Things to Do in Brisbane 2026: Best Ways to Go Analogue and Find Your People
Summer 2026 in Brisbane invites you to slow the scroll and lean into real-life connection. The sunshine rolls across the Brisbane River, the CBD hums without rushing, and the city offers a thing that feels rare lately: space to actually be present.
These things to do in Brisbane are some of the best that Queensland has lined up this summer, blending major events with community-led activity. With GoGet, you can visit Brisbane spots in a unique way, hopping from riverfront to inner-city hub without thinking twice about standing in the heat waiting for public transport.
River air, morning light, and a whole city to explore — summer starts here.
Olafur Eliasson: Presence at the Gallery of Modern Art
5 February 2026 - 12 July 2026
Step inside Olafur Eliasson: Presence at the Gallery of Modern Art and let the pace of the outside world soften. This Brisbane-exclusive exhibition unfolds across the ground floor galleries, guiding visitors through a multi-sensory landscape shaped by light, water, mist, and reflection. Designed as an analogue activity in Brisbane’s CBD, the exhibition invites you to choose your own path, heighten your awareness, and imagine future versions of the river city through physical experience rather than screens.
Drawing on three decades of work by Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, the exhibition blends early works with large-scale installations developed especially for Presence. Highlights include Beauty 1993, where a rainbow hovers within a fine veil of mist, and Pluriverse assembly 2021, which scatters light into constantly shifting reflections. Fan favourites return too, with the rocky, flowing landscape of Riverbed 2014 and the collaborative LEGO city of The cubic structural evolution project 2004, inviting visitors to build, rebuild, and linger.
💡 Pro tip: GOMA is free to enter for the permanent collection, but Olafur Eliasson: Presence requires a ticket. Book online before you go - sessions fill quickly on weekends and the exhibition runs until 12 July 2026, so you have time to plan.
Full face, fierce eyes, and forty years of history — this show still stops a room.
CATS! The Musical at QPAC
8 February 2026 - 22 February 2026
CATS! The Musical arrives at QPAC as a joyful throwback that suits Brisbane’s love of theatre and spectacle. It first premiered in London in 1981 and quickly became one of the longest-running and most recognisable shows in musical theatre history. Based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the story follows a tribe of Jellicle cats as they gather for one night to sing, dance, and share their stories while deciding which cat will be chosen for a new life.
After the show, late-night places to eat in Brisbane line the riverfront, making dinner part of the activity rather than a rush job. This is a great night out for families, friends, and anyone keen on live music storytelling in 2026.
💡 Pro tip: QPAC is a short walk from South Brisbane station, but if you're making a full night of it - pre-show drinks, the performance, and dinner after - a GoGet gives you the freedom to roam without worrying about the last train.
Women’s ODI Series vs India at Allan Border Field
24 February 2026
Cricket in Brisbane always feels communal, and the Women’s ODI Series vs India at Allan Border Field is no exception. This major event turns sport into a shared summer ritual, drawing locals and visitors into one buzzing stadium. The Women’s multi-format series against India continues in Brisbane with the first NRMA Insurance One Day International match held at Allan Border Field.
This is a rare chance to see the world’s top-ranked women’s cricket team in action, with skill, speed, and atmosphere that pulls the crowd into every over. If you are anywhere near the city, this is one summer sporting moment you really do need to see.
💡 Pro tip: Allan Border Field is a compact, community-feel ground where even the back rows feel close to the action. General admission areas fill up fast - arrive early to secure a good spot on the hill.
Good Charlotte: Motel Du Cap World Tour at Brisbane Entertainment Centre
19 February 2026
Good Charlotte rolling into Brisbane in 2026 feels like a collective millennial flashback, the kind that brings back memories of flip phones, side fringes, and downloading emo bangers over dial-up one song at a time. The Motel Du Cap World Tour lands at Brisbane Entertainment Centre, where fans who once blasted The Anthem on iPods now show up with a bit more sunscreen and a much earlier bedtime. The songs still hit, though, and the crowd knows every word without checking a screen.
