The Sunshine Coast's 2026 calendar
The Sunshine Coast's events lean into what it does best — surf, food, arts and the outdoors. Below are the region's confirmed 2026 highlights, from the world's largest surfing festival to a ten-day celebration of local produce. Dates were verified against official sources at the time of writing; always confirm on the organiser's site before you book.
Major events, month by month
Noosa Festival of Surfing
Noosa Heads · First Point
The world's largest surfing festival returns to Noosa's First Point for its 35th year — longboard heats, logging, and a beach-party atmosphere along Hastings Street.
Official site →Horizon Festival
Region-wide
The Sunshine Coast's flagship arts-and-culture festival — ten days of music, visual art, First Nations programming and outdoor events across the region.
Official site →Noosa Food & Wine Festival
Noosa · Hastings Street
Four days of long lunches, celebrity chefs, tastings and beachfront events — the coast's marquee food festival, centred on Lions Park and Hastings Street.
Official site →The Curated Plate
Region-wide
A ten-day celebration of Sunshine Coast produce, with dozens of one-off dinners, degustations and producer experiences from the hinterland to the coast.
Official site →Garmin Noosa Triathlon Multi Sport Festival
Noosa Heads
One of the largest triathlon festivals in the world — five days of racing, an expo and a party atmosphere that takes over Noosa every spring.
Official site →Time your trip to the calendar
An event can make a trip — or, if you'd rather have the beaches to yourself, it's worth knowing when to come the week before instead. Our specialists can build a tour that lands you in Noosa for the Food & Wine Festival, catches the surfing at First Point, or deliberately sidesteps the busiest weekends. See the touring guide for the season-by-season picture.
Sunshine Coast events: your questions
The headline events are the Noosa Festival of Surfing (13–22 March), Horizon Festival of arts (1–10 May), the Noosa Food & Wine Festival (11–14 June), The Curated Plate food festival (24 July–2 August) and the Garmin Noosa Triathlon (28 October–1 November). The Eumundi Markets run every Wednesday and Saturday year-round.
The Noosa Food & Wine Festival runs 11–14 June 2026, centred on Lions Park and Hastings Street in Noosa Heads. Long lunches and marquee events book out early, so plan accommodation well ahead.
No. The Caloundra Music Festival has been permanently discontinued — its last edition was in 2023. For live music in 2026, look to the Horizon Festival in May and one-off shows around the region; the Big Pineapple Music Festival at Woombye typically runs in spring, though 2026 dates were not confirmed at the time of writing.
Yes — Noosa in particular fills fast around the Surfing Festival, Food & Wine and the Triathlon, and prices rise with demand. If your trip coincides with a major event, book early; if you'd rather avoid the crowds, the weeks either side are quieter and often better value. We can time your tour around (or towards) whichever events matter to you.