EMOWEEN Townsville 2026 (Emo Halloween)
Fri 30 Oct, 8:00pm–3:00am
Otherwise Bar, 87–95 Flinders Street, Townsville City
A late-night emo and pop-punk Halloween party in the city.
More infoEvents planning hub
What's On in Townsville This Weekend: Events, Markets & Festivals
Townsville hosts major sporting weekends, festivals, markets, live music, arts events and family activities throughout the year. To see what's on this weekend, use the official What's On Townsville calendar, which has the latest dates and listings. This guide covers where events happen, including The Strand and Riverway, and how to plan a visit around them.
Event dates move from year to year, so nothing here is presented as a fixed schedule. Use this page to work out what kind of event weekend suits you and how to build a trip around it, then confirm the actual dates with the official calendar or the organiser.
This weekend in Townsville
Our weekend picks aren't up to date right now. The official council calendar lists what's on this weekend, including markets, sport, music and community events.
See what's on at What's On TownsvilleQuick visitor information
- Booking tip
- Book accommodation early for major event weekends
- Best for markets
- Check the current market schedule before travelling
- Best source for current events
- What's On Townsville — the official council events calendar
- Biggest event period
- Dry season
- Best for major sport
- The winter and dry-season sporting calendar
- Best for festivals
- Dry season and the shoulder months either side
- Free events
- Regularly available — check current listings
- Family events
- Regularly available — check current listings
- Best event base
- Central Townsville, depending on the venue
- Main consideration
- Event dates change every year
Local verdict
Townsville's event calendar is strongest when combined with the city's waterfront, sport, food and outdoor attractions rather than treated as the whole trip.
What's On in Townsville Right Now?
Event dates, venues and schedules change regularly. For the latest confirmed listings, check the official What's On Townsville calendar.
Updated 29 October 2026 for the weekend of Friday 30 October–Sunday 1 November 2026.
Friday 30 October
Saturday 31 October
The Haunted Homemakers Swap
Sat 31 Oct, 3:00pm–5:00pm
Frost Family Sunflower Farm, 61 Hammond Way, Kelso
A Halloween handmade swap among the sunflowers: bring six handmade items and go home with six others.
More infoGreased Lightning (Stage Door Theatre Restaurant)
Sat 31 Oct, doors 5:00pm, show finishes about 9:40pm
The Stage Door Theatre Restaurant, 5–7 Hayles Avenue, Arcadia, Magnetic Island
A comedy cabaret dinner show set at a 30-year school reunion. Guests from Townsville need the 4:30pm ferry, booked separately.
More infoRugby League World Cup 2026: Australia v Cook Islands
Sat 31 Oct, kick-off 7:05pm
Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Railway Estate
The Kangaroos play the Cook Islands in the last men's group-stage match in Townsville.
More infoSunday 1 November
Willows Rotary Markets
Sun 1 Nov, 7:30am–11:30am
Willows Shopping Centre carpark, corner of Thuringowa Drive and Hervey Range Road, Kirwan
A weekly Sunday morning market run by Rotary.
More infoCotters Market
Sun 1 Nov, 8:30am–1:00pm
Flinders Street, Townsville City
A weekly market with local produce, food and crafts. Flinders Street is closed to traffic between Denham and Stanley Streets.
More infoEvents worth planning a trip around
A handful of recurring events are big enough to shape a trip. These run regularly rather than on fixed dates, so treat them as a reason to check the current calendar early.
Major motorsport
Townsville regularly hosts a major Supercars weekend during the dry-season calendar, run on a street circuit near the city centre. It is the single busiest weekend of the year for accommodation. Check the current Supercars schedule before planning your trip.
Cowboys and major rugby league
North Queensland Cowboys home games and other major fixtures at Queensland Country Bank Stadium create strong event weekends, with the CBD noticeably busier. Fixtures are set season by season — check the official Cowboys draw for current dates, and our stadium guide for getting there.
Festivals and community events
Cultural festivals, music events, food events, arts programmes and community celebrations run through the year, concentrated in the cooler months. Programmes are announced season by season, so check the official calendar for what falls inside your dates.
