Weekend of 9 – 11 October 2026
Botanic By Night: NightGlow lights up Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha after dark this weekend, while the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium screens family skydome shows, GOMA opens its free Art Box for kids and Queensland Museum runs Little Sparks sessions for under-fives.
Events are arranged per suburb.
Children's Storytime in the Park – Dorrington Park
9 October 2026 | Dorrington Park, Ashgrove
A First 5 Forever pop-up storytime session in the park for children from birth to five years and their parents or carers, featuring interactive stories and songs. 10:30–11:30am, no bookings required.
Riverside at the Gardens Market
11 October 2026 | City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane City
Brisbane’s long-running market fills the City Botanic Gardens with arts and crafts stalls, international food, live music and coffee from 8am to 3pm. Entry is free, at the corner of Alice and Albert Streets.
Bush Babies
9 October 2026 | Karawatha Forest Discovery Centre, Karawatha
A relaxed, outdoor session for babies aged 0–1 at Karawatha Forest introduces little ones to free play in nature, offering families a safe, welcoming space to connect with their local bushland reserve. 10am–12pm, no bookings required.
Tycho Goes to Mars
10 – 11 October 2026 | Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, Mt Coot-tha
Young space explorer Tycho blasts off to Mars in this 35-minute Cosmic Skydome show for children, recommended for ages 4 and above. Bookings essential at Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium in the Mt Coot-tha Reserve.
Perfect Little Planet
10 – 11 October 2026 | Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, Mt Coot-tha
An alien family travels the Solar System searching for the perfect place to call home in this 35-minute Cosmic Skydome show for younger children. Recommended for ages 4–8 at Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium. Bookings essential.
Little Sparks for Under 5s
9 – 10 October 2026 | Queensland Museum Kurilpa, South Brisbane
Designed for curious three to five-year-olds, Little Sparks morning sessions offer gentle science experiments, sensory exploration and interactive exhibits in SparkLab from 9.30am to 12pm. Adults $16.50, children from $5.
Art Box for Kids: Shannon Brett
9 – 11 October 2026 | Gallery of Modern Art, South Brisbane
GOMA’s interactive Art Box space invites children to create their own art inspired by Brisbane-based artist Shannon Brett’s colourful, playful practice. A drop-in creative space for families, open daily 10am–5pm.
Botanic By Night: NightGlow
9 – 10 October 2026 | Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha, Toowong
An 800-metre after-dark walk features 11 illuminated animal sculptures inspired by Queensland’s native wildlife, designed by Ample Projects with First Nations artists Casey Coolwell-Fisher and Nathan Peckham. Sessions run from 6.30pm to 10pm, with 10 October the final night.
Northey Street Organic Farmers Market
11 October 2026 | Northey Street City Farm, Windsor
Windsor’s weekly organic market offers organic produce, artisan food, health and wellbeing services, kids’ activities and the City Farm Nursery from 6am to 11am at Northey Street City Farm.
Planetarium sessions and some ticketed events sell out ahead of time, so booking ahead is recommended.
Weekend of 2 – 4 October 2026
The last weekend of the school holidays brought the Fijian Flying Circus to South Bank and the final days of Croc! at Queensland Museum, with free art-making at GOMA, the Museum of Brisbane and Brisbane Powerhouse.
Events are arranged per suburb.
School Holidays at Museum of Brisbane
2 – 4 October 2026 | Museum of Brisbane, Brisbane City
Drop-in MoB Kids activities including Pop Badges and Fun with Ferns, plus the Warrajamba creative space, fill the museum these school holidays.
Create a Poppy Suncatcher
2 & 4 October 2026 | Anzac Square Memorial Galleries, Brisbane City
A free drop-in craft table where families create their own poppy suncatcher in the Anzac Square Memorial Galleries.
Riverside at the Gardens Market
4 October 2026 | City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane City
Arts and crafts stalls, coffee, international food and live music make for a relaxed Sunday market in the City Botanic Gardens.
Sunset at Witton Barracks
2 October 2026 | Witton Barracks Park, Indooroopilly
A relaxed community evening with live music, local food vendors, market stalls and fire pits as the sun sets over the historic barracks.
Junior Explorers: iNaturalist
2 October 2026 | Karawatha Forest Discovery Centre, Karawatha
Kids aged nine and up learn to use the citizen science app iNaturalist to identify plants and animals in the Karawatha bushland.
Tycho Goes to Mars
3 & 4 October 2026 | Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, Mount Coot-tha
Cheeky space dog Tycho blasts off to Mars in search of water in this dome show for young children, finishing with a virtual tour of the Brisbane night sky.
The Librarian
2 & 3 October 2026 | Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm
A very orderly librarian tumbles into the wild worlds inside his books in this clown, theatre and circus show for young audiences.
Joy Generator
2 – 4 October 2026 | Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm
Designer Nixi Killick’s radiant, interactive installation invites visitors of all ages to play, explore and wonder in its closing weekend.
Fijian Flying Circus
2 – 4 October 2026 | South Bank Piazza, South Brisbane
Fijian dance troupe VOU’s big-top adventure blends aerial acrobatics, island storytelling and comedy in its final weekend at South Bank.
Croc! Lost Giants to Living Legends
2 – 4 October 2026 | Queensland Museum Kurilpa, South Brisbane
The interactive all-ages crocodile exhibition enters its final days, with life-size croc models and hands-on exhibits spanning 130 million years.
The Box Show
2 & 3 October 2026 | Cremorne Theatre, South Brisbane
Four musical misfits turn wheelie bins, kitchen scraps and plastic bags into explosive percussion, dance and comedy for ages five to 12.
Xpress Fun Train
2 – 4 October 2026 | South Bank Parklands, South Brisbane
A colourful open-carriage train takes little adventurers on a ride through the South Bank precinct, departing from outside the South Bank Piazza.
Art Box for Kids: Shannon Brett
2 – 4 October 2026 | Gallery of Modern Art, South Brisbane
Children discover the work of Wakka Wakka artist Shannon Brett through a hands-on making activity, artist video and artwork display.
Botanic By Night: NightGlow
2 – 4 October 2026 | Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha, Toowong
An 800-metre after-dark trail of 11 giant illuminated sculptures inspired by Queensland’s native wildlife winds through the Gardens.
Northey Street Organic Farmers Market
4 October 2026 | Northey Street City Farm, Windsor
Brisbane’s long-running organic market offers fresh produce, breakfast, kids’ activities and the City Farm Nursery.
Several of the free sessions needed registration in advance and booked out quickly.
