Floriade NightFest 2026
Commonwealth Park, Commonwealth Ave, 2601 Canberra Directions
Sun 04.10.2026 18:30
Explore Floriade’s dark side as NightFest returns to Commonwealth Park from Thursday 1 to Sunday 4 October 2026.
A highlight of Floriade 2026, NightFest transforms Commonwealth Park after dark into a spectacular celebration of light, music and entertainment. Across four unforgettable nights, wander through illuminated floral displays and dazzling light installations, enjoy live performances, discover unique market stalls, and indulge in an array of food and drink offerings.
The stellar music lineup features ARIA-winning artists The Temper Trap, known globally for their multi‑award‑winning hit Sweet Disposition, and pioneering force Tim Finn, whose celebrated career spans Split Enz, Crowded House and acclaimed solo success.
Joining them are ARIA‑nominated favourites, rising indie rockers Pacific Avenue, plus Busby Marou and national treasure Christine Anu, alongside some of Canberra’s best local performers, creating an unmissable festival experience under the stars. Thursday 1st October: Tim Finn, Friday 2nd October: Busby Marou & Christine Anu, Saturday 3rd October: Pacific Avenue, Sunday 4th October: The Temper Trap.
This event has a no-refund policy. Tickets are eligible for a date change one week prior to the start date of your event.
Performers
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Busby Marou
Pretty deadly - http://busbymarou.com/
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Christine AnuChristine Anu is an Australian pop singer/songwriter/actress of Torres Strait Islander descent. She is an Australian icon, and her cover of “My Island Home” is the song that she is most known for. She studied dancing at school, thinking that it would lead her into a singing career.
She has also worked as a cultural ambassador for Torres Strait Islanders, and she is associated with the "Deadlys" - the national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music, sport, entertainment and community awards.
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Pacific Avenue
Since their beginnings as local South Coast entertainers, Pacific Avenue’s trajectory has been steep, evidenced by their success on radio stations like triple j and Triple M, and an impressive streaming count exceeding 10 million on Spotify. Their acclaimed single ‘Easy Love’ set the stage for their ascendancy, leading to sold-out headline tours and prestigious festival line-ups. The album ‘Flowers’ not only celebrates the band’s artistic milestones and memories but also stands as a testament to their unity and shared experiences with fans, epitomizing the communal spirit of rock and roll
South Coast rockers, Pacific Avenue released their debut album ‘Flowers’ in 2023, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry, securing a spot as the number 1 Australian album and earning two ARIA nominations.
The album, a collection that spans the band’s half-decade journey, seamlessly blends classic rock with sweet ballads, establishing Pacific Avenue as a force that respects its roots while speaking to a contemporary audience. Harry O’Brien’s lead vocals and songwriting resonate with authenticity, channeling the band’s love for the bygone eras of the 60s and 70s into a modern-day classic.
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The Temper TrapOne night in a bar in Melbourne I found Dougy, born of Indonesian decent and bearing the trans-atlantic accent of a kid who grew up all over he world, but this isnt some fairytale connection story. He was looking to start a band and thought I looked like a muso. But I wasnt interested in joining another band, so I palmed him off to a friend and thought I was done with it. But you cant fight fate, and I kept running into Dougy around the city, he continued to ask me "Hey, do you want to start a band?". I guess I ran out of excuses and eventually found myself behind a borrowed set of drums, listening wide eyed, mesmorised by the sound coming from Dougy's stereo, the sound of Dougy's voice blowing like the QE2 on full steam heading into port. I was struck immediately by the power hidden in those songs and knew that I had to be a part of it.
Jonny enters stage left about now. A jovial young idealistic kid with more dyslexic dreams than Marvin Gaye. He'd been friends with Dougy for years and was drafted in when someone didn't show. He'd never played the bass before and tried to strangle himself with the strap pulled tight, but he made up for any lack of practice with a raw energy that filled the room. From here we chewed through a couple of guitarists, before finding ourselves with Lorenzo, an old friend of mine who'd played in half the shitty garage bands I ever started, and in keeping with the theme of our story, the very person I'd palmed Dougie off to in the first place.
It's been years of smiles and tears that's left The Temper Trap on the brink of something...
A band whose connection with forces out of our control shimmers through every wall of melody, burns through every feedback loop and seeps out of every aching pore in the intense and provocative body of sound we create. I guess we're pushing for something beautiful, something we've felt in the music of Leonard Cohen or The Mars Volta or Echo And The Bunnymen. And so we stand, feet on the edge, head in the clouds, ready to take the leap of faith into the unknown.
If you ask around, our standout tracks are usually pretty diverse. I like My Sun, it races out of the blocks, all crash and bash, while others point out Peter Parker's Alter Ego's pop sensibility, shrouded in a dark veil of melancholy. Another popular one, Sirens is an anthem that builds and builds.
In our short lives, The Temper Trap have shared stages with internationals, Damo Suzuki (CAN) and Omar Rodriguez (Mars Volta), Modest Mouse, The Dears, and Spank Rock as well as being the only unsigned act invited to play both the Melbourne and Sydney Laneway Festivals.