BLEACH Festival’s 2026 edition ran from 1 to 11 October and has now finished. A community choir, an illuminated lakeside installation and a closing weekend at Theatre 1 gave the spring programme a lovely range. From Contessa, the pleasure was in pairing an evening of art with a slower morning beside the river.
The festival moved to spring under Artistic Director Felix Preval, with HOTA as its main precinct. The programme below belongs to that completed edition. No 2027 dates or programme have been announced on the official BLEACH Festival page.
The choir opened it on the lawn
BEACON, by UK artist Morag Myerscough and Gold Coast group Everybody NOW!, occupied HOTA’s Lakeside Precinct through the eleven days. Hand-painted gateways gave way to neon after dark, with poetry by Holly Ringland woven into the installation.
On Thursday 1 October 2026, a community choir opened the festival with a musical setting of Ringland’s poetry. The combination made an inviting beginning: a shared performance first, then an installation visitors could return to across the festival. Both the opening night and that exhibition period are over.
A closing weekend at Theatre 1
The Farm’s No One Gets Out of Here Alive played Theatre 1 on 10 and 11 October 2026. Dance, music, humour and audience participation gave the closing weekend a different character from the outdoor opening.
Between those bookends, THAW brought Legs On The Wall’s performance on melting ice to Surfers Paradise Beach and HOTA. Lady Blackbird & Electric Fields appeared on the Outdoor Stage on 2 October, followed by SIX60 with support from Sub-Tribe on 3 October. These were 2026 performances; none is a confirmed booking for another edition.
Leave room around an arts evening
An evening at HOTA can be one part of a Main Beach stay. Contessa’s nearest G:link stop is about fifteen minutes away on foot, and the property has free undercover basement parking when driving suits the people travelling. For another visit, use HOTA’s getting-here information to check the full journey and current parking arrangements.
Back at the residence, the two acres of landscaped gardens and private marina give the evening somewhere quieter to end. The indoor heated pool and sauna suit a cool morning; the outdoor pool and tennis court give the next day a different pace.
Choose the apartment for the rest of the stay
Each holiday apartment is presented by apartment number with its own photographs. You can look at the residence, its layout and outlook before booking. Every apartment has a private balcony, full kitchen, laundry and two bathrooms, while views vary across the building.
Tedder Avenue is a five-minute walk for breakfast or dinner. The beach is across the road, and the gardens sit on the river side. Those are good reasons to leave a morning free after a night at the theatre.
Explore Contessa’s apartments or read about the residence and its facilities. For a future BLEACH visit, wait for the organiser’s next announcement before choosing event dates.