Brisbane Entertainment Centre is the kind of room that was built for moments like this - a proper arena that fills wall to wall with people who know every word. It is less sweaty mosh pit, more shared laughs and knowing looks between people who survived early-2000s emo and came out the other side.
💡 Pro tip: Brisbane Entertainment Centre is in Boondall, about 15km from the CBD. There's limited parking around the venue on event nights, so factor in travel time.
Galentines Drag Queen Bottomless Brunch
14 February 2026
Galentine's Day in Brisbane gets a serious glow-up with the Drag Queen Bottomless Brunch at Darling & Co. Held on Valentine's Day. Round up your besties and settle in for an afternoon of fierce fun. Think big personalities, bold looks, and a room buzzing with laughter as four fabulous drag shows roll through the afternoon alongside two playful games and plenty of photo ops for the group chat later.
This is not your standard brunch stop. Guests can choose from Easy, Standard, or Premium packages, all built around bottomless brunch vibes that encourage you to sip, savour, and stay present. The Paddington setting adds to the charm, giving this social activity a cosy inner-city feel that still delivers big energy. Spend a few glitter-filled hours completely off your phone!
No partner, no experience, no problem — just show up and let the music do the rest.
Contra Dancing Around the Brisbane Region
14 February 2026
Originating in the US, this folk-style contra dancing invites you to show up exactly as you are, no experience required. Before the music starts, every dance is taught, and a caller talks you through the steps as you go, so no one is left guessing. Enjoy the live music band that keeps the energy high and the mood light.
You do not need a partner, and you will not be short on people to dance with. Friends, family, and solo dancers are all welcome, making it a genuinely social way to spend a summer afternoon. Afternoon tea and snacks are included, entry is $10 cash at the door, and the only prep needed is comfortable clothes, good shoes, and a water bottle.
💡 Pro tip: Entry is $10 cash at the door, so come prepared. Comfortable, breathable clothes and shoes you can move in are all you need - leave the thongs at home.
Crafting Workshops: Mosaic Lamps and Custom Burned Hats
Ongoing Dates (Check Website)
The mosaic lamp workshop is a quietly satisfying thing to do in Brisbane if you are craving a hands-on activity that slows the mind and keeps the phone firmly out of reach. Run by Artistic Vibes, this beginner-friendly session draws inspiration from traditional Turkish mosaic techniques, guiding you-step by-step as you design and assemble your own glass mosaic table lamp using colourful tiles, beads, and metal fittings. All materials are provided, and you leave with a fully functional lamp that actually feels like an achievement. It suits everything from a low-key date to a solo afternoon reset or a small group catch-up, with BYO drinks adding to the laid-back, creative energy.
The Custom Burned Hat Workshop in Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast is a relaxed, creative activity that trades screens for hands-on fun. In this beginner-friendly session, you design and wood-burn your own unisex felt fedora, choosing from a range of colours and either freestyling your pattern or using a transfer if you want a little guidance. It is BYO drinks, but sip responsibly when driving a GoGet!
Your next Brisbane adventure is one booking away — GoGet handles the rest.
A Summer That Sticks With You in Brisbane
Summer 2026 in Brisbane is shaped by moments that feel shared, tactile, and genuinely human. These things to do in Brisbane show how the city’s best things are not just found in major events or headline acts, but in the activity of turning up, joining in, and choosing analogue experiences that leave a mark. From riverfront venues and inner-city hubs to creative workshops and community gatherings, Brisbane proves that connection is part of what the city offers best.
With GoGet making it easy to move between the CBD, neighbourhood favourites, and nearby day trip spots, the whole Brisbane region opens up without the usual friction. Park the car, grab your sunnies, and lean into the season. This is Queensland summer at its most social, playful, and memorable, and it is ready when you are.
Get Around Brisbane Without the Hassle
Brisbane's best summer moments are spread across the city - from South Bank to Paddington, Boondall to Fortitude Valley. A GoGet car gives you the flexibility to move between them on your own schedule, with fuel, insurance, and maintenance all included. Book by the hour or the day, and go where the weekend takes you.
