Melt Festival has been teasing us with its 2024 line-up for weeks now, whetting appetites with the likes of Hans, Confidence Man, Take That and a bunch more artists. But after much anticipation, the full program is here – and it’s queer. The fringe-style festival returns for 2024 with an unmissable line-up of LGBTQIA+ artists and allies from across Brisbane, Australia and around the globe. 

“This program is full of artists and performers at the top of their craft,” says Melt reference group chair, Luke Furness. “Some are familiar, and some are very different. We have done our job if you leave these weeks laughing, cheering, crying, cringing, and (best of all) thinking.”

Whilst Brisbane Powerhouse remains the festival’s beating heart, iconic venues like The Princess Theatre, The Tivoli, IMA, PIP Theatre and The Wickham are all getting in on the action. From the Fortitude Valley Laneways to Ipswich, the city will erupt into a vibrant playground of queer joy and expression, hosting a bevvy of installations, performances, parties, sporting events and more. 

Melt Festival will be kicking off its festivities with a weekend of parties, international art and shows that will be simply ‘The Best’. Be wowed by First Nations drag performer Miss Ellaneous (Ben Graetz)’s hilariously heartwarming Tina Turner tribute, clip on your carabiners and join Ange Ponting in her show Bad Lesbian, and even stock your tote bag silly with queer-made goodies at Melt Markets x Queer Slice. In the wee hours of Sunday October 27, get your kit off and join New York contemporary artist Spencer Tunick for a monumental installation of nude volunteers set to bring Brisbane to a standstill and temporarily shut down the Story Bridge.

By week two, it’s time to unleash your inner scream queen for Halloween with the help of Melt Festival’s sickeningly spooky and spectacular events like this year’s spine-tingling Halloween Hall and Club Broadway: A Wicked Halloween Ball, which features a wickedly talented cast of iconic drag queens and extraordinary singing talents. 

For its final week, Melt Festival will be going out with a bang. Grab your picnic blanket and snag a spot on South Bank’s riverside for the family-friendly Pride Picnic. Unwind on the green whilst watching the River Pride Parade float down the Brisbane River, captained by none other than Melt Ambassador and Australian queer icon Courtney Act.

You want more? Melt Festival is jam-packed – from Hannah Bronte’s film Sunday’s Child, rock girl band Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers and cult hit experimental performance Queer Powerpoint to Valley Pool’s Colada Pool Party, Rainbow History Class and much much more, there’s plenty on the cards to keep you booked and busy this spring. Browse the full line-up here.