Markets and waterfront events
The Strand and the CBD host regular markets, community gatherings and waterfront events, mostly in the mornings or evenings rather than the middle of the day. Times and locations change, so check current listings before travelling for one.
Major arts and entertainment
Theatre, touring concerts, exhibitions and performances run across the city's main venues and galleries. Programmes are released in blocks and sell separately, so check venue listings for what is scheduled during your visit.
Event types in Townsville
A quick way to work out what kind of event you are actually looking for before you open the calendar.
Sport
Supercars, Cowboys and other rugby league fixtures, running and trail events, basketball and visiting national competitions. Fixtures and dates are set season by season, so always check the official source.
Music & festivals
Concerts, community festivals and cultural celebrations run through the year, with the outdoor programme concentrated in the cooler months.
Markets
Townsville has regular markets across the city and waterfront. Schedules, locations and seasonal breaks change, so check current listings before planning a morning around one.
Arts & culture
Theatre, galleries, exhibitions, performances, talks and workshops, mostly around the CBD and the city's main venues.
Family events
Library programmes, school-holiday activities, community days and family festivals appear regularly on the council calendar.
Free events
Council and community calendars regularly include free events, though some have paid or ticketed components alongside the free parts.
Family plans work well alongside Townsville with Kids, and free events pair naturally with free things to do.
Event seasons in Townsville
Dry season
Generally the busiest stretch of the calendar: outdoor events, festivals, sport, markets and waterfront activity all cluster here, helped by cooler, drier weather. Accommodation is in higher demand, particularly on major event weekends.
Wet season
Events still run, with indoor venues, theatre, galleries and stadium events carrying more of the programme. Outdoor events are more weather-dependent, and significant weather can lead to changes or cancellations. Keep a rainy day plan handy and check useful contacts for official weather and emergency information.
Where events are held
Knowing the venue usually tells you where to stay, how to get there and what else to do around it.
Queensland Country Bank Stadium
The city's major sport and entertainment venue, on the edge of the CBD. Rugby league, other national fixtures and large concerts are held here. Fixtures change every season — check the venue or team for current dates.
The Strand
The main outdoor and waterfront setting for festivals, markets and community gatherings, especially through the cooler months. The Strand guide.
Riverway
The western-suburbs community, family, cultural and outdoor event precinct, with lagoons, parkland, a library and a gallery in one place. Riverway guide.
The CBD
Arts venues, galleries, theatre and city events, and the easiest area to combine an event with dinner or a night out. Things to do.
Jezzine Barracks & North Ward
Occasional community, commemorative and outdoor events on the headland, within walking distance of the northern Strand. Jezzine Barracks guide.
Coming for a major event?
Where to stay. Major event weekends increase demand, and central options near the venue tend to go first. Work out the area before the property — our accommodation guide covers which part of town suits which kind of trip.
Where to eat. Central dining areas combine well with events, and booking is sensible on busy weekends. See the food guide.
Getting around. Most central venues are walkable from a central stay, and the ferry terminal is close to the CBD. See Townsville without a car.
What else to do. Fill the rest of the weekend from things to do, and add Castle Hill early or late in the day.
Staying longer. Start with first time in Townsville, Townsville in one day or a Magnetic Island day trip. With a spare day, a Paluma day trip works well.
Event weekend combinations
Friday night event + Strand Saturday morning
An evening event, then an early walk, swim or breakfast on the waterfront before the heat builds.
Stadium event + Castle Hill + dinner
Sunrise or late-afternoon Castle Hill, an early dinner nearby, then walk to the stadium.
Strand festival + Jezzine Barracks
Pair a waterfront event with the headland walk at the northern end of The Strand.
Riverway event + western-suburbs stop
Combine a Riverway event with lunch or shopping at Willows on the way through.
Event weekend + Magnetic Island day trip
Keep one full day clear for the island rather than squeezing it around an event.
Event weekend + a Paluma extra day
Add a rainforest day if you have a spare day either side of the event.
