Gearing up for its 12th year, BLEACH* Festival is marking the milestone with its most ambitious program to date – 300 artists, 218 performances and 38 events including two world premieres across five hubs. Go ahead and block out your calendar from August 3–13, because you’re not going to want to miss a minute of the fun. Kicking off the stellar 2023 season of BLEACH* Festival is the ever-moving First Light on August 3. If you’ve not yet had the pleasure, let this be the year you set your alarm, sink your toes into the sand and watch the sunrise against a backdrop of stirring song, poetry and didgeridoo led by Kalkadunga man William Barton alongside violinist Véronique Serret. This year’s festival will be held across five main hubs, which include the beachside haven of North Burleigh, Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens, HOTA, Currumbin Valley as well as  an exciting new location at the recently unveiled Broadbeach Cultural Precinct. Among the pages of this year’s bumper program, you’ll find two world premieres including a fierce roller derby-inspired theatre production aptly named Roller Coaster by Everybody NOW!, which will transform HOTA’s outdoor stage, as well as an incredibly moving sonic journey with Corrina Bonshek & Collaborators for Last Light, which will bring this year’s event to a fitting finale.

Fans of Joni Mitchell’s seminal album ‘Blue’ can’t miss Katie Noonan’s incredible rendition under the stars on August 13, while live music lovers can flock to the North Burleigh Hub and enjoy an eight-hour program of free musical performances daily. Those who can’t resist busting a move can partake in a speedy 10-minute dance party or dress up, get down and let loose in the cosmic nightclub for Bliss on August 12. Last year’s sell-out success Acoustic Life of Sheds is back for another spin, this year featuring the talents of Brian Ritchie, Christine Johnston with Peter Nelson and Trent Arkleysmith, Samual Pankhurst and Ritchie Daniell.

To check out the entire program, peruse the website here.