BLEACH Festival 2026

Thu 1 - Sun 11 Oct

HOTA,
HOME OF
THE ARTS

WHAT'S ON AT HOTA

The Greatest Christmas Show

The Greatest Christmas Show returns in 2026, bigger and better than ever. Australia's #1 family Christmas event is back, and it has never shone brighter. New acts, new magic, new carols and a grand appearance from Santa Claus himself that will fill the whole theatre with wonder. Our world-class cast of dancers, aerialists, singers and our illusionist brings the season to life in the most spectacular way. Beloved carols and joyful new favourites fill the room, breathtaking illusions leave you wondering if Christmas magic might just be real and glittering costumes and soaring aerial feats turn every moment into something to remember. From the laughter and the gasps to the tender moments that capture what Christmas truly means, this is a night that will warm hearts, inspire smiles, and create cherished memories for the whole family. 🎟 Don't miss the magic. Don't miss the laughter. Don't miss the #1 family show this Christmas. Warnings: Haze and smoke may be used during this performance Strobe may be used during this performance Suitable for all ages

FAMILY

Fri 25 - Sat 26 Sep

Erth's Dinosaurs

From hatchlings to giants, come face-to-face with prehistoric wonders. Travel back to a prehistoric world and meet creatures great and small, from a baby Triceratops to the wide-eyed Leaellynasaura and Australia’s fearsome Australovenator. Blending storytelling with science, this immersive live experience brings dinosaurs to life, not just how they looked, but how they lived, moved and cared for one another. Styled as a live wildlife presentation, big questions come to life through story, sound and stunning puppetry. Could a carnivore be raised as a herbivore? Did dinosaurs sing? What happens when one gets sick? Travel from lush ancient landscapes to the moment that changed everything, the extinction event that reshaped life on Earth. Although it features some of the biggest dinosaurs, this QLD premiere is packed with cuteness. Meet a clumsy, curious toddler T. rex and a delightful crèche of baby dinosaurs. Created by Erth Visual & Physical Inc., world leaders in puppetry, this up-close theatrical experience will captivate curious kids and their grown-ups alike. Drop into the Fossil Fixers activity before or after the show to create your own mini dinosaur. If you're planning on coming to the Saturday evening show, you will have a second magical moment leaving the Theatre with The Bubble Canteen on the cafe terrace.

FESTIVALS & SERIESTHEATRE

Sat 17 Oct

Fountain Lakes: Y2k

They're gonna party like it's noineteen noinety noine! The foxy morons behind last year's smash hit Fountain Lakes In Lockdown are back with a fabulous, brand-new show! Grab your butterfly clips and low-rise bumpsters, hornbags, because we're doing the prequel that nobody asked for but everybody is going to go sick for. Will Kath find her dream spunk rat? Will Kim go through with her upcoming connubials? Will Sharon score a midnight pash before the millennium bug gets her? All will be answered in this hilarious camp comedy parody starring Art Simone (Drag Race Down Under), Thomas Jaspers (Granny Bingo), Jemima Handful (Twisted Broadway) and Scott Brennan (skitHOUSE).

THEATRECOMEDY

Fri 4 Dec

Ministry of Sound Summer Dance Festival

Ministry of Sound returns to HOTA with our biggest-ever Gold Coast show! Ministry of Sound Summer Dance Festival has a new summer date, three stages and and extended festival footprint spreading through the surrounding parklands around the lake of the HOTA Precinct. Headlined by CLASSICAL, performed live by the Ministry of Sound Orchestra, supported by global dance music icons Roger Sanchez (USA), Seb Fontaine (UK), Braxe + Falcon (FR), Utah Saints (UK), K-Klass (UK), DJ Paulette (UK), plus Australian favourites John Course, Minx, Tenzin, and a stacked lineup of homegrown talent. Experience an open-air dancefloor, soundtracked by the biggest dance anthems of all time. Redefined, reworked and reimagined on a scale like never before. Summer Dance Festival is a celebration of the greatest moments in dance music history and the artists who helped define our dancefloor. Returning to our much-loved home at HOTA, Home of the Arts, like you’ve never seen it before. Due to overwhelming demand, we’re expanding the site, transforming the entire precinct into a multi-stage day-to-night festival, complete with three stages of music, top tier production, a Silent Disco, curated bars, premium food offerings and the biggest dance anthems of all time. All nestled amongst the lush parklands and waterways of the HOTA Precinct with the iconic Surfers Paradise skyline as your backdrop. Take your festival experience to the next level with our unbeatable VIP offering. Our most luxurious ticket experience includes two complimentary drinks on arrival, express VIP entry, access to the elevated viewing deck at the rear of the main stage, plus VIP Village access at the Golden Stage. Enjoy exclusive bars, dedicated food vendors, private bathrooms, shaded seating, and a commemorative tour laminate! Prefer to be amongst the action? Why not upgrade your experience with Premium Admission, with express entry, bar lines and bathrooms - leaving more time for those unmissable moments on the dancefloor! This is your ultimate summer dance event.

MUSIC

Fri 2 Oct

Lady Blackbird & Electric Fields

Bleach Festival 2026 kicks off its opening Outdoor Stage Concert Series with a double bill of Australian and International soul with Lady Blackbird and Electric Fields – and best of all, it’s free! Heralding from the United Kingdom by way of the USA, is the internationally acclaimed “Grace Jones of Jazz”, Lady Blackbird. Featuring a powerhouse of soul, jazz and storytelling that collide in a voice that stops you in your tracks. Every Lady Blackbird song is an unmistakable sound of freedom. Harnessing a mighty voice that effortlessly embodies power, yearning and balladry, her powerful sound can evoke joy in one moment and then heartbreak in the next. Opening the night will be Electric Fields - the multi-award-winning duo who will bring their breathtaking beauty and power to the stage in a merge of traditional culture and electronic music. Featuring the rare and beautiful voice of Zaachariaha Fielding (who often sings in the traditional language of the Anangu People) and the brilliance of Producer, Michael Ross to deliver soulful pop sounds of epic proportions to intensely intimate story-songs. This special music event is celebration of song, soul and storytelling from two very powerful voices. Lady Blackbird and Electric Fields play HOTA’s Outdoor Stage, free for the opening weekend of Bleach Festival 2026. This is a Free Ticketed event – All attendees must have a valid ticket to enter the event (Children 3 years and under do not require a ticket.) To ensure equal access to as many music lovers as possible, tickets are limited to 6 per transaction and we request you only take up tickets that you intend on using to attend. If you can no longer attend, please contact our Box Office on (07) 5588 4000 to return your tickets. Your ticket registration does not guarantee you entry to the event site. Access will only be granted should capacity limits permit. This event is presented Outdoors in Chill Out (Picnic) Mode. For more information on this mode and what you should and shouldn’t bring, visit the FAQs

FESTIVALS & SERIESMUSIC