Coast to outback · 21 current and upcoming dates
Australia runs on more than one calendar.
Film in Melbourne, dry-season nights in Darwin, spring flowers in Canberra, sport at the MCG and harbour rituals in Sydney. Pick the event first—then respect the distances.
Next up across Australia
NAIDOC Week 2026
5 July–12 July 2026Across Australia · Confirmed dateNAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through locally organised events across Australia. The national week is confirmed; each local programme needs its own venue check.
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21 events
Happening now · July 2026
1August 2026
3Darwin Festival 2026
Festival Park and venues across Darwin
Darwin's dry-season arts festival spreads performance, music, comedy, cabaret, film and visual art across Festival Park and other city venues. The programme mixes free public spaces with separately ticketed shows.
Melbourne International Film Festival 2026
Cinemas and venues across Melbourne
MIFF presents feature films, shorts and screen-based work across Melbourne venues. Each screening has its own session, classification, accessibility and ticket conditions inside the larger festival window.
Ekka — Royal Queensland Show 2026
Brisbane Showgrounds
Queensland's annual Royal Show brings agricultural competitions, food, rides and entertainment to Brisbane Showgrounds. In 2026 the show runs for nine days, with Brisbane's show holiday on 12 August.
September 2026
4Sydney Fringe Festival 2026
Independent venues across Greater Sydney
Sydney Fringe is an open-access independent-arts programme spread across existing and pop-up venues. The organiser's 2026 industry material and generic visitor information currently disagree on the full public window, so the dates remain provisional here.
Brisbane Festival 2026
Venues and public spaces across Brisbane
Brisbane Festival fills theatres and public spaces with performance, installations and city-scale events. Its 2026 programme runs across several weeks, so access and pricing depend on the individual work.
Floriade Canberra 2026
Commonwealth Park
Canberra's spring flower festival returns to Commonwealth Park under the 2026 theme ‘Feast of Flowers’. The daytime park event is free; separate programme items can carry their own access rules.
AFL Grand Final 2026
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The AFL premiership decider is scheduled for the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 26 September. Match tickets are tightly allocated through competing clubs, membership categories and official channels rather than guaranteed general sale.
October 2026
2Bathurst 1000 2026
Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit
The four-day Bathurst 1000 meeting brings Supercars racing and support activity to Mount Panorama. Entry, camping and grandstand products are separate, and the race-day schedule can change.
Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 2026
Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk
This temporary outdoor exhibition places sculpture along the coastal walk between Bondi and Tamarama. The route is free to walk, but it includes slopes, stairs and narrow sections that can become crowded.
November 2026
2Melbourne Cup Day 2026
Flemington Racecourse
Melbourne Cup Day is the Tuesday centrepiece of the Victoria Racing Club's spring carnival at Flemington. Entry is ticketed and race times, precinct access and dress requirements depend on the product booked.
bp Adelaide Grand Final 2026
Adelaide Street Circuit
The Supercars season finale returns to Adelaide's street circuit over four days. Current official Supercars information moved the 2026 event forward to late November, so older December brochures should not be used for travel planning.
December 2026
3Boxing Day Test 2026 — Australia v New Zealand
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Australia hosts New Zealand in the traditional Melbourne Boxing Day Test from 26–30 December. A five-day ticket window does not guarantee five full days of play; match length and daily finishing times depend on cricket and weather.
Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2026
Sydney Harbour start; River Derwent finish
The offshore yacht race starts on Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day and heads south to Hobart. Shore spectators can watch the departure from public vantage points, while arrival timing varies by boat and conditions.
Sydney New Year's Eve 2026
Sydney Harbour vantage points
Sydney's harbour New Year's Eve celebration uses many separately managed vantage points around the bridge and foreshore. The date is fixed, but entry, capacity, alcohol rules and accessibility differ by location.
January 2027
3Australian Open 2027
Melbourne Park and Birrarung Marr
The 2027 Australian Open spans Opening Week and the main draw at Melbourne Park. Tickets are sold by session and venue; a ground pass does not include a reserved seat in every show court.
FRINGE WORLD Perth 2027
Venues across Perth
FRINGE WORLD brings independently presented comedy, cabaret, circus and performance to venues across Perth. The festival window is confirmed, while the public programme and individual session access continue to develop.
Australia Day 2027
Nationwide
Australia Day is a nationwide public holiday on 26 January. Local ceremonies, protests, community gatherings and opening hours vary, so this entry describes the holiday rather than promising one national event programme.
February 2027
1March 2027
2Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade 2027
Oxford Street and Flinders Street parade route
The 2027 Mardi Gras Parade returns to Oxford and Flinders streets on 6 March. The street parade is free, while any associated viewing products and the wider festival programme have separate conditions.
150th Anniversary Test — Australia v England
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Australia and England play a one-off day-night Test at the MCG marking 150 years since the first Test match. The five-day schedule is confirmed, but play can end before day five if the match is completed.