What's On: Ten things to do in Toowoomba this weekend

Toowoomba’s Carnival of Flowers kicks off this weekend with the iconic Festival of Food and Wine at Queens Park, but it is not the only thing on. See our entertainment guide here.

James Reyne, Kate Ceberano and Thirsty Merc will headline the Festival of Food and Wine.

The Festival of Food and Wine will take over Queens Park at the weekend as the Carnival of Flowers takes root.

The Festival of Food and Wine will take over Queens Park at the weekend as the Carnival of Flowers takes root.

Bullhorn, Thirsty Merc and James Reyne will headline on Saturday, with the Yacht Rock Revival, Kate Ceberano and Pete Murray on stage Sunday.

Enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, live music, tasty food and good company from 11am until late, Saturday and Sunday.

2. Local artists on show

The Downlands Art Show will be open to the public all weekend, with more than 800 pieces on display from local and interstate artists.

The 2024 feature artist is Christine Porter, known for her artwork depicting shearing sheds in western Queensland.

This year marks 40 years since her first shearing shed artwork, and since then Porter has created more than 100 different shearing shed artworks across Australia, capturing the industry’s significance and integrity.

Doors open from 10am-4pm at the College’s Graham Centre, off Ruthven St.

RME Downlands Art Exhibition 2024 feature artist Christine Porter. Picture: Kevin Farmer

3. Walking tour

Take a stroll through the Garden City’s history on Saturday morning with Toowoomba Trails.

Starting on the front lawn of Clifford House, the home of “King of Toowoomba” James Taylor and his family, this walk explores the Mort Estate, Toowoomba’s oldest subdivision established in 1862 by well-known colonial identity Thomas Sutcliffe Mort.

Discover a range of building styles and the design details that make them unique to our town. Hear a mix of stories about the buildings including their architects, builders and the characters that lived in them.

The tour departs at 9.30am. Phone [phone] for details.

4. Wonder at the Woolshed

The Jondaryan Woolshed is open every weekend in September for those interested in our region’s history.

Take yourself on a self-guided tour and make sure to stop by the Damper Hut for some delicious damper and light refreshments.

Doors open from 9.30am-2.30pm.

The "Pride of Toowoomba" will depart from the DownsSteam Tourist Railway and Museum on Sunday, for two runs to Wyreema. Picture: Bev Lacey

5. Enjoy a steam engine journey

Relax in the romance of old-fashion transportation by hopping on board one of the last steam engines to be built at the Toowoomba Foundry and ride to Wyreema and back.

The Pride of Toowoomba will take two trips to Wyreema on Sunday, departing from the DownsSteam Tourist Railway and Museum from 9am and 2pm.

There will be snacks on board, with a sausage sizzle and live music at the station.

See the DownsSteam website for details.

6. Grand final action

The Gatton Hawks and Valleys Roosters will fight it out in the Toowoomba Rugby League A-grade grand final at the weekend.

Held at the Toowoomba Sports Ground, the action starts with the under-19 final between Dalby Diehards and Souths Tigers at 1pm on Saturday.

Get along, enjoy the action and support local sport.

7. Pink Ribbon Race Day

Clifford Park will host its annual Pink Ribbon Race Day on Saturday, promising punters a good time while they raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Tickets cost $225 and come with gourmet two-course meal, a beverage package, exclusive fast track admission and live entertainment.

Gates open from 10am, and live racing begins from 4.30pm

8. See some art

The Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery has three fantastic shows hanging through September.

They include a collection of Henri van Noordenburg’s haunting landscapes, the official Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers exhibition featuring local artists, and POSTWORLD, a mix of old media and new technology that engages with contemporary discourse in object-oriented ontology, vegetal thinking, and the post-Anthropocene.

The gallery is open Saturday and Sunday, 10.30am – 3.30pm.

Kadin Rickert and Anna Joerg with fresh fruit from the Toowoomba Farmers Markets, Saturday, January 7, 2023.

9. Markets

Every Saturday Toowoomba Farmers’ Market is as 27 Lindsay St, East Toowoomba (near the windmills at Cobb & Co Museum) from 7am to 12pm, and every Sunday the Toowoomba PCYC Market is at 219 James St from 7am to 12.30pm

10. Elvis at the Golf Club

See the King in action with the Elvis tribute act Gabe Phoenix at the City Golf Club.

Gabe and it band with take the stage in their sequined jumpsuits from 8pm.