By Ashleigh Howarth

The Heritage City is buzzing this month with a fantastic line-up of festivals, live music, markets, family-friendly fun, art, sport and plenty of opportunities to soak up the sunshine.

Whether you’re looking for a fun-filled family day, a relaxed weekend outing or an excuse to jump in the car and head west, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

So, grab your calendar, rally the family and start planning your October adventures - here are some of the great events happening across Ipswich this month!

Fang-tastic fun for Halloween

Little ghouls and ghosts will have plenty of opportunities to celebrate Halloween this month, with a host of spooky events taking place across the city. The Halloween Carnival of Screams is taking over the Ipswich Showgrounds with fa-boo-lous entertainment, a blood-curdling haunted house, wicked sideshow alley, creepy decorations, market stalls, a best-dressed parade, spooky disco and plenty of delicious treats. Over at the Nicholas Street Precinct, the Halloween Spook-tacular will feature craft workshops, trick-or-treating, dazzling light shows and a Halloween disco, alongside The Handmade Expo’s wicked Witches and Warlocks market. For little ones who love to dance, the Halloween Kids Rave at the Orion Hotel promises a boo-tiful fun celebration packed with music and dancing.

Live life a little greener with Sustainable Ipswich

Looking for ways to live a little greener in your day-to-day life? Sustainable Ipswich has a fantastic lineup of events, workshops and activities to help you connect with nature, learn new skills and make a difference to help the planet. Highlights include the Sustainable Open Garden Trail, showcasing wildlife-friendly gardens around Ipswich; workshops on growing fresh food in small spaces; preparing your own fermented food; a book swap at the Queens Park Environmental Education Centre; the Rosewood Native Plant Sale; and Eco Fest and the Trashion Parade, just to name a few!

The much-loved Jacaranda Festival returns

Get ready for a weekend bursting with colour, music and family fun at the Goodna Jacaranda Festival, taking over Evan Marginson Park on October 23-24. There’ll be rides galore in Sideshow Alley, plus food trucks, market stalls plus plenty of entertainment on the main stage including the Quest for Talent and Battle of the Bands. Then, sit back and watch the sky light up with a spectacular fireworks finale!

A blooming time at the Spring Garden Spectacular

Whether you’re looking to add a splash of colour to your garden or pick up some expert gardening tips, there’s plenty to inspire your inner green thumb at the Spring Garden Spectacular. Hosted by the Ipswich Orchid Society, this is your chance to browse and buy an impressive selection of orchids, bromeliads and specialty plants. Head to Silkstone State School on October 3-4.

Explore your creative side at the Ipswich Art Gallery

There’s plenty for art lovers of all ages to explore at the Ipswich Art Gallery this month, with an exciting mix of exhibitions, creative programs and hands-on experiences. BRUTALIST/Baroque showcases the work of ceramic artists Donalee Moriarty and Nicolette Johnson, exploring the fascinating contrast between the bold ideals of Brutalism and the ornate beauty of Baroque. You can also discover The Noise of Time, featuring more than 30 years of works on paper by Ipswich-based artist Ian Friend, and for the little artists, IAG Kids: Make Yourself at Home is a playful and sensory exhibition that explores what “home” means to children through art, textures and familiar objects. There’s also plenty more to get involved in, including Yoga in the Gallery, Holding Time Picnic with Hannah Gartside, IAG Masterclass: Ink Painting with Zoe Porter, and The Big Draw Festival 2026.

Entertainment worthy of a standing ovation

Looking for something different to watch this month? Put down the remote and head to the Ipswich Civic Centre and Studio 188 for an exciting lineup of live entertainment. Music lovers can enjoy shows celebrating the hits of ABBA, Elvis, The Blues Brothers, Aretha Franklin and John Farnham, plus enjoy performances from Opera Queensland, Medium Peter Williams, Anh Do – The Happiest Refugee, Australian Celtic Women and more.

A paw-some weekend of flyball action

Get ready for high-energy Flyball action as the Dog Sporting Event of the Year races into the Ipswich Showgrounds on October 3-4! Watch the speedy pups and their handlers battle it out in the Wounded Heroes Cup with racing all weekend. When you’re not cheering from the sidelines, browse the dog markets for treats, accessories and apparel, grab some food and drinks, and enter the raffles for your chance to win prizes. Best of all, your support helps raise funds for Wounded Heroes, supporting veterans and their families.

A weekend to recharge, reconnect and emerge

If you’re ready to invest in your health, wellbeing and personal growth, join hundreds of women for two energising days of wellness, discovery and connection at the Women’s Wellness Festival. Held at Watercress Creek Olives and Limes on October 17-18, the festival is packed with hands-on workshops, more than 40 inspiring facilitators, healers and exhibitors, practical wellbeing tools, nourishing food, live entertainment and opportunities to build meaningful connections.

