range Brewing have rolled out the red carpet for the best independent brewers from Australia and New Zealand. As well as shining a spotlight on countless hyper-local brewers, plenty of faves will be loading up their kegs and making the trip up North including New South Wales’ Wildflower and Victoria’s Banks Brewery. Not just a tasting tour of Australia’s best ales, Juicy Beer Festival also welcomes New Zealand pals including Wellington wonders, Garage Project.

All this beer has to wash something down…which is why Juicy Beer Festival has lined up an equally impressive roster of culinary delights. Whether it’s the Oyster & Stout bar tucked away at The Outpost upstairs or one of the exclusive pop-up stalls from some of Brisbane’s favourite restaurants, there’s a bite to please any palette.

A treat for the earbuds as much as the tastebuds, Juicy Festival welcomes some of the hottest Aussie acts to set the sonic vibe. Spinning their unique, genre-blending sound, R&B-Soul Icons, Winston Surfshirt, will get the party started as they close out Juicy’s evening session. Hometown heavyweight, Sampology, will also be making the crowd ‘Smile’, as he serves up sizzling sets for crowds at both the afternoon and evening sessions.

Range Brewing’s Matt McIver is stoked to be able to shine a spotlight on the incredible Australian and New Zealand independent brewers. "We can’t wait to bring all our fellow independent brewers together! For a lot of us, it’s been a while between drinks – so we are counting down the days until we can finally get together and share some quality brews."

Gerard Martin shares a similar excitement, explaining, "Matt and I experienced the all-inclusive beer festival model while we were travelling overseas and we knew we had to bring the concept home to Brissie. To also be the first Beer Festival held at the beautiful Fortitude Music Hall? It’s a beer lover’s dream.’

IT'S TIME TO EXPERIENCE A NEW TYPE OF BEER FESTIVAL!

Fortitude Music Hall, Fortitude Valley

NRL State Of Origin

July 13th 2022

State of Origin Game II between the Queensland Maroons and New South Wales Blues will be held at Suncorp Stadium on July 13th 2022.

Suncorp Stadium

Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical

July 27th - August 7th 2022

The movie you know, laced with iconic '90s hits...missing out might just ruin your reputation.

With a soundtrack featuring songs from The Verve, Goo Goo Dolls, Placebo, *NSYNC, Jewel, Christina Aguilera, Boyz II Men, Britney Spears and more! Cruel Intentions is the ultimate '90s party.

Are you ready to make your wager? Drawing you deep into the world of Manhattan's most tempting liaisons, Sebastian, Kathryn and Anette find themselves entangled in a web of secrets, temptations and the cruelest game of all; love.

"Funny & Nostalgia fuelled...the BEST of the '90s!" - New York Times

"Fun, Sexy and seductive...a great time!" - Huff Post

Fortitude Music Hall, Fortitude Valley

Brisbane Bronco's v Wests Tigers

July 30th 2022

Round 20

7.35pm Kick off

Suncorp Stadium, Milton

Ekka - Royal Brisbane Show

August 6th - 14th

When the country comes to the city:

Ekka HISTORY:

The first show

Bowen Park was chosen in January 1876 as the site for the first-ever Royal Queensland Show. The park covered 6.8 hectares bordered by Bowen Bridge Road, Gregory Terrace, and a creek that ran through the middle of what is now the Main Arena.

The Intercolonial Exhibition of 1876 was held from 22 to 26 August. A public holiday was declared and on opening day 17,000 people attended - a colossal success given that the total population of Brisbane at the time was only 22,000.

Men attended in their suits and ladies in their finest garments. Food was served on long tables and the first show bag - a bag of coal - was free for all visitors.

The origin of Ekka

The first 'Royal' Show was held in 1921, when the Association was granted the prefix under warrant from His Majesty King George V.

Since then, the shortened name 'Ekka' has replaced 'Exhibition' in the Queensland vernacular, indicating locals' affection for the show.

