Brisbane Writers Festival 2026 runs from Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 October 2026. Brisbane Powerhouse at 119 Lamington Street, New Farm, is the main festival venue, and the official ticketing information also lists events at Brisbane City Hall in King George Square. The program, session times and ticket conditions are published on the official festival website, which is the only source you should rely on for event details.
This is an independent Trusted Locally guide, not a festival publication. It will not tell you which authors to see. It will help you turn one or two sessions into a comfortable local day: how to read a ticket properly, how to get to New Farm and back, where to find food and coffee nearby, and how to avoid the small mistakes that make festival days stressful. Details were checked on 1 October 2026 and can change, so confirm the specifics with the organiser before you leave home.
Brisbane Writers Festival 2026 key facts
- Dates: 8 to 11 October 2026 (Thursday to Sunday).
- Main venue: Brisbane Powerhouse, 119 Lamington Street, New Farm.
- Other venue listed: Brisbane City Hall, King George Square, Brisbane CBD.
- Program and tickets: bwf.org.au/2026-festival.
- Ticketing and general information: official ticketing page, including accessibility and venue notes.
Some sessions are ticketed, some are free, and availability changes as the festival approaches. Treat anything you read elsewhere, including this guide, as a prompt to check the official listing rather than a substitute for it.
Choose the session before you plan the day
Start with the one event you most want to attend. Read its listing carefully and note the date, start time, expected duration, venue and any ticket conditions. Then build everything else around it. Festival programs are designed to tempt you into five sessions a day. One or two sessions with time to think, eat and talk afterwards is usually the better experience, especially if you are travelling with someone else.
Check what the author is actually doing
An author listed in the program may appear at one panel, one in-conversation event or a workshop, not at all of them. Signings are often tied to a specific session and are not guaranteed. If meeting a particular writer matters to you, look for the exact event that offers it rather than assuming any session will do.
Going with a partner, friend or book club
Compare interests before you book. One shared session plus an hour afterwards to talk it through is more enjoyable than racing between different rooms and meeting up tired. For a book club, pick a discussion prompt for the trip home so the session leads somewhere.
Read the venue on every ticket
Brisbane Powerhouse is the festival's home, but it is not the only venue. The ticketing and general information page identifies events at Brisbane City Hall as well. New Farm and the CBD are about three kilometres apart, so two sessions booked back to back at different venues will not work without travel time in between.
Inside the Powerhouse there are several performance spaces. Allow time to find the right room, collect anything you need and settle in before the start. If accessibility affects your plans, contact the organiser or venue directly using the details on the official page; do not rely on general descriptions.
Getting to Brisbane Powerhouse and City Hall
Both venues are easy to reach on public transport, and with Translink's current 50 cent fares that is the cheapest and simplest option. Use the Translink journey planner for your actual arrival and departure times rather than assuming services run at the same frequency late in the evening.
Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm
- Ferry: New Farm Park CityCat terminal is a short walk through the park to the Powerhouse.
- Bus: Several routes serve New Farm from the city; check the planner for the stop closest to Lamington Street.
- Driving: parking near the Powerhouse and New Farm Park is limited and fills quickly on event days. Check the venue's parking advice and have a fallback, or leave the car at home.
Brisbane City Hall, CBD
City Hall sits on King George Square, a few minutes' walk from Central and Roma Street train stations, the King George Square busway station and the Queen Street bus station. Brisbane Metro M1 and M2 both serve the city centre. For a cheap day across both precincts, our 50 cent fares guide explains how the fare works and the tap-on, tap-off habits that avoid incomplete journey charges.
Plan your trip home before you leave
A connection that is comfortable at 10am can be tight at 9.30pm. Check the last services for your route before you go, save your booking confirmation and the venue address on your phone, and if a connection looks tight choose a later option rather than counting on the session finishing on time.
Food, coffee and time to talk
New Farm has one of Brisbane's best cafe and restaurant strips along Brunswick Street and Merthyr Road, plus the Powerhouse's own bars and dining, all within a short walk of New Farm Park. The CBD has more options than you can count around Queen Street Mall and the Burnett Lane laneways. A few practical rules:
- Confirm the session venue before you book a table, so you are eating in the right suburb.
- Check opening hours directly with the business, especially on the Sunday.
- Do not book a table for the exact minute a session is due to finish. Give yourself 30 to 45 minutes of slack.
- If your budget is tight, set a separate amount for food and for books and decide which comes first. A literary day does not have to involve a purchase at every stop.
Trusted Locally lists independent Brisbane cafes and restaurants by suburb with customer reviews, which is a quick way to find somewhere near your session.
A sample festival day
- Morning: CityCat to New Farm Park, coffee on Merthyr Road, a walk through the park and the riverside path.
- Midday: your main session at the Powerhouse. Arrive 20 minutes early to find the room.
- Afternoon: lunch in New Farm, then a browse of the festival bookshop if there is one, with a fixed budget in mind.
- Optional: a second session, or the ferry back along the river at an unhurried pace.
- Evening: dinner booked for 45 minutes after your last session, and a transport plan checked in advance.
Make the session stick
Before the event, write down one question or idea you are curious about. Afterwards, spend five minutes noting what stayed with you. For a solo visit, keep a short reading list inspired by the conversation. For a group, choose one topic to discuss on the way home. The sessions are the point of the festival, and a small habit like this makes them last longer than the ticket stub.
Check again before you leave
Programs, venues, availability and practical arrangements change, sometimes on the day. Revisit the official event listing shortly before you leave and rely on the organiser for current ticketing, accessibility and attendance information. If the weather turns, remember that October is early storm season in Brisbane; our storm preparation checklist covers what to have ready at home.
Frequently asked questions
When is Brisbane Writers Festival 2026?
Brisbane Writers Festival 2026 runs from Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 October 2026. Session times vary across the four days, so check the official program at bwf.org.au for the exact event you want to attend.
Where is Brisbane Writers Festival held?
The main venue is Brisbane Powerhouse at 119 Lamington Street, New Farm. The official ticketing information also lists events at Brisbane City Hall in King George Square, so check the venue printed on each ticket.
How do I get to Brisbane Powerhouse for the festival?
The CityCat to New Farm Park terminal is a short walk from the Powerhouse, and several bus routes serve New Farm from the city. Translink fares are currently 50 cents a trip. Parking nearby is limited on event days, so public transport is usually easier.
Are Brisbane Writers Festival events free?
Some sessions are free and others are ticketed. Availability changes as the festival approaches, so check the official ticketing page for the current status of each event before you travel.
Is this an official Brisbane Writers Festival guide?
No. This is an independent Trusted Locally guide to planning your day around the festival. For the program, tickets, accessibility and anything about the events themselves, use the official festival website.
