The crowning glory on Brisbane’s queer calendar is back for 2025 and it’s bigger, bolder, and more fabulous than ever. Forget travelling for Mardi-Gras, Melt Festival is the place to be for all things camp, captivating and cabaret right here in the River City.
From 22 October to 9 November, Melt is taking over Brisbane/Meanjin with hundreds of performances and events at over 60 venues. It's a bold celebration of inclusivity, community, diversity and creativity that never fails to bring Australia’s LGBTQIA+ community and allies together. Think pageants, parades, musical theatre, comedy, a choral installation, burlesque and visual arts—it's a glorious lineup for all to enjoy.
“The next chapter of Melt turns the volume up on queer joy, protest and pride,” Melt Executive Producer Emmie Paranthoiene says. “We’re celebrating the full spectrum of LGBTQIA+ voices, from bold new talent to iconic artists who continue to break boundaries with this diverse program. Melt is a love letter to our community and everyone’s invited to the party.”
New to the festival in 2025 is Melting Pot: a pop-up venue taking over the Stores Building at Brisbane Powerhouse from 23 October, promising to bring the vibes each weekend of the festival. Created in collaboration with queer music collective QUIVR, it's set to be a riot of performance, music and community. You’d be on the right track if you’re thinking late-night energy, underground flavour and full-spectrum queer joy.
Image credit: Miss First Nation | Joseph Mayers
The hottest tickets in town include Miss First Nation 2025, the fiercest Blak drag pageant coming to Brisbane for the first time, and contemporary artist Gerwyn Davies’ exhibition Shimmer—bold portraits created in collaboration with trans and gender diverse young people that you can see at Museum of Brisbane and in large scale outdoor installations across the city. There’s also the Queensland premiere of enGORGEd by the sharp-witted and Swarovski-studded Reuben Kaye and even iconic star of stage and screen Bernadette Petters is getting in on the Melt action with her first Australian performance in over a decade.
Image credit: Bernadette Peters | Supplied
If you’re looking for laughs, one of the country’s favourite comedians, Urzila Carlson is also joining the party, returning to Brisbane for two special encore shows following her hugely popular Just Jokes 2024 Australian tour. You also don’t want to miss Tomáš Kantor’s award-winning debut Sugar: an electric cabaret following a radiant gender fluid twink navigating transactional love with Pretty Woman as their guide. Or, check out an unhinged queer wrestle-party at The Tivoli, an adults-only bubble show, and 1000 voices—a major choral event uniting queer and ally singers in one monumental moment.
Image credit: River Pride | Markus Ravik
The Brisbane River/Maiwar will once again flow rainbow when the River Pride Parade returns on Saturday 8 November with a fabulous flotilla of crafts that could put even the iconic budget Barbie camper to shame. The convoy will journey from West End to Brisbane Powerhouse, and everything from yachts to paddleboards are welcome—simply register here. Don’t have a watercraft? No worries; sashay aboard The Pride Ride or join the free, family-friendly River Pride Picnic at New Farm Park, complete with food trucks, live music and rainbow fireworks.
Last on our list, but first in show-stopping energy is Melt’s euphoric finale party Meltdown. Give yourself over to absolute pleasure at this filthy fantasmagoria curated by the infamous GoGo Bumhole and Shandy. You’re in for a wild night of pop-up performances, hot DJs, and unpredictable delights as they blow the roof off the festival in true Melt style.
Melt Festival 2025 is set to be loud and proud, so grab your glitter, rustle up your sequins, and prepare to celebrate Brisbane pride this spring.
The Details
When: 22 October to 9 November
Where: Over 60 venues across Brisbane
Find out more here.
For more of what’s on in Brisbane, head here.
Main image credit: Reuben Kaye | Claudio Raschella