The winter calendar is filled with a variety of world-class events in Noosa, from challenging sporting events to get your heart pumping, to wondrous arts and cultural festivals that showcase the thriving local arts scene. Whatever your whim, there is something to surprise and delight this winter in Noosa! So, get planning your next Noosa getaway around one of these upcoming events, and get ready to escape the southern chill.
Sunday 30 July 2023
The history of the Noosa Enduro is woven into the fabric of local event folklore; the event was started by the team behind the iconic Noosa Triathlon more than a decade ago and made its re-entry onto the event calendar in 2021.
Reimagined for 2023, this slick one-day cycling festival has multiple events on offer to suit all levels. The course remains virtually unchanged from the original and follows the Noosa Trail Network almost in its entirety but also includes events for the booming gravel and e-Bike categories, as well as a kids’ race and event village.
Setting off from the township of Tewantin, the Noosa Enduro heads deep into the forestry towards the towns of Kin Kin, Cooran and Cooroy before tackling the formidable Mothar Mountain- a chance to test your legs, or engage the motor on your e-Bike, depending on your perspective! Finish back in Tewantin with a well-deserved cold beer in the buzzing event village, with craft beer stalls and food trucks, live entertainment, and kids' learn-to-ride sessions by Wheely Fun Camps.
There are various events on offer across the day, with distances from 30 - 150 km. This year, don’t miss the newly created Specialized Adventure Gravel, a non-competitive category you can enter alongside your mates, with 100km and 140km distances to choose from, and a DNF (did not finish) bar located at the halfway point where you can relax with a beer and wait for the shuttle back to the finish line.
24 June – 30 July 2023
This biennial art-in-the-environment is one of the biggest festivals of its kind in Australia and delves into the art culture and indigenous heritage of Noosa. Led by the team at Noosa Regional Gallery, the event is back in 2023 with Floating Land: Us and Them. Responding to contemporary ideas and concerns, the theme delves into other perspectives, shared experiences, and stories. It sets out to challenge assumptions, check prejudices and revel in discomfort – to find some common ground and bind us in our similarities.
Floating Land showcases sculptures in key anchor sites across the Noosa region – with installations rising from the water and shoreline at Lake Cootharaba in Boreen Point, set against the scrubby vegetation of the Noosa Woods, and winding along the foreshore lining the boardwalk from Little Cove to Noosa National Park.
Don´t miss the ´family´ of sculptures by contemporary painter Juan Ford, which comments on our oneness with the natural environment, and shows that we are inseparable from the environmental consequences of our actions. Or the series of photographic portraits by Iranian-born documentary photographer Hoda Afshar, with a poetic representation of the plight of men sent to languish in the remote detention centres on Manus Island, set against the backdrop of the Noosa Woods.
21 - 30 July 2023
A melting pot of cultural experiences and live performing arts, the NOOSA alive! festival is a highlight on the Noosa event calendar and brings its unique blend of arts, music and culture back to town this year.
After a blockbuster festival in 2022, the wondrous NOOSA alive! is back better than ever, with several not-to-be-missed events on the schedule, spanning music, theatre, and literature. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Noosa, the festival utilises art and cultural spaces across the region, as well as beach events from the tepee set up on Noosa Main Beach.
Highlights of the 2023 festival include performances by The Queensland Ballet, with their world-premiere performance by the Jette Parker Young Artists – a program that fosters the development of young artists at the beginning of their professional careers - under the artistic direction of Paul Boyd and Matthew Lawrence, performing the brand-new contemporary piece Tartan.
The festival heads to the hinterland for the foodie Noosa Hinterland Producers Long Lunch – held at BlackAnt Gourmet at Kin Kin General Store, in the picturesque country town of Kin Kin. Produce from locals Eastwell Farms Beef, Piggy in the Middle, Mayan Farm, Mary Valley Country Harvest Co-op, and Kenilworth Dairies will take centre stage, as part of the 3-course hinterland feast (with bus transfers included in ticket price).
And Noosa Main Beach will provide the backdrop for the wildly popular Seaside Vibes Music Festival, a laid-back two-day toes-in-the-sand event with a line-up featuring artists Bobby Alu and Raw Ordio. The beachfront Evie Network Marquee will also host the Tenori-Opera Under the Stars, a perfect evening on Noosa Main Beach, with the sound of rolling surf and glorious tenor and soprano voices filling the air, accompanied by a two-course sit-down meal by The Ogilvie Group.
18 - 20 August 2023
Head to the thriving Noosa Junction precinct for a unique culinary journey, celebrating local ingredients and cultural storytelling, and taking in some of the most beloved eat and drink destinations across this weekend-long line-up of events.
The program dishes up a menu paying homage to the region's native and wild ingredients and gourmet producers. Don't miss the Saturday evening Fervor Bush & Botanicals Banquet - an acclaimed pop-up outdoor dining experience from guest chef Paul Iskov, which celebrates Australian native produce, in conjunction with local chefs and mixologists from Herbert and Vanilla Food.
Other events include the Taste of Australian Native Flavours lunch by Herbert Noosa - a plant-centric long lunch in Herbert's relaxed bistro setting, featuring foraged native ingredients, and sustainably sourced local meats and seafood, and the BackstrEATS Welcome Bar & Canapés, with live music from the Sun Salute line-up, street art by Ngudjlaa Arts, and cocktails by Herbert Noosa.
15 July 2023
Noosa's newest event takes place in the heart of Noosa Heads, nestled within the iconic Hastings Street precinct. The street will become the stunning backdrop for an array of rare and collectible cars, where car enthusiasts and collectors can get up close and inspect dreamy cars from some of the world's most iconic luxury brands.
Judging will take place across the day, and as the sun sets over Noosa, entertainment and live music will kick off across the street, where you can settle into an open-air dining experience, with the unique atmosphere of the Noosa Concours d'Elegance as your backdrop.
