Plan Your Visit
Events &
Festivals.
The Australian annual calendar, month by month. Festivals, sporting events, cultural moments and seasonal peaks worth planning your trip around.
33 events across the year
Month
State
Category
Month 01
January.
4 events
January · Melbourne
Australian Open (Tennis)
Two weeks of Grand Slam tennis at Melbourne Park.
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January · Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills
Santos Tour Down Under
The first race on the UCI World Tour cycling calendar each year, run across the Adelaide Hills, the Barossa and the South Australian wine country.
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January · Sydney
Sydney Festival
Three weeks of music, theatre, dance and outdoor events across Sydney.
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January · Tamworth
Tamworth Country Music Festival
Ten days of country music in the biggest country music festival in the southern hemisphere.
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February.
3 events
February to March · Adelaide
Adelaide Fringe
The second-largest fringe festival in the world, taking over Adelaide for four weeks of comedy, cabaret and theatre.
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February to March · Perth
Perth Festival
Western Australia's flagship arts festival and the longest continuously running international arts festival in the southern hemisphere.
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February to March · Sydney
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
The biggest LGBTQIA+ pride event in the southern hemisphere, culminating in a parade down Oxford Street.
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March.
2 events
March · Melbourne
Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix
The opening round of the Formula 1 season, held at Albert Park in Melbourne.
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March to April · Melbourne
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Four weeks of comedy from Australian and international performers, the third-biggest comedy festival in the world.
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April.
2 events
April · Nationwide
Anzac Day
The national day of remembrance for Australian and New Zealand servicemen and women, observed on 25 April.
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April · Byron Bay
Byron Bay Bluesfest
Five days of blues, roots and folk over the Easter long weekend at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm.
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Month 07
July.
3 events
July · Sydney
Bastille Day French Festival
Sydney's French community takes over Circular Quay for four days in July.
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July · North Byron Parklands, Yelgun
Splendour in the Grass
Australia's biggest greenfield music festival, held in the Byron Bay hinterland over a long winter weekend.
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July to October · East and west coasts
Whale Watching Season
Humpback whales migrate along both coasts from June to November, with the best viewing in July to September.
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August.
4 events
August to September · Cairns
Cairns Festival
Ten days of outdoor music, art and events across tropical Cairns during the dry season.
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August · Darwin
Darwin Festival
Eighteen days of music, theatre, art and outdoor events across the Top End capital, held in the dry season under the tropical night sky.
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August · North-East Arnhem Land
Garma Festival
Australia's largest Yolngu cultural gathering, held in north-east Arnhem Land over four days in early August.
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August · Alice Springs
Henley-on-Todd Regatta
A bottomless-boat regatta run on the dry bed of the Todd River in Alice Springs, the only regatta in the world cancelled in years when there is too much water in the river.
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September.
4 events
September · Melbourne
AFL Grand Final
The biggest sporting day of the Australian calendar, held at the MCG on the last Saturday of September.
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September · Brisbane
Brisbane Festival
Three weeks of arts, music, theatre and public spectacle across Brisbane in September.
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September to October · Canberra
Floriade
A month-long spring flower festival in Canberra, the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere.
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September · Toowoomba
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers
Queensland's longest-running annual festival, transforming the Garden City into a sea of spring flowers across ten days each September.
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October.
3 events
October · Bathurst
Bathurst 1000
The biggest touring car race in the southern hemisphere, held at Mount Panorama in Bathurst every October.
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October · Sydney
NRL Grand Final
Rugby league's biggest day. The decider for the National Rugby League season is held at Sydney's Accor Stadium on the first Sunday of October.
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October to November · Flemington and Caulfield, Melbourne
Spring Racing Carnival
Two months of premier thoroughbred racing across Melbourne, anchored by the Melbourne Cup but featuring multiple Group 1 races and major social events.
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November.
2 events
November · Margaret River
Margaret River Gourmet Escape
A weekend food and wine festival held in Margaret River with international chef appearances and vineyard lunches.
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November · Melbourne
Melbourne Cup
The race that stops a nation, run at Flemington Racecourse on the first Tuesday of November.
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December.
4 events
December to January · Nationwide
Australian Summer School Holidays
The busiest travel period of the year, from mid-December to late January across most states.
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December · Melbourne
Boxing Day Test
The highlight of the Australian cricket summer, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day.
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December · Sydney Harbour
Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
The blue-water classic, starting from Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart.
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December to January · Woodford
Woodford Folk Festival
Six days of music, art and ideas in the Queensland hinterland over New Year.
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