6 reasons you need to get to MELT Festival

Can you believe? It’s Melt Festival time! 

Bursting with pride, humour and rebellion, MELT Festival is an invitation to dive into Brisbane’s wonderfully diverse queer communities. Join us in tropical Brisbane for a week-long festival of naughty cabaret, dance parties, pageants, art, theatre, sequins, wigs and more. 

Below is just a taste from MELT’s hugely diverse program of more than 30 entertaining events. Trust us, its fierce. 

MELT Beauty Pageant | Special Event | 28 June

The MELT Beauty Pageant returns to crown this year’s most gorgeous drag queen, drag king or trans beauty. The outrageous and talented contestants battle it out across three categories: Runway Realness, Tremendous Talent and Preach! (costume with a message), all vying for the ultimate Melt Beauty crown. Come and see if impersonating Beyoncé is your destiny, child.

After this show stopping event, boogie on with the glamorous stars from the Beauty Pageant at the official, and free, opening night MELT With Us Party. 

Yank! | Music theater | 4 July - 14 July

Paying homage to 1940s Hollywood romance films, YANK! follows the real-life, concealed stories of gay soldiers during World War II. Trying to both fall in love, and survive can be a challenging task, especially when the odds are stacked against you. These undiscovered stories will pull at your heart strings and sweep you away on an emotional journey of revelation and romance. 

My Trans Story | Ideas | 30 June

Proud trans and gender diverse storytellers gather together to tell their fearless stories. Some are complex, some are funny but all, are fierce. These stories will take you down a path, and leave you questioning everything you know and think about gender.

Afterwards, head over to the first ever MELT! comedy gala which will have you laughing all the way home. With a touch of glam, glitter and sequins get ready for some side-splitting fun. 

Tragic Trivia! | Free | 4 July

Back again, Tragic Trivia is here for a night of queer questions, outrageous challenges and trashy glamour. Joined by Quiche Lorraine, Richie Lestrange and Christina Draquilera, this free trivia night will leave you gagging and having the time of your life, well into the night.  

Gayming Night | Free | 29 June

Take part in a hella queer gaming experience. Brought to you by Queerly Represent me, get amongst a mix of tabletop gaming and digital platforms for a gaming experience from a diverse array of queer creators. Chat with developers, playtest in-progress games and try your hand at your own queer gaming character creations. 

The Bowery Haus | Party | 6 July

Inspired by legendary queer fashion icon Leigh Bowery, this famously epic MELT costume party is back again. Come as your best interpretation of the Aussie icon for a promised night of dancing and dazzling costumes with Brisbane’s best DJs. Warm up your hot glue guns and best dance moves. 

So, make your way to Brisbane Powerhouse and find out what’s the T at this year’s fabulous festival. Now, sashay away.