Floriade Canberra 2025: Full Program & NightFest

Australia’s biggest celebration of spring is back for its 38th year — and this time the flowers come with a side of science. Floriade 2025 transforms Commonwealth Park into a living lab where DNA, atoms, and the human brain are mapped in one million blooms. Alongside the gardens you’ll find food trucks, wineries, live music, kids’ workshops, roving circus acts, and the return of NightFest — a four-night carnival of cabaret, fire shows and neon-lit blooms. Free entry, big crowds, and colour everywhere.

Video

Video Credit: Floriade Canberra 2025 video courtesy of Top 10 Vibes (YouTube, published 15 September 2025).

Location

Address: Commonwealth Park, Regatta Place, Parkes, Canberra (ACT) 2600
floriadeaustralia.com

Dates

13 September – 12 October 2025

Gates open: 9:30am – 5:30pm daily (last entry 5:15pm)
NightFest: 2–5 October, 6:30pm – 10:30pm

Price

Entry: Free
NightFest: Tickets from $28.63 (companion card accepted)
Website: floriadeaustralia.com
Workshops & high teas: Ticketed

The BioHax Take

Call it a flower festival if you want, but Floriade is closer to a spring carnival on steroids. This year’s Science & Nature theme sprinkles molecular structures and cosmic constellations across the lawns, while food stalls sling bao buns, fairy-floss bouquets and gin cocktails in teapots. By day, kids pot plants and roll clay pencils in Sprouts, science nerds geek out with ANU Rocketry or Bonsai in The Lab, and jazz bands battle it out on Stage 88. By night, NightFest flips the switch: kiss-tease cabaret, fire spinners, lantern parades and roving performers glow against neon gardens. Add wine tastings, high teas, and a sprawling market and you’ve got one month of Canberra at its most colourful.

Who It’s For

Garden lovers chasing a million-bloom spectacle
Families looking for kid-friendly workshops and bug labs
Science nerds curious about DNA, rockets and bonsai
Foodies wanting bao buns, fairy floss bouquets and gin gardens
Night owls craving cabaret and circus at NightFest
Wellness seekers appreciating sensory-friendly hours
Visitors turning a Canberra weekend into a full spring escape

What’s On Offer

🌸 Garden Beds – Science & Nature Theme

Twelve beds designed as living science experiments, honouring award-winning Australian scientists:

Molecular Structure
Human Brain
Computer Science
Atom
Petri Dish
Laboratory Equipment
Spectrum
Under the Microscope
In Space
Mechanism
Temperature
DNA

🎶 Main Program (19–26 Sept Highlights)

Stage 88

Amaroo School Ensembles
Blamey Street Big Band
Dance Northside
So Samba Canberra
Silver Soles Cloggers
Canberra Brass
Dance Central
Canberra Mandolin Orchestra

Tulip Stage

Science in Action talks
Celtic Pipes and Drums
Dana Hassall (alt-country)
Blue Gumbo (New Orleans jazz)
Sonance Strings
Mi Peru (Peruvian dance & music)
Bugs Alive with the ACT Parks team
Leila (acoustic indie)

The Lab

ANU Rocketry Club demonstrations
Bonsai at the Bay workshops
Bugs Up Close with entomologists
Two-hour bonsai workshops (bookings required)

The Gallery

Science talks and forums
Botany and photography exhibits
Painting workshops
Interactive science quizzes

The Kazador Tent

CIT Floristry daily showcases

Floriade Sprouts (Kids’ Program)

Clay pencil toppers workshop
Storytime & Wiggle sessions
Libraries ACT kids’ activities
Potting workshops for mini green thumbs

Around the Park

Lavender Art Studios live art
Clockwork Circus roaming shows
Street theatre
Heart Foundation walk events

🌙 NightFest (2–5 Oct)

Kiss Tease Cabaret (7pm & 8:30pm nightly)
Sophie Edwards (2 Oct, 8pm)
Chloe Parche (3 Oct, 8pm)
Fire, circus & roving entertainment
Lantern-making workshops at 6:30pm, lantern parades 7:30pm
Food markets, bars, illuminated gardens

Photo Credit: Onya Magazine - Floriade’s NightFest transforms Commonwealth Park into a glowing wonderland after dark, with illuminated jellyfish lanterns, live entertainment, and dazzling light displays set among the tulip fields.

