Smoked Festival to fire up in Nambour in March 2027

Smoked Festival has confirmed the dates for its highly anticipated Sunshine Coast debut, with the two-day barbecue, music and lifestyle event to take over Nambour Showgrounds on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 March 2027.

The announcement marks the first expansion for the festival, which drew 15,000 people across two days at its inaugural Rockhampton event and has since become a fixture on the Central Queensland calendar.

Presented by Capricorn Events, Smoked brings together low-and-slow pitmasters, live music across multiple stages, craft beer and bar pop-ups, cooking demonstrations, competitions, markets and family entertainment, all under one roof at one of the region’s most recognisable venues.

Organisers selected Nambour for the festival’s second home after an extensive search, citing the Showgrounds’ facilities and the town’s central position within the Sunshine Coast catchment.

“Locking in the dates makes it real. We’ve spent a long time looking for the right place to take Smoked next, and Nambour ticked every box - the site, the location, and a community that genuinely got behind the idea from day one,” said Smoked Festival Event Organiser Jake Black.

“March is a great time of year on the Coast, and 19 and 20 March gives us a full Friday night and Saturday to do this properly. What we built in Rocky was special. We’re bringing that same energy south - but this one’s built for the Sunshine Coast.”

Smoked Sunshine Coast is expected to draw visitors from across South East Queensland, with flow-on benefits for local accommodation, hospitality and retail businesses across the March weekend.

Expressions of interest are now open for food vendors, stallholders, sponsors and local businesses wanting to be part of the inaugural Sunshine Coast event.

Tickets go on sale 2nd October 2026, with pre-sale access available to those who register at www.smokedfestival.au/sunshinecoast/subscribe/.