A short roadtrip up the Bruce Highway is all it takes to land in Noosa, where banger beats, mouth-watering eats and family-friendly fun awaits at annual festival NOOSA alive!. The action kicks off on Thursday July 15 under the Evie Networks clear-roofed marquee with the Noosa Starlight Opera, which will spotlight awe-inspiring opera stars Rachelle Durkin and Kang Wang, supported by pianist John Woods under the moonlight. You can even pre-order a delicious locally sourced grazing box at this seated event! On Friday July 16, Queensland Ballet artistic director Li Cunxin AO and his partner and fellow accomplished dancer Mary Li will share their compelling story of life together – made famous in books like Mao’s Last Dancer and Mary’s Last Dance. The Friday vibes will roll into the afternoon at the inaugural beachside music celebration Seaside Vibes Music Festival, which will see a bevy of killer artists take to the stage. Day one will welcome Tijuana Cartel, The Brains Trust, Forrest Run and Felicity Lawless onto the sandy oasis that is Noosa’s Main Beach, whilst day two of the festival will see Nattali Rize & The Black Sistaz, Chocolate Strings, Beauty & The Beats plus Demi Casha fill the air with tunes. You won’t be left hungry – the Seaside Vibes will also feature tempting food-truck nosh from Im Im Street Food and sips from local Noosa breweries and distillers like Boiling Pot Brewing Co. and drops from Nelson Wine Co. The music magic continues when songstress Katie Noonan and jazz guitarist Ben Hauptmann perform Joni Mitchell’s Blue in a 50th anniversary tribute to the iconic album. 

If a culinary endeavour is what you’re searching for, then NOOSA alive! is July’s pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that is the Sunshine Coast. Immerse yourself in an otherworldly high-tea experience reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland at High Tea With BOOFF, where you’ll be entertained by hilarious theatrics as you snack on scrumptious canapes. More delicious eats and world-class entertainment await at Picnic in The Park at Noosa Woods on Sunday July 18, which will host a petting zoo, unicorn-pony rides (yes, you read that right), face painting, music, circus workshops and more. Continue the picnic festivities at Jazz in The Woods, an alfresco song session that will kick off after Picnic in the Park on Sunday afternoon. Bring your own picnic and a rug and get ready to jive along to some of the best local jazz artists before the sun sets on a stellar weekend.

To secure tickets or to dive into full NOOSA alive! program, pop over to the NOOSA alive! website. 

This article was created in partnership with our friends at Visit Noosa.