Ekka has since been held every year with only three exceptions - in 1919 due to the Spanish Flu epidemic, in 1942 when the grounds were used as a World War II staging depot and in 2020 due the the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

History timeline

1876 THE FIRST EXHIBITION

• The Intercolonial Exhibition of 1876 was held at Bowen Park with an estimated 15,000-17,000 people attending out of Brisbane's populations at the time of just 20,600
• 5,000 people charges the turnstiles - chaos ensued until the mounted troopers were called to drive back the crowd
• Visitors to the first show were treated to more than 1,000 exhibits
• The show received 1,700 competition entries in more than 600 entries
• Entry tickets were large and square for major patrons, circular for subscribers, blue for judges and red for stewards*
• Staff included a nightwatchman, 40 stewards and more than 30 judges*
• Entry to the grounds in the morning was a half-crown or visitors could wait until after the official opening when the cost of a ticket fell to one shilling*
• Competitors were usually charged two shillings and sixpence per entry*
• The largest prize up for grabs was 25 guineas*
• The show closed at midnight on Monday 28 August, following a controversial decision to open on the Sunday*
• Only three breeds of cattle were displayed at the first show - Durham, Hereford and Devon*

1877 FIRST EKKA RIDE

• Introduction of the first ride in Sideshow Alley - a merry-go-round*
• The total value of prizes and medals was between £500 and £600*

1879 INTRODUCTION OF QUEENSLAND'S NEWEST TECHNOLOGIES

• Ekka patrons were amazed by telephones, microphones, electric lights and even an electric thief detector
• The Ekka's first oyster stall was introduced*

1891 DISTRICT EXHIBITS

• The first district exhibits contest was held - nine regions competed for a prize pool of £175*

1894 FIRST FIREWORKS

• The first fireworks display in the Main Arena, beginning another show tradition*

1919 FIRST EKKA CANCELLED DUE TO INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

1920 EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES VISITS THE EKKA

1926 SHOW TRADITIONS

• Queensland Country Women's Association make its first appearance at the Ekka
• The first night time ring program was held following the introduction of electric lighting*

1942 WORLD WAR II

• The show was cancelled due to World War II as the grounds were used as a staging depot

1950's EKKA FOOD TRADITIONS

• The now symbolic Ekka fairy floss, butter board sandwiches, Strawberry Sundaes and dagwood dogs were introduced*

1954 QUEEN ELIZABETH II AND PRINCE PHILLIP VISIT THE EKKA

1959 HRH PRINCESS ALEXANDRIA OF KENT VISITS

1964 ANIMAL NURSERY AT THE EKKA FIRST INTRODUCED

2000 SIDESHOW ALLEY AND WOODCHOP

• Inner city bypass constructed, Sideshow Alley and the woodchop arena redeveloped

2010 ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL EKKA'S IN HISTORY HELD

2011 GRAMMY AWARD WINNERS

• Grammy Award winners Wolfmother close the Ekka's concert series in front of a capacity crowd

2012 AUSTRALIAN FIRST

• In an Australian first, Ekka fans were able to customise their own fireworks on the show's free interactive fireworks iPhone app
• 2012 Australian of the Year and Academy Award-winning actor and producer Geoffrey Rush attended the opening day of the Ekka
• In true Queensland style, a cricket match involving cricketing greats Adam Gilchrist, Glenn McGrath, Ian Healy, Andy Bichel and Jimmy Maher, took place on the Main Arena on the final day of the Ekka

2013 EKKA WINS INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

• The Royal Queensland Show took home the prestigious Best in Show title, along with 13 other awards, at the 2013 International Association of Fairs & Expositions Awards (IAFE Awards)
• Over 400,000 guests through the Ekka gates
• Over 54,521 Ekka Facebook friends - a growth of 75% from 2012

2014 MILLION DOLLAR NIGHT SHOW

• Australia-first million dollar night show Ekka NITES wows the crowd each night of show
• Queensland beats New South Wales in the 2014 Ekka Rodeo
• The Ekka runs over two full weekends for the first time in the show's history
• British stars from the 'Inbetweeners' and Miss World Australia, Courtney Thorpe, visit Ekka

