From killer concerts to drool-worthy food festivals, craft beer, sport and cultural events, ‘bored’ is never a word you’ll hear in this sensational part of the world.
So get your calendar at the ready, because we’ve rounded up the unmissable Sunshine Coast events in 2023!
Maleny Wedding Summer Festival Trail
When: 14 and 15 January
Where: Eight Sunshine Coast venues will throw open their doors from Maleny to Palmwoods
What: Blushing brides and their grooms looking to plan their dream day should hit up the 2023 Summer Maleny Wedding Festival Trail in January for some serious wedding inspiration.
Old Maleny Dairy Wedding Festival Trail
Hinterland Craft Beer Festival
When: 24 June
Where: Eumundi
What: We don’t like to brag but the Sunshine Coast is Australia’s Craft Beer Capital, with more craft breweries per capita of any state or territory in Australia! Come taste the local passion in every glass at this festival, featuring an impressive line-up of brewers from across the Sunshine Coast.
Sunshine Coast Craft Beer and Cider Festival
Noosa Festival of Surfing
When: 3-12 March
Where: Noosa
What: Noosa’s joyous surf fest is a family-friendly, sustainable event that attracts keen surfers from all over the globe, as well as the world-famous surfing dogs, to ride Noosa’s glassy waves.
Surfing at Tea Tree, Noosa Heads
Maleny Wood Expo
When: 29 April – 1 May
Where: Maleny Showgrounds
What: From a prestigious woodworking competition to boat-making, wood carving, food, wine and kids’ activities galore, this festival provides a tree-mendous hinterland day out.
Runaway Noosa Marathon
When: 27 May
Where: Noosa Heads
What: Starting and finishing in Noosa’s famous Hastings Street, competitors can choose between four different race distances - the full marathon, half marathon and 10km and 5km events -in this road event which caters for everyone form speedy pros to first timers.
Queensland Garden Expo
When: 7 – 9 July
Where: Nambour Showgrounds
What: Green thumbs will be in their element at this three-day expo where you can soak up the knowledge of Australia’s leading gardening gurus in lectures, demonstrations and workshops.
Blooming, lovely!
Stilt walkers at the Queensland Garden Expo, Nambour
Noosa Alive Festival
When: 21- 30 July
Where: Noosa region
What: For 10 days in July, the Noosa region transforms into a performing arts mecca celebrating music, theatre, film, literature and dance as part of this award-winning arts and cultural festival.
Queensland Rally Championship
When: 22 July
Where: Gympie
What: Rev your engines for some wheely cool racing action when drivers of all models of cars compete across different championship races and series at the Queensland Rally Championship - from novice and juniors to the fast and furious Championship race.
Sunshine Sounds
When: 2-3 September
Where: Eumundi
What: Eumundi’s all-ages family-friendly music festival is back for 2023 as part of the Horizon Festival. This year’s program is jampacked with homegrown talent including Frente, Elixir with Michael Leunig, Katie Noonan and string quartet, plus more! Check out the rest of the line up and get your tickets here.
The Curated Plate
When: 28 July – 6 August
Where: Sunshine Coast
What: Foodies rejoice! The Sunshine Coast’s premier culinary festival is back serving up - and celebrating - the very best of the local food and beverage scene. Trust us, you won’t want to miss this one.
People Plates and Places with Curated Plate
Noosa Enduro
When: 30 July
Where: Tewantin
What: Swap the boardies and beaches for mountains and gravel at this mountain biking festival in the Noosa Hinterland.
Australian Wearable Art Festival
When: 11 and 12 August
Where: Bokarina
What: From the eclectic to the outlandish to the bold and the beautiful, this festival provides a platform for artists and designers to get creative and merge materials in weird and wonderful ways.
Sunshine Coast Marathon Festival
Runners in the Sunshine Coast Marathon Festival, Alexandra Headland
When: 12 and 13 August
Where: Alexandra Headland
What: You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to experience that finish line feeling in one of Australia’s running festivals, with 2km Mini Marathoner events as well as the full Marathon, half marathon and 10km and 5km events included in this year’s program.
Horizon Festival
When: 25 August – 3 September
Where: Locations across the Sunshine Coast
What: Honouring the stories and artworks of the First Nations people, this leading contemporary multi-arts festival is inspired by the staggering beauty of the Sunshine Coast and presents 10 days and nights of visual art, music, theatre, dance, words and ideas.
Horizon Festival: credit Nic Morley and Horizon Festival
Quad Crown Sunshine Coast
Date: 9-11 June
Where: Caloundra & surrounds
What: Go for podium glory in this fun-filled heart pumping mountain bike race event held on the Sunshine Coast.
Buskers by the Lake
When: 18-20 August
Where: Kawana
What: Some of the world’s best musos have been discovered busking so why not take a chance and have a go - or at least pull up a rug and watch the talent on display at this feel-good and utterly entertaining festival.
Lucy Gallant - Buskers by the Lake 2021
Rangebow Festival
When: 10 – 13 August
Where: The Sunshine Coast Hinterland
What: This community-based not-for-profit festival celebrates the creative life and spirit of everyone in the Blackall Range communities through cultural activities with diversity, inclusion, sustainability and reconciliation at its beating heart.
The Gympie Music Muster
When: 24- 27 August
Where: Gympie
What: Music, camping and good times is what this jam-packed four days at The Muster is all about, perfectly bringing together country, roots, blues, folk and rock tunes for a music festival like no other.
Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast
Mooloolaba Ironman event
When: 10 September
Where: Mooloolaba
What: Watch the nation’s fittest athletes swim, run and ride their way around this spectacular coastal course, which finishes on the beautiful Mooloolaba Beach.
Caloundra Music Festival
When: 29 September – 1 October
Where: Kings Beach Amphitheatre, Caloundra
What: The picture-perfect Kings Beach provides the perfect backdrop for this three-day festival of sun, sun and soul featuring a diverse line-up of Australian artists.
Caloundra Music Festival
Noosa Tri
When: 1-5 November
Where: Noosa
What: Set around Noosa’s iconic Main Beach, town centre and sub-tropical Sunshine Coast hinterland, this event is the biggest Olympic- distance triathlon in the world – complete with a lively, festival vibe.
