The Empire Celebrates Record Breaking