2015 THE YEAR OF THE FLYING PIGS

• The Racing and Diving Pigs wow the crowds at Ekka, as they fly through the sky and dive into a pool of water
• Seven-year-old Mater Vandeleur who captivated the audience with his pig training tricks made international news with his special Channel 7 news report
• Never before seen fireworks light up the Main Arena

2016 THE RETURN OF THE OLD MUSEUM

• After 119 years, The Old Museum came back home to Ekka, housing the Flower and Garden Exhibition and Quilts Across Queensland
• A new two day pass and dedicated 2 for 1 ride and food days are introduced, signaling major historic hip pocket savings
• The world-class night show EkkaNITES showcases incredible female talent, including American FMX superstar Vicki Golden
• The breathtaking EkkaNITES fireworks finale features a 20 metre high pyrotechnic tower never before seen in Australia, shooting fireworks from 49 positions

2017 CELEBRATING EKKA’S 140^TH

• The Ekka celebrated a remarkable milestone - its 140th anniversary
• The RNA marked the special occasion by introducing a new half price ticket for entry from 6pm and not one, but two fireworks displays

2018 INVESTING IN AGRICULTURE

• The RNA invested in its charter of championing and celebrating agriculture, building two new event facilities - The
  Pavilion and Marquee 2. The Pavilion, completed in October, was partially used at the show to house beef and dairy cattle, dairy goats and poultry. Meanwhile Marquee 2 was completed in February and became the new Woodchop Arena, expanding the competition area by 50 per cent.

2019 NEW PARK FOR POOCHES AND THE PUBLIC

• Alexandria Park was completed in April, offering two acres of additional green and event space, along with a refurbished heritage-listed undercover events pavilion known as Building 8. The park became the new home of the Ekka’s Canine Competition presented by Black Hawk in August.

2020 CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC

• The show was cancelled in the best interest of public health due to the global coronavirus pandemic, social distancing measures and public gathering restrictions.

2021 EKKA CANCELLED FOR SECOND YEAR IN A ROW

• For the second year in a row, the show was cancelled in the best interest of public health due to the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic and subsquent lockdown measures

*Historical information and statistics sourced from 'Showtime - A History of the Brisbane Exhibition' by Joanne Scott and Ross Laurie, 2008; and RNA Archives.

RNA Showgrounds, Bowen Hills

Brisbane Bronco's v Newcastle Knights

August 13th 2022

Round 22

7.35pm Kick Off

Suncorp Stadium, Milton

Brisbane Bronco's v Melbourne Storm

August 19th 2022

Round 23

7.55pm Kick off

Suncorp Stadium

Brisbane Bronco's v Parramatta Eels

August 25th 2022

Round 24

7.50pm Kick Off

Suncorp Stadium, Milton

Pennywise

September 24th 2022

Hermosa Beach legends PENNYWISE have today announced their return to Australia bringing with them fellow Californian punk rockers CIRCLE JERKS to play seven shows. The tour will mark Pennywise’s return to Australia since last visiting to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their ARIA certified Gold stratus album ‘Straight Ahead’.

Fortitude Music Hall, Fortitude Valley

AJ TRACEY - SOLD OUT!

September 27th 2022

PRESENTED BY

The Triffid, Newstead

Mxmtoon

October 9th 2022

Today, one of the brightest and most engaging voices of her generation mxmtoon returns with her new album rising, which will be released on May 20th on AWAL. In very exciting news, the album will be supported by her first-ever Australian tour playing all-ages venues in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. The now Brooklyn-based artist also shares new song ‘sad disco’ which is out now.

Maia says on coming to Australia: “I’m so excited to be able to come to Australia this October! I’ve been wanting to play shows there for so long and it feels crazy that it’s finally able to happen. I am scared of the bugs though, I heard they are really big, so I may need some help :)” For tour and ticket information please visit scrtsnds.com/mxmtoontour.

Presale will be available from Thursday 31 March 11 am local and tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday 1 April 11 am local time.