Come for a browse, stay for the bargains

Whether you’re hunting for fresh local produce, handmade treasures, vintage finds, tasty treats or a great bargain, Ipswich’s markets are the perfect place to browse, wander and discover something unexpected. Start the month at the Springfield Markets at Robelle Domain Parklands on the first Sunday, then head to the Orion Shopping Centre on the third Sunday. The Handmade Expo takes over Tulmur Place on the second Saturday with more than 100 stalls of creative goods, while the Ripley Markets bring a relaxed twilight vibe to Providence on the same Saturday. To finish the month, the Riverlink Market Zone fills the East Mall on the fourth Sunday of each month.

Catch footy fever when you cheer on the Lions

There’s plenty of footy action coming to Springfield, with the Brisbane Lions AFLW team ready to bring the roar for three home games this month! Cheer on the Lions as they take on the Gold Coast SUNS at Brighton Homes Arena on October 3, followed by Port Adelaide on October 17 and Carlton on October 31.

Big screen fun and burgers

Who doesn’t love settling in and watching a movie on the big screen? Head to Limelight Cinemas to relive fan favourites like The Hunger Games during an all-night marathon, plus a special screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. There will also be a host of new releases like Practical Magic 2 for adults and Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie for the kids. Afterwards, satisfy those movie-night cravings with a burger, loaded fries or a shake from Ruby Chews.

Feel the need for speed at Queensland Raceway

Ever wondered what it’s like to drive a real V8 race car? Now’s your chance to get behind the wheel and put the pedal to the metal at Queensland Raceway with the V8 Race Experience! Take the wheel of either a classic Holden Commodore or Ford Falcon, or turn up the excitement with a Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro and feel the roar of the engine as you take on this world-class track. For the ultimate adrenaline rush, check out the V8 Maximum Race Attack, where you will ride shotgun in a six-car, wheel-to-wheel race with professional drivers at the helm.

Add a new Beanie Boo to your collection

They’re cute, cuddly and have those irresistible sparkly eyes, so if you’re looking to add a new Beanie Boo to your collection, head to Springfield Lakes PCYC on October 1 for the Beanie Boo Adopt A Pet Party. Little collectors can personalise their pet’s adoption certificate, put them through a playful fitness course, give them a pretend health check and get creative with pet-themed crafts.

Find your rhythm at Didgeridoo Camp

Are you keen to immerse yourself in four days of music and mateship? The annual Didgeridoo Camp is back at Augustine Heights from October 2-5, bringing together men of all nationalities to build brotherhood, celebrate life and their passion for the didgeridoo. Expect workshops, live performances and incredible sounds from didgeridoo legends.

Learn to photograph the night sky

Ever wanted to photograph the Milky Way but not sure how? Join multi-award-winning photographer David Magro for a special Milky Way Masterclass on October 7. Suitable for beginners and photography enthusiasts, the day begins at Brothers Leagues Club where you’ll learn the tips and techniques for capturing the night sky before heading to Lake Wivenhoe to put your new skills into practice.

Make picnic memories at Soul Nook

Spring is made for lazy afternoons soaking up the sunshine, and what better way to do that than with a bespoke picnic at Soul Nook in Marburg? Set among the picturesque grounds of the Old Church, you can choose from six dreamy picnic packages – perfect for grazing and soaking up the country air. Afterwards, take a wander through the Boutique Shop, which is brimming with locally sourced artisan wares, before stopping at the Coffee Nook for a freshly brewed beverage and a sweet treat.

An enchanting night of music

Escape into an evening of beautiful music as Candlelight comes to St Mary’s Catholic Church on October 9, where the talented Paradiso Strings String Quartet will take audiences on two musical journeys throughout the evening. At 6pm, experience the timeless beauty of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons will play, followed by the dramatic and captivating sounds of The Best of Hans Zimmer at 8pm, with scores including the Pirates of the Caribbean Suite and other movies such as The Dark Knight, The Lion King and Madagascar.

Round up the family for a day on the farm

Ready for a baaa-rilliant family day out? Head to Heritage Poultry’s Sunday Farm Day on October 25 for a morning packed with cuddles and country fun! Children can get up close with a wide variety of animals in the animal nursery including goats, sheep, lambs, chickens and ducks, plus there’s also puppies, pony rides, tractor play area, face painting, a sausage sizzle, coffee van and ice cream truck. With plenty of space to relax, be sure to bring your picnic blanket.

Get your motor running at Queensland Raceway

Rev heads, get ready for a high-octane month at Queensland Raceway! From October 2-4, the Spring Drift Matsuri brings tyre-smoking action, drift experiences and plenty of thrills. Add the QR Motor Ride Days, sprints and roll racing, and there’s something for every motorsport fan.

For more ideas on how to plan your next trip to Ipswich, log onto www.visitipswich.com.au

This blog was written for Visit Ipswich, with images courtesy of Discover Ipswich, local businesses, tourism operators and Unsplash.

Planning an October outing? Here’s what’s on in Ipswich