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When you think about it, Australia is actually a pretty weird place. Where else in the world do you see people grocery shopping barefoot or driving to their local hardware store just to eat a sausage in bread? Naturally, Australia’s festivals are just as peculiar as its traditions.
From pumpkin and potato fairs to medieval and Mary Poppins gatherings, here are ten of the weirdest (and most wonderful) festivals worth attending in Australia (listed in chronological order of what's coming up next).
1. Kalbar Sunflower Festival
Where: Scenic Rim, Queensland
When: May 1-3, 2026
It’s a universal truth that sunflowers can brighten even the darkest of days. That’s exactly what the Jenners, a farming family in the Scenic Rim, set out to prove back in 2021. Five years later, the Kalbar Sunflower Festival has blossomed into a three-day celebration of pure sunshine. You can wander among a million sunflowers, navigate a massive four-acre flower maze, and enjoy long table lunches and floral-themed markets. You can even take a piece of the magic home by picking your own stems for just $2 each. While not Australia's weirdest festival, it's definitely far from your average flower show.
2. Dark Mofo
Where: Hobart, Tasmania
When: June 11-22, 2026
Robot dogs, a nude swim, underground day clubs and solo film screenings – that’s just a taste of what’s in store for Dark Mofo. This year’s program is packed with boundary-pushing art, music, movies and rituals – just don’t expect anything remotely conventional. You can see our must-see highlights here.
3. Goomeri Pumpkin Festival
Where: Goomeri, Queensland
When: May 29-31, 2026
Picture hundreds of pumpkins bouncing, splattering and hurtling down a steep hill for a $5,000 grand prize. This is the legendary Great Australian Pumpkin Roll, the most anticipated event of the Goomeri Pumpkin Festival, which has been running for 30 years. The whole weekend is like Halloween on steroids with pumpkin-themed Olympics, pageants, markets and a grand street parade.
4. Mary Poppins Festival
Where: Maryborough, Queensland
When: 5 July, 2026
Ready to channel your inner nanny? In 2025, this regional Queensland festival set the world record for the largest gathering of people dressed as Mary Poppins-themed characters. It’s just one of the eclectic events from this one-day fiesta, held in the birthplace of author P.L. Travers. Whether you’re competing in the Great Nanny Race, tackling the Chimney Sweep Challenge or joining the costume parade, it’s a supercalifragilistic day out for the whole family.
5. Abbey Medieval Festival
Where: Moreton Bay, Queensland
When: July 10-12, 2026
Despite being Australia’s biggest medieval celebration, there's a high chance you've never heard of this 35-year-old festival. Visitors, whose numbers have spiked to more than 20,000 attendees over the years, travel back in time to see knights in shining armour, jousting tournaments, medieval-style marketplaces and roaming minstrels. It won the title of Australia's Best Event at the 2025 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards for a reason!
6. Henley-on-Todd Regatta
Where: Alice Springs, Northern Territory
When: August 15, 2026
Ever tried to row a boat through a desert? Here’s your one and only chance. The Henley-on-Todd Regatta is the world’s only dry river boating event, taking place in the heart of the Australian outback where there’s not a single drop of water in sight. Instead, this 60-year-old tradition sees participants race their ‘boats’ through the dry, sandy bed of the Todd River, in bottomless ‘kayaks’, ‘rowing eights’, and ‘yachts’. If this isn't world-class watersports, we don’t know what is.
7. Parkes Elvis Festival
Where: Parkes, New South Wales
When: January 6-10, 2027
Are you ready to rock and roll, mama? What began as a humble get-together of 300 Elvis aficionados in 1993 has grown into the biggest celebration of Elvis outside of Memphis. Join thousands of like-minded people who gather to shake, rattle and roll their way through five days of concerts, tribute acts, a street parade, look-alike competitions, rock’n’roll dancing and even a vow renewal ceremony, for couples whose love for each other is as strong as their love for the King.
8. Tunarama Festival
Where: Port Lincoln, South Australia
When: January 15-17, 2027
How far can you hurl a ten-kilogram rubber fish? The World Championship Tuna Toss is the headline act of this 60-year-old South Australian seafood festival. But it’s not all flying fish; the program also features a Blessing of the Fleet ceremony, open-water Swim Thru event, seafood cooking demonstrations and boat building competition.
9. Feast of the Senses
Where: Innisfail, Queensland
When: March 18-21, 2027
Did you know Tropical North Queensland grows more varieties of exotic and tropical fruit than almost anywhere else on Earth? Think mangosteen, rambutan, durian, soursop, and 150 other fruits you’ve probably never heard of. The Feast of the Senses celebrates this bounty over four days with a massive market extravaganza, celebrity cooking demos, and local competitions. Fun fact: This festival holds the Guinness World Record for the longest banana split – an 8,040 metre dessert made in 2017 using 40,000 bananas, 2,500 litres of ice cream, and 2,000 litres of toppings.
10. Spudfest
Where: Trentham, Victoria
When: May 2-3, 2026
Calling all tater fans! Every autumn, Trentham comes alive for this famous foodie festival dedicated to all things potato. Spud and spoon race? Of course, that's on the agenda. Blind spud tasting challenges? Yep, you'll get the chance to discern your désirées and Dutch cream tots in the 'Name that Spud' game. With more potato-themed snacks than you can dream of, you’ll leave questioning whether there’s such a thing as too many taters.