FEATURE - Ten days. One hinterland. Your guide to Horizon on the Range.

The Sunshine Coast Hinterland is set to shine brighter than ever as Horizon Festival celebrates its tenth year from May 1-10, 2026, bringing a wave of creativity, food, music and community spirit to our towns and treasured landscapes. 

From Maleny to Montville, Mapleton and the ranges beyond, this year’s program offers locals countless ways to experience art in the places we love.  

A cornerstone of the hinterland program is Burnt Earth: Bonyi Bounty, an immersive dining experience at Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve. Led by three First Nations chefs, this slow food gathering explores native ingredients and cultural storytelling against the backdrop of the Glass House Mountains. 

Guests are guided through the forest, introduced to traditional ingredients, and then sit down to a three-course celebration of Country, connection and cooking rituals. 

The Montville Timber Trail invites locals and visitors to wander between studios, halls and creative spaces, meeting woodworkers, designers and artisans who are preserving — and reinventing – the region’s rich timber heritage. 

Expect demonstrations, hands-on workshops and the chance to take home unique handcrafted pieces. The weekend trail brings new life to Main Street and St Mary’s Hall, transforming the village into a celebration of skill, story and craftsmanship.  

Boundaries at Bankfoot is an afternoon gathering of spoken word, song and theatre at Bankfoot homestead in the Glasshouse Mountains. Witness new Blak works exploring identity, belonging and relationship with Country in a space of truth-telling, reflection and healing.

Lovers of words will find their home at the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Writers Festival, which returns to Maleny with authors, masterclasses and panel discussions set among the hills. Whether you’re an aspiring writer or an avid reader, the festival offers a rare opportunity to learn from some of Australia’s most engaging storytellers.  

Rounding out the hinterland highlights is Outside: Music in Nature at Booloumba Creek, where audiences settle into a natural amphitheatre for an afternoon of live music and birdsong. Bring a picnic rug, switch off your phone, and enjoy a rare moment of stillness under the forest canopy.  

With more than 35 events across the region — most of them free — Horizon Festival’s tenth anniversary is a reminder of what makes the Sunshine Coast Hinterland so special: creativity, community, and landscapes that invite us to slow down and connect.  

View the full program and purchase early bird tickets at horizonfestival.com.au