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Great Barrier Reef Festival

Great Barrier Reef Festival

Be a part of something Great

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Whitsunday Coast Airport Fireworks on the Foreshore
Whitsunday Coast Airport Fireworks on the Foreshore
Whitsunday Coast Airport Fireworks on the Foreshore
Whitsunday Coast Airport Fireworks on the Foreshore
Whitsunday Coast Airport Fireworks on the Foreshore
Whitsunday Coast Airport Fireworks on the Foreshore
Fireworks on the Foreshore
Cruise Reverse Logo - Black & White
Fireworks on the Foreshore
Cruise Reverse Logo - Black & White
Fireworks on the Foreshore
Cruise Reverse Logo - Black & White
Fireworks on the Foreshore
Cruise Reverse Logo - Black & White
Immerse
Cruise Reverse Logo - Black & White
Family Fun Day
Cruise Reverse Logo - Black & White
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2025 Great Barrier Reef Festival

Welcome to the Great Barrier Reef Festival – Where the Reef Meets the Shore

Proudly presented by Cruise Whitsundays, the Great Barrier Reef Festival brings the reef to life in the heart of Airlie Beach, celebrating the Whitsundays’ unique coastal culture with four days of colour, connection, and community.

From the spectacular Friday Night Fireworks and Live Music, to the high-energy fun of Saturday’s Street Parade, Revvin’ the Reef Car Show, and our much-loved Family Fun Day, the festival offers something for everyone—locals and visitors alike.

Dive deeper with Reef Discovery Experiences and guided tours that showcase the magic of the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsunday Islands.

Wander the vibrant foreshore and explore Immerse, our signature reef-themed art installation made entirely from recycled materials—a creative celebration of sustainability and ocean life.

Whether you’re here for the reef adventures, the live entertainment, the art, or the family-friendly vibes, the Great Barrier Reef Festival is Airlie Beach’s premier event—a place where the reef meets the streets and everyone is invited.

Join us this August and be part of something truly great.

Events

Lantern Making Workshop

Lantern Making Workshop

05/07/2025
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Book Now
Immerse Art Installations

Immerse Art Installations

01/08/2025 - 03/08/2025
All Day
More Info
Camira Twilight & Fireworks Cruise

Camira Twilight & Fireworks Cruise

01/08/2025
5:30 pm - 8:45 pm
Book Now
Coral Sea Marina Resort Lantern Parade

Coral Sea Marina Resort Lantern Parade

01/08/2025
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
More Info
Fireworks on the Foreshore by atHotel Group

Fireworks on the Foreshore by atHotel Group

01/08/2025
6:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Book Now
Revvin’ the Reef – Powered by ENZED Whitsundays & Hog’s Breath Cafe

Revvin’ the Reef – Powered by ENZED Whitsundays & Hog’s Breath Cafe

02/08/2025
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
More Info
ENZED whitsundays
View all Events

Keep checking back to the website as we update events

See the latest on Instagram

⛵️🚨 WIN a 4-day catamaran adventure! Set sa ⛵️🚨 WIN a 4-day catamaran adventure!
Set sail aboard@reginawhitsundays, a luxe 40ft Leopard Catamaran for you & 9 mates. Snorkels, paddle boards, Starlink WiFi… it’s all included!

🎟 Tickets: $25 each, 3 for $60, 5 for $100
🎉 Drawn at the @reeffestival, Aug 3
Get your tickets now 🔗link in bio
🎤 Big shoutout to AT Hotel Group, proud Silver 🎤 Big shoutout to AT Hotel Group, proud Silver Sponsor of the 2025 Great Barrier Reef Festival! 💙
Thanks to their generous support, the Main Stage will once again come alive with epic tunes, electric energy, and good vibes all weekend long. 🎶🌈
WATCH THIS SPACE FOR YOUR FESTIVAL LINEUP!😎🤟👩‍🎤

Planning your trip to the Airlie Beach? Stay with the legends who help make it all happen 👇
bit.ly/GBRF_accom

#ReefFestival2025 #GratefulReefVibes #ATHotelGroup #AirlieBeach #SupportLocalEvents
🎨 Final Call for Artists Along the Reef! Entrie 🎨 Final Call for Artists Along the Reef! Entries for the Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition 2025 are closing soon. 
If you feel the pull of the ocean now is the time to submit your “Tides of Connection” entry, celebrating the powerful ways the Great Barrier Reef unites ecosystems, cultures, and generations.