Practical event planning
Events with kids
Family festivals, community events, markets, sporting fixtures and children's programmes all appear regularly. Confirm age suitability, ticket requirements, wet-weather arrangements and start and finish times directly with the organiser. See Townsville with kids.
Free events
Many community events and markets are free to attend, though some include paid activities or ticketed components. Always check the current event details rather than assuming. Pair them with free things to do.
Event transport and parking
Major events can affect traffic, road access and parking near the venue, and public transport arrangements are sometimes adjusted for the occasion. Check event-specific transport information close to the date from the organiser or venue rather than relying on older articles. See Townsville without a car and useful contacts.
Accommodation reality
Demand rises around major events and central accommodation fills faster than suburban options. Book early if you are attending one, and check cancellation terms in case dates or plans shift. See the accommodation guide.
Eating around an event
Restaurants are busier on major event weekends, especially in the central dining areas that suit a pre-event meal. Booking ahead is sensible, and hours vary by venue, so confirm directly. See the food guide.
Weather and events
Heat
Outdoor events in warm conditions need water, sun protection, shade breaks and sensible timing — early or late is far easier than the middle of the day. See beat the heat.
Rain and severe weather
Outdoor schedules can change at short notice. The event organiser is the authoritative source for cancellations, so check their current communications alongside the forecast. Keep rainy day options and useful contacts on hand.
Regular markets and community events
Beyond the headline events, Townsville has a steady background programme: markets, local music, community events, cultural celebrations, workshops and exhibitions. Most of these run on their own schedules, take seasonal breaks and change venue occasionally, which is exactly why we do not publish times here.
The official calendar carries current dates, times and venues for these events.
See What's On in Townsville NowCommon event-planning mistakes
- Relying on last year's date for an annual event instead of the current confirmed date.
- Assuming a recurring event lands on the same weekend every year — many move.
- Not checking official event information again close to the date.
- Leaving accommodation until late for a major event weekend.
- Assuming parking and road arrangements are the same as a previous year.
- Treating an old event article or blog post as a live calendar.
- Planning an outdoor event day without checking the weather forecast.
- Packing too many attractions around a major event and enjoying none of them.
- Assuming every community event is completely free.
- Ignoring ticket, registration or entry requirements until arrival.
- Relying on old market times rather than the current schedule.
Plan by event type
Current listingsWhat's On TownsvilleSportOfficial fixturesFestivalsWhat's On TownsvilleMarketsWhat's On TownsvilleWith kidsTownsville with KidsFree eventsFree Things to DoStadium eventWhere to stayStrand eventThe StrandRiverway eventRiverwayEvent weekendThings to DoAn extra dayMagnetic Island day tripWeather concernsUseful contacts
Townsville events questions
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Related guides
Things to Do in Townsville
The main activity hub for filling the rest of an event weekend.
Where to Stay in Townsville
Which area suits your trip, and why it matters on event weekends.
Food in Townsville
Dining areas that work well before or after an event.
First Time in Townsville
Orientation if the event is your first visit to the city.
Townsville in One Day
A tight plan for the day either side of an event.
Townsville Without a Car
Ferries, buses and walkable areas around the main venues.
Townsville with Kids
Family planning for community events and school holidays.
Free Things to Do
Free options alongside free community events.
The Strand
The city's main waterfront event and festival setting.
Riverway
The western-suburbs family and community event precinct.
Beat the Heat
How to handle outdoor events in hot conditions.
Rainy Day Activities
Backup plans when an outdoor event is affected by weather.
About this guide
Written by Duncan Ross
Duncan has lived in Townsville since 2023 and writes Townsville Guide using local knowledge and carefully checked information.
This guide combines local visitor-planning knowledge with current information from official Townsville event, venue and organiser sources. Event dates and programmes change regularly, so confirm details with the official organiser before travelling.
Last checked: 7 August 2026
Access, safety, opening hours, rules or transport information was checked against relevant official sources where available.
Spotted an error or something that has changed?
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