🍴 Food & Drink

Floriade Café – seasonal classics & high tea overlooking blooms
BentSpoke Beer Garden – local craft beer
Underground Spirits Gin Garden – cocktails & teapots of gin
Contentious Character Winery – wine tastings & hampers

Street food & sweets

Asian Delight (bao buns, vegan options)
Hamsa Hummus Bar (vegan shawarma)
Som Som Candy (flower fairy floss, tanghulu bouquets)
Gelato Messina
Turkish Gozleme, dumplings, bao, pizza, coffee carts
Week 3 only: Au Lac vegan, Birdman food truck, Super Bao, Yiayia’s Honey Balls

🛍 Marketplace

The Floriade Shop & CRVC Shop for souvenirs
Stalls across:
- Art & Design
- Clothing & Accessories
- Garden & Homewares
- Gems & Stones
- Gourmet Food
- Health & Beauty
- Toys & Kids

♿ Accessibility

Wheelchair & stroller accessible pathways
Accessible toilets, parking, and front-gate drop-off zone
Mobility Marquee hire (pricing):
- Scooters: $60 (8hrs) / $30 (4hrs)
- Wheelchairs: $40 (8hrs) / $20 (4hrs)
- Walkers: $20 (8hrs) / $10 (4hrs)
- Strollers: $20 (8hrs) / $10 (4hrs)
- $10 deposit required
Sensory Hour: 9:30–10:30am weekdays (low-sound, calm environment)
BindiMaps interactive navigation: 200+ points, multilingual access, routes for mobility needs

🚍 Travel & Transport

Walk/Ride: paths for bikes, walking, scooters
Public Transport: shuttle, express and rapid bus services
Light Rail: access to central Canberra precincts
Ferry: weekends only on Lake Burley Griffin
Taxi & rideshare: dedicated set-down zones
Parking: Canberra City, National Triangle, Lake Burley Griffin carparks + accessible parking at Regatta Point

🛏 Where to Stay

By the Lake
Hotels around Lake Burley Griffin keep you close to Commonwealth Park, with walking paths and sunrise views over the water.

Hyatt Hotel Canberra – heritage luxe with lakeside access.
QT Canberra – funky design, five minutes’ walk to the lake.

Boutique Braddon
Design-forward stays in Braddon serve café culture, boutique shopping, and easy access to the city centre.

Midnight Hotel – Autograph Collection, sleek boutique style.
Ovolo Nishi – design icon with eco-credentials.

Family-Friendly Finds
Apartments and budget-friendly hotels across Civic and Reid give families more space and kitchens, all within ten minutes of the park.

Novotel Canberra – central, pool, family packages.
Adina Serviced Apartments Canberra – self-contained with kitchens.

Wellness & Retreat Vibes
Wellness-style hotels on the city’s fringe let you soak up Floriade by day and recharge in peace by night.

Hotel Realm – luxe with spa, health club, and wellness packages.
Abode Hotels – eco-conscious apartment stays across Canberra.

🌷 Tulip Time Stopover

Driving down from Sydney? Time it right and you can double your flower quota. Bowral’s Tulip Time Festival runs 17 September – 6 October 2025, filling Corbett Gardens with 80,000 tulips, market stalls, and live music. It’s on the Southern Highlands route between Sydney and Canberra, so you can make it a spring double-header — Tulip Time on the way down, Floriade on arrival.

More on Tulip Time →

Sustainability Snapshot

Science-inspired garden beds highlighting environmental awareness
Local wineries, breweries and food trucks featured
Community re-use of spaces
Commitment to accessibility and inclusivity (Companion Card accepted for NightFest)

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Floriade 2025?
13 September – 12 October 2025.

Where is Floriade held?
Commonwealth Park, Parkes, ACT.

Is entry free?
Yes, daily entry is free. NightFest is ticketed.

What’s on for kids?
Clay topper workshops, potting sessions, bug labs, daily storytime, school bands, and roving circus.

What is NightFest?
A four-night after-dark ticketed event with cabaret, lantern parades, fire shows, live music and neon gardens.

Is Floriade accessible?
Yes — mobility hire, accessible toilets, sensory hours, and wheelchair-friendly maps provided.

What food is available?
From bao buns and hummus to gin gardens, Messina gelato, vegan shawarma and fairy floss bouquets.

How do I get there?
Bus, shuttle, light rail, ferry (weekends), bike, or car. Accessible parking available.