Queensland Poetry Festival – August 25–27
This year, the Queensland Poetry Festival says goodbye to its teens and celebrates two decades of awesome times with an unbelievable line-up of talented and inspiring faces. The 2016 program is unlike anything that has come before it – Lost Language, Found focuses on the unique voices of indigenous and first nation communities in Australia. The bill is jam-packed with more than 90 artists hosting in excess of 50 sessions over the course of the weekend with the likes of Tracy K. Smith, Archie Roach and Clive James all making appearances (just to name a few). Some events are free and others require tickets, so check out the QPF website to plan out the weekend.

50/50 – September 15–17
There’s millions of ways to bust a move, but few dance styles bring as much unbridled joy as Lindy Hop. Heck, even the name is adorable! 50/50 is a participatory performance class that uses a series of conversations and demonstrations to help groovers learn the basic footwork of the New York City social dance. Singapore artist Loo Zihan and his collaborators have been learning, dancing and performing the iconic style for more than a decade, creating a wealth of minds for budding ‘hoppers to draw inspiration from. Audience members can get a hang of the fundamentals while learning the background of Lindy Hop as well as the performance of gender, race and sexuality – both in social dance and everyday life. No experience is necessary, so anyone is welcome to get jazzy.

Rainbow Vomit – September 21–24
Usually the word ‘vomit’ doesn’t conjure up the most pleasant mental images, but for this event we’ll make a welcome exception. Rainbow Vomit is a sensory trip involving 7.6 kilometres of UV rope, mind-bending choreography and ‘fireworks glasses’ – magical specs made from holographic diffraction film designed to refract light and generate zillions (yes, zillions) of rainbows. Audiences are invited to a land of positivity where anything is possible, everything can happen, and much more than colour erupts from the darkness ­– it’s an ever-changing landscape of bewilderment and wonder. Rainbow Vomit is an all-out immersive work formulated for young audiences but open to kids of all ages… and yes, there will be unicorns.

Tautologies, Transitions, Translations – Friday October 7
Being held as part of Kupka’s Piano 2016 season, Tautologies, Transitions, Translations is a rich and complex offering that stays true to the core of the troupe – to entice audiences into hearing new sounds, new structures and new musical ideas. A highlight of the program is the Australian premiere of American composer Eric Wubbels’ stunning Tautology and Transition, a work based on exploring the sounds and techniques of specific instruments. This show also features a brand-new work from Kupka composer Michael Matheison-Sandars and Alan Lawrence’s The Instant Burst of Clamour, originally commissioned for the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli. For fans of classical music with a modern edge, this is one to watch.

Women in Voice – November 3–12
Who run the world? Girls! Well in this case it’s the Women in Voice, an iconic cabaret institution returning to The Judy to celebrate powerful females in the entertainment industry. The line-up this year welcomes back crowd favourites Leah Cotterell and Alison St Ledger, bringing their powerhouse voices to the stage for another round. Joining the family are three fabulous Women in Voice newbies ready to wow audiences with their pipes – Sahara Beck is the dazzlingly unique singer and songwriter who took out Most Popular Female at the 2015 Queensland Music Awards and the delightful Alicia Cush of Little Black Dress Creatives fame is also on board. Rounding out the cast is emcee Judy Hainsworth – writer, composer and performer of the hugely successful comedy double act #FirstWorldWhiteGirls.