Be Yourself In Canberra. It’s a reminder to show up as your authentic selves while getting together in the beautifully queer little capital we call home, writes Festival Director Danny Corvini.
The SpringOUT festival kicks off in spectacular style on Friday 23 October 2026 — a week earlier than usual—with the unveiling of a new portrait of Courtney Act at the National Portrait Gallery. The drag superstar will be in the capital throughout the weekend, offering several opportunities to see them and their portrait up close and personal, including a Q&A session with artist Paul Yore and a Drag Storytime.
The traditional festival program commences a week later with a powerhouse line-up of local performers at Canberra's largest LGBTIQA+ event, Fair Day. The line-up includes Jett Blyton, who’s returning with his band this time; the ever-kooky Etcetera Etcetera, the much-loved Stella Eve and an endlessly spinning carousel of drag acts, singers and dancers and First Nations performers.
We are fortunate to have a strong network of supportive local businesses and community groups here in the ACT and they’ll be at Fair Day showcasing their wares and services. There will be plenty of delicious food and drink options, too, along with a quiet space curated by Marion and a craft space curated by Diversity ACT. Make sure you scan one of the QR codes dotted throughout Fair Day to get extra info about all the performers and stalls, a detailed map, a timetable and the accessibility info
There are plenty of interstate and international performers coming to Canberra for the festival, too, including Edu Diaz, an accidental drag queen from Spain now living in NYC; the comedian Josh Hauville, known for his French sketches and who’s headlining the SpringOUT Comedy Gala; legendary ‘90s singer Mary Kiani, who returns for the One Night in Heaven 3 party (at Fiction this year) and South Coast musician Val Moogz, who you can catch at both Fair Day and Loud & Proud. Loud & Proud will once again showcase the depth of Canberra’s trans and nonbinary live music scene with local performers including Salty Goodness, nonbinarycode, Mundt Phais, JAIDE and Kalokairi.
“I sought to merge my ongoing artistic style with local Canberra architecture and native Australian tropical birds, utilising a vibrant palette of pride flag colours to represent diverse spectrums,” Dipa said. “My inspiration comes from the vibrant visual language of Bangladeshi rickshaw and truck art — a popular folk tradition across South Asia. While traditional rickshaw painting often reflects heteronormative stories, I reimagine its bold characters and motifs through a queer lens.”