🖌️ $8,000 in prizes
🌏 Open to artists aged 16+ from Agnes Waters to Cooktown
📅 Entries close 30 June

👉 Details via @ccw_inc
#GBRF2025 #GreatBarrierReefFestival #TidesOfConnection #ArtExhibition #CallForArtists #WhitsundaysArt #ReefInspiredArt
The countdown is on! In just 50 days, Airlie Beach The countdown is on! In just 50 days, Airlie Beach will come alive with colour, music, lights and reef magic for the Great Barrier Reef Festival 2025! 🎶🪩🌈

🪸🍃 Dive into four days of non-stop fun, with reef-themed art installations, fire shows, live music under the stars, vibrant street parties, and the spectacular lantern parade lighting up the foreshore.
Add in hands-on workshops, family entertainment, and the totally outrageous recyclable regatta, and you’ve got a weekend bursting with colour, creativity and community spirit! 

📍 Airlie Beach, QLD
📅 August 1–3, 2025
👀 greatbarrierreeffestival.com.au

#GreatBarrierReefFestival #ReefFestival2025 #AirlieBeach #Whitsundays #LoveWhitsundays
🛶💦 Ready, set… float?🤞 The @whitsundaye 🛶💦 Ready, set… float?🤞
The @whitsundayescape Recyclable Regatta is back and it's the wildest race on water you’ll ever see! Watch teams paddle their hand-crafted “boats” made entirely from RECYCLED materials as they battle it out for glory 🌊♻️

Calling all local businesses, schools, sporting clubs and community groups; consider this your official challenge! Who will float to victory? 🥇🥈🥉

👦 Categories for all ages
👀 FREE to watch | Hilarious to take part in
🗓 Sunday 3 August | 8:30AM
📍 Airlie Beach Foreshore

Full details + how to enter 🔗 in bio

#GBRFest #RecyclableRegatta #Whitsundays #GreatBarrierReefFestival #AirlieBeach #EcoFun #SustainableFun #WhitsundayEscape #SustainabilityInAction
🌿 We're excited to welcome back Ark Energy as a 🌿 We're excited to welcome back Ark Energy as a Silver Sponsor of the Great Barrier Reef Festival 2025!

As a leading Australian renewable energy company, Ark Energy is at the forefront of developing utility-scale wind and solar energy generation. Their commitment to a sustainable future aligns perfectly with our festival's celebration of the natural wonders of the Great Barrier Reef. 💚💙💛

Ark Energy is proudly supporting this year's Family Fun Day! ‍🤹‍♀️🎨A vibrant day filled with games, entertainment, and reef-inspired activities for all ages. 🎉 Their support helps us create an inclusive space where families can connect, learn, and celebrate our incredible region.

#GreatBarrierReefFestival #ArkEnergy #FamilyFunDay #WhitsundaysEvents #CommunitySupport #RenewableEnergy

Latest Posts

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The biggest annual celebration of the Great Barrier Reef and unique coastal lifestyle of The Whitsundays will be on again

Calling all Volunteers

Great Barrier Reef Festival are calling for new volunteers In celebration of Volunteering Australia and volunteer week 2023, we are

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Festival events at the heart of conserving our Great Barrier Reef Festivities and fireworks aren’t the only side to the

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Festival offers opportunity of a lifetime with Master Reef Guides Eleven of Australia’s most passionate advocates for the Great Barrier

That’s Entertainment!

Great Barrier Reef Festival experiences you won’t want to miss Behind the scenes a team of volunteers has been busily

Immerse at Great Barrier Reef Festival

Immerse Yourself in the Great Barrier Reef

Festival’s callout to community and creators for visual arts events There will be plenty of ways to ‘immerse’ yourself in

Learn From The ‘Masters’

Festival Experience A ‘First’ For Great Barrier Reef  The Whitsundays’ annual Great Barrier Reef Festival is renowned for being a

The Comedy Gala is a Go !

It will be all laughs at the Reef Gateway Hotel on Thursday, September 23, when the venue finally gets to

Creating an underwater marine wonderland

The community is being invited to be involved in an art installation project to transform a large fig tree in

Anything Environmental Recyclable Regatta

Get ready for Recyclable Regatta

IF YOU want to be involved in this year’s Recyclable Regatta as part of the Great Barrier Reef Festival, now

Immerse

Art project to be part of 2021 reef festival

An art installation project will be a feature of this year’s Great Barrier Reef Festival to be held in August.

Volunteers Great Barrier Reef Festival

Call for Volunteers

Would you like to become involved in the community and learn new skills?   The Great Barrier Reef Festival is looking

Putting the ‘great’ into Great Barrier Reef Festival

When the inaugural Great Barrier Reef Festival started on Thursday, a team of volunteers held their breath. Although this was

Take an exclusive tour to the Whitsundays’ underwater art

Be a part of something unique – the first and only artist talks and tours to the Whitsundays’ Ngaro Underwater

Festival fever hits Airlie Beach

For six solid months a small but merry band of volunteers has been working hard on the Whitsundays’ favourite Great

New direction for Rotary Street Parade

The Great Barrier Reef Festival’s Rotary Street Parade is heading in a new direction this year. Rather than starting on

View all Posts

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