The Triffid, Newstead

Nitro Games

October 22nd & 23rd

Created by Nitro Circus and Travis Pastrana, Nitro World Games is the next evolution of action sports competition. This October, the world’s top athletes in FMX, BMX, skate, and scooter will gather in Brisbane’s iconic Suncorp Stadium for a global showdown in what will be the biggest action sports event of 2021. Be there live as these elite competitors push the limits in a battle to top the podium, attempting insane tricks never seen before. With new gravity-defying big air formats, the largest ramps ever seen in competition and innovative course designs, Nitro World Games is set to once again transform action sports. Now, get your tickets to witness Australia’s finest take on challengers from the USA, the UK, Brazil, Japan, and more.

VIP ticket holders will get exclusive access to a track walk, to get up close and personal with the biggest ramps in action sports, as well as the best seats in the house.

SATURDAY EVENTS:
BMX Triple Hit Semi Final
Scooter Best Trick Semi Final
BMX Best Trick Final
FMX Final

SUNDAY EVENTS:
BMX Triple Hit Final
Skate Vert Final
Scooter Best Trick Final
FMX Best Trick Final

Suncorp Stadium, Milton

ICC T20 Mens World Cup: Afghanistan v GA1 and England v New Zealand

November 1st 2022

The Gabba, Woolloongabba

Guns & Roses Concert

November 22nd 2022

NOW EVEN BIGGER IN SUMMER 2022!

What was to be the biggest stadium rock tour of 2021 is moving to Summer 2022!

Axl, Slash and Duff have told fans..'Australia, we can't wait to see you bigger and better next Summer!'

This will be the biggest stadium rock tour of Summer 2022 with hundreds of people on the road, a massive production, and logistics involved.

Guns N' Roses are currently touring North America and receiving huge responses!

In 2022 it's Australia's turn!

Suncorp Stadium, Milton

Pixies

December 2nd 2022

PIXIES, one of the most influential alternative rock bands of all time, have unfinished business in Australia and New Zealand and will be returning in 2022 for their mammoth – Come On Pilgrim… It’s Surfer Rosa tour. Pixies’ debut releases – the electrifying 1987 EP Come On Pilgrim and 1988’s debut full-length album, Surfer Rosa – brought rise to a new genre and defined contemporary music for a generation.

The tour will bear witness to both seminal albums being performed in full – plus new and old tracks spanning their extensive catalogue. Surfer Rosa is a record made up of rage, religion, gore, incest and superheroes named Tony – a debut album so good that it’s since been seen as a masterpiece. Produced by Steve Albini, it includes early Pixies classics such as "Bone Machine," "Gigantic," "Vamos" and "Where Is My Mind?". Come On Pilgrim contained eight songs from the band’s first-ever studio session, produced by Gary Smith and recorded at his Fort Apache Studio near Boston.

Almost two years to the day, Pixies were forced to leave Australia when the global pandemic took hold. With only one show in Auckland and one in Melbourne completed, the band were determined to get the show back on the road and will return to Australian and New Zealand shores this December.

On announcing the new shows the band said:

"We are thrilled to be able to announce our return to Australia and New Zealand in December 2022, following the untimely postponement of some of these shows back in 2020. We will be returning to play two different sets across the tour:

1. Performing Come on Pilgrim and Surfer Rosa in their entirety – in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Wellington and Christchurch.

2. A brand new set featuring songs from across our catalogue, including some oldies and some brand new tracks – in Melbourne and Auckland.

La la love you!"

Fortitude Music Hall, Fortitude Valley

Air Supply - The Lost In Love Experience - 45th Anniversary Tour

December 2nd 2022

We love coming back to Australia to where it all started” Russell Hitchcock  -  AIR SUPPLY return to perform all-time classics including “Love and Other Bruises”, “Every Woman In The World”, “The One That You Love” and of course “Lost In Love”. The Lost In Love Experience is a true celebration of an amazing 45-year career.
“Making Love Out Of Nothing At All”, “Now And Forever”, “All Out Of Love”… are songs that mean so much to so many. Graham Russell, Russell Hitchcock, and their stellar band will present the songs the fans love, in an amazing show that will be one to remember forever.
“It means the world to us to celebrate our 45th Anniversary in our homeland of Australia,” Russell Hitchcock.
Get your tickets early to witness this spellbinding performance – this will be a very special night with some of the most beautiful love songs ever written.
General Public on sale: Fri 11 Mar, 2022, 9am (local time)

Great Hall, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Southbank

Justin Bieber Concert

December 3rd 2022

The ‘Justice World Tour’ is Justin Bieber’s first global outing since 2016/2017’s ‘Purpose World Tour’. Described by The Times of London as “mesmerizing”, Bieber played to 2.7 million fans over the course of his 2016-2017 run, with the finale seen by 65,000 fans at London’s British Summer Time Hyde Park festival.

Taking place from May 2022 through to March 2023, Bieber will tour five continents, travelling to over 20 countries and playing more than 90 dates, with more shows to be announced in Asia and the Middle East very soon.

MTV Artist of the year Bieber will hit the stage at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday 3 December 2022 to deliver what he has described as ‘the best show we’ve ever done’.

Suncorp Stadium, Milton

Michael Buble

December 17th & 18th 2022

Presented by: TEG Dainty

Multi-award-winning, multi-Platinum-selling global superstar Michael Bublé will make a welcome return to Australian stages this November and December.

During this 6-city national tour, the sensational Canadian entertainer will perform selections from his hotly anticipated 11th studio album, Higher, and a selection of his original smash hits alongside his trade-mark innovative takes on the great classics.

Michael Bublé's 6-city tour kicks off in Newcastle on Wednesday 30 November before touring to Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane.

"I have been touring Australia for 20 years now and the fact that you all keep turning up to my shows makes me feel like the luckiest man alive," Michael Bublé says. "I absolutely adore performing live, being on stage is complete and utter enjoyment for me. It's a great pleasure and honour for me to be able to show up and be made feel so welcome."

Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondal

Ed Sheeran Concert

February 17th & 18th 2023

Superstar Ed Sheeran is set to return to Australia and New Zealand in February/March 2023 for a massive run of stadium shows as part of his + - = ÷ x Tour (pronounced "The Mathematics Tour").

It will be Ed's first tour down under since his record-breaking 2018 Divide Tour, which saw Ed smash the record of the highest-selling tour in history, with a phenomenal 1,006,387 tickets sold across Australia and New Zealand alone.

Ed's 2023 tour will see him performing at our most iconic stadiums in Wellington, Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth. Fans will be treated to an array of tracks off his latest album "=" plus hits from across his career.

Cutting-edge production – the likes of which have never been seen before in Australia or New Zealand – will see Ed perform in the round surrounded by fans, to some of the largest venue attendances ever.

Presented by: Frontier Touring

Suncorp Stadium

Lorde

March 7th & 8th 2023

Lorde - The Solar Power Tour

Riverstage, Brisbane CBD

My Chemical Romance

March 13th & 14th 2023

Presented by: Live Nation

My Chemical Romance (aka MCR/My Chem) have announced an Australian arena tour for 2023, the band’s first Australian shows since their appearance at Big Day Out festival in 2012.

Selling out stadiums across the globe and providing the soundtrack of a generation, Live Nation is beyond excited to welcome My Chemical Romance back to Australia!

Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondal

2026 UCI BMX World Championships

2026 - Dates TBA

Brisbane has been awarded hosting rights for the 2026 BMX World Championships by the International Cycling Union (UCI), which has also awarded four new titles of "Bike City."

The 2026 World Championships is the second major BMX event the city on the east coast of Australia has been given in recent months, following last September’s awarding of this year’s Nitro World Games, where BMX will be a major part of the programme.

Brisbane is also at the centre of Queensland’s innovative region-wide bid for the 2032 Olympics.

The new recipients of the UCI Bike City designations, meanwhile, are the Flanders region of Belgium, Val di Sole in Italy, the city of Fayetteville in North Carolina, US, and Wollongong, Australia.

Read more of the event announcement.....

Brisbane, Australia