Sunshine Coast’s Long Listen Festival celebrates the best of “brave, bold and brilliant” eclectic music and arts: 3 – 6 October

Long Listen Festival

One of Australia’s most electric music festivals – the Long Listen Festival – will be back on stage for the Queensland long weekend 3-6 October 2025, bringing four unforgettable days of music, art, book events and cultural experiences to the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

The heritage villages of Palmwoods and Mapleton will come alive with bold performances, festival conversations, and small hall and pub concerts designed to surprise, delight, and inspire.
This year’s festival features a diverse line-up of 56 artists, 14 events, and 11 genres, from chamber music to world, blues, folk, and experimental sounds.

Headliners include Véronique Serret and band with didgeridoo master William Barton (Opening Night); classical artists Ensemble Q, Emily Granger (QSO Principal harp) Courtenay Cleary & Alex Raineri Pianist; plus a world premiere by Queensland composer Nicole Murphy in Appalachian Spring Gala for the Festival Chamber Orchestra; world music with Gosti, and Blues on the Range with State of Appalachia and Hat Fitz & Cara, cultural immersions and sound baths with Didge Didirri and Morning Meditations.

Audiences can expect spellbinding concerts, genre-bending collaborations, and a warm community atmosphere, from sipping tea in the hall kitchen before a morning concert to connecting with artists at our festival lounge.

Long Listen Festival

Long Listen is a celebration of eclectic music, a platform for bold Australian artistry, and a chance to experience world-class performances in atmospheric settings in the heart of the Sunshine Coast. It is an artist-driven, musician-led boutique festival that celebrates the power of music to connect and inspire.

Each year, community spaces in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland are transformed into vibrant hubs of creativity, presenting an eclectic mix of classical crossover, world, folk, experimental and original music.

At its heart, Long Listen is about inclusivity, creating memorable audience experiences while giving artists a platform to experiment, collaborate, and make new work deeply embedded in our community.
Festival Founder and Artistic Director, Louise King, says “Long Listen is a space for discovery and community. We’re bringing adventurous music-making into intimate venues and celebrating the spirit of connection through art and storytelling. Brave. Bold. Brilliant.”

The full program is available at: https://linktr.ee/longlistenfestival

Tickets are now on sale with single events from $15–$45 +bf. Festival Weekend passes are available.
Book via Humanitix https://collections.humanitix.com/long-listen-festival-2025

Background: https://youtu.be/0_gfyM8D51c