Brisbane Events 2026: Best Autumn Harvest & Food Festivals
Brisbane Food Festival Guide: The Best Autumn Harvest Events in 2026
In Queensland, the cooler months bring a quiet shift in the air and a welcome break from the humidity. Markets fill parklands, country towns attract visitors, and nearly every weekend hosts a food or community event. In 2026, Brisbane will be a hub for gatherings that honour flavour, hospitality, and the region’s farming roots.
Across the city and beyond, travellers will find delicious food in scenic settings—under open skies, beside paddocks, or near coastal breezes. With the ability to book a GoGet in minutes, exploring these spots is easy, with each new aroma leading you from one festive experience to the next.
Paddock to plate. Autumn in Queensland just hits different.
Hampton Festival: Scenic Queensland Flavour and Local Food in May 2026
The Hampton Festival returns on 16 and 17 May 2026 for another year in Queensland's high country, about 140 kilometres northwest of Brisbane. Nestled among rolling hills, the town offers a scenic backdrop, and Chapman Park draws crowds with market and food stalls, plus an art show featuring local artists—an ideal kickoff to your autumn festival calendar.
The festival offers a relaxed high-country experience, with live music drifting across the Growers on the Green precinct. Tables and chairs fill quickly as foodies sample scones, pastries, and doughnut treats alongside gourmet tastings from a boutique winery at a wine show. It feels proudly Aussie, a true celebration of all things regional, where the best food of Queensland comes straight from the harvest.
💡 Pro tip: Hampton sits at around 700 metres elevation, so autumn mornings up there are properly chilly compared to Brisbane. Pack a jumper even if the forecast looks mild, and bring cash for the smaller market stalls. Mobile reception can be patchy in parts of the high country, so download offline maps before you leave the M1.
MOULD x PINOT PALOOZA: Cheese, Wine, and City Flavour
Next, from 22 to 24 May 2026, MOULD x PINOT PALOOZA arrives in Brisbane for a lively food-and-wine event spotlighting bold cheeses and hearty wines. Hosted at John Reid Pavilion in the city, it brings together artisan makers, winemakers, and passionate foodies eager to sample over 50 cheese varieties. This festival extends the celebration of Queensland's best food and wine.
Inside the venue, guests can wander between sampling plates and wine tastings while listening to live, local musicians that keep the energy high. The event becomes a playful contest for the senses as visitors debate which pairing deserves the title of Brisbane’s best food experience of the weekend. This is a great option if you want to pack your friends into a GoGet for an afternoon, but make sure you have a designated driver!
💡 Pro tip: MOULD sessions are capped and the Saturday afternoon slots sell out first. If cheese is your main game, book the earlier session where the sampling plates are freshest and the crowds are thinnest. Also, eat a proper breakfast before you arrive, because 50+ cheese varieties on an empty stomach is a rookie mistake your stomach won't forgive.
Kalbar Sunflower Festival: Scenic Rim Joys
The Kalbar Sunflower Festival blooms from 1 to 3 May 2026 in the Scenic Rim, roughly 85 kilometres southwest of Brisbane. This scenic event brings together sweeping sunflower fields with Queensland farmers who arrive with fresh harvest bounty to serve, while food stalls create delicious fare among the golden paddocks.
Visitors stroll between market stalls and open-air tables while live music rolls across the farm. Have a chat with cheese makers, bakers, and small growers who share stories behind their produce, turning the event into a welcoming, community-building opportunity. Between the perfect Instagram sunflower photographs and generous tastings, the festival captures the charm of rural Queensland at its most inviting.
💡 Pro tip: The sunflowers photograph best in the golden hour window, about an hour before sunset, when the light turns the fields almost neon. Arrive mid-afternoon, eat your way through the food stalls first, then wander out for photos once the crowds thin. Wear closed-toe shoes, the paddocks get dusty and the rows between sunflowers aren't manicured.
Good food, good company. The best way to do a food festival.
GourMay Mary Valley Food Festival: Farm-Fresh Flavour Near Brisbane
Throughout May 2026, the GourMay Mary Valley Food Festival spreads across the lush Mary Valley. About 2 hours north of Brisbane, you'll want to make it a full-day event. Among the many activities on offer, the Festival Day & Big Picnic is among the most varied. Bake-offs, face painting, cooking workshops, and, of course, plentiful eating make this day a must-experience.
Other wonderful events include Sunrise Breakfast at Avocado Tree Farm, Slow Food Noosa Film & Food, or Mother's Day Morning Tea at Kandanga Christmas Tree Farm. With so much to do across the month, you may be inclined to take multiple-day trips to celebrate the incredible passion for food this region holds.
💡 Pro tip: The Mary Valley Rattler, a heritage steam train, runs through the valley on weekends and makes a brilliant add-on if you're already in the area for GourMay. Book the train and festival events as separate days rather than trying to cram both into one visit. Fuel up in Gympie on the way in, because petrol options thin out once you're deeper into the valley.
Redcliffe Markets Easter Extravaganza: Fresh Coastal Food
Shifting to the coast, the Redcliffe Markets Easter Extravaganza takes place over the Easter weekend in April 2026. Situated about 40 minutes north of Brisbane, this waterfront market fills the precinct with food stalls offering seafood feasts, pastries, and international eats—a fresh seaside addition to your autumn festival experience.
As a free community event, explore over 250 stalls, participate in an egg hunt, get photos with the Easter Bunny, or give the dunk tank a go with proceeds supporting Redcliffe Hospital. Hosted at Redcliffe Parade, enjoy the salty air right by the shoreline, mixing with sizzling street food while live entertainment and music echo along the shoreline.
💡 Pro tip: Parking around Redcliffe Parade fills up by 8am on Easter weekend, so arrive early or park a few blocks back and walk in along the waterfront. The jetty and lagoon are a short stroll from the markets and make a great pre or post-market wander with the kids. Bring a reusable bag, the stalls here are generous with produce and you'll want somewhere to stash it all.
Taste Festival Gold Coast: Gourmet Food and Wine Celebration
The Taste Festival Gold Coast returns from 20 to 22 March 2026 at Currumbin RSL. Just an hour's drive south of Brisbane, the coastal food festival kicks off Friday evening and continues through themed Saturday and Sunday sessions, each focused on tastings that highlight the depth of Queensland flavour. The event draws local producers, winery makers, and distillers, all pouring their finest creations for a crowd of curious foodies and seasoned tasters alike.
In the open-air setting, guests move between stalls sampling bold reds, crisp whites, smooth gin, and rich whisky, while food stalls and food trucks serve gourmet bites that pair with each pour. Cheese boards, pastry treats, and small plates made with local produce sit alongside seafood feasts that reflect the Gold Coast’s coastal identity. Live music hums in the background as people gather around tables and chairs, swapping notes on flavour and favourites.
Plantapalooza: Community Food & Gardening Combo
Held Saturday, 28 March, Plantapalooza delivers Autumn magic at the Saturday Fresh Market in Rocklea, just 30 minutes south of Brisbane. Blending a bustling food festival with a hands-on garden event, it brings together growers, gardeners, and local producers under one roof. Visitors can join terrarium workshops, consult expert horticulturists, and receive practical advice on creating the perfect autumn landscape, from hardy herbs to vibrant veggie seedlings suited to Queensland conditions.
Beyond the greenery, the event delivers a full food experience. Market stalls overflow with fruit and veg, cheese, meats, and artisan goods, giving foodies the chance to stock up on fresh weekly produce while sampling delicious food along the way. This Brisbane event feels like a bumper weekend ritual where you can eat local, learn something new, and head home with both a full basket and fresh inspiration.
💡 Pro tip: Autumn is actually the best planting window in Queensland for herbs like coriander, parsley, and rocket, which bolt and die in the summer heat. Come to Plantapalooza with a rough list of what you want to grow and talk to the horticulturists on site, because their local knowledge on Brisbane soil and microclimates beats anything you'll find on Google. Bring a sturdy box to transport seedlings home safely.
Your next Brisbane adventure is one booking away — GoGet handles the rest.
Following the Flavour Trail Across Brisbane
Brisbane’s 2026 food festival scene showcases everything exciting about the city: diverse flavours, strong local talent, and a relaxed, social vibe. Whether you’re drawn by street food, fine dining, or just a good day out with friends, these events offer more than meals; they create shared experiences.
And with GoGet on hand, getting from one festival to the next becomes part of the experience too, giving you the freedom to move across Brisbane’s food map without the hassle of owning a car. Plan it right, and a few weekends can turn into something memorable, as you follow the flavour trail and see a different side of the city each time. Check out our other ideas for more day trip ideas around Brisbane!
Taste Your Way Across Queensland with GoGet
From the high country rolling hills of Hampton to the sunflower paddocks of Kalbar, the coastal breeze at Redcliffe, and the wine rooms of the Gold Coast, Queensland's autumn food scene is spread across every corner of the map. A GoGet car or SUV gets you from Brisbane to each one on your schedule, with fuel, rego, insurance, and maintenance all sorted. No fuel bill at the end of the weekend, no long-term commitment, just a full boot of market finds and the lingering smell of fresh bread on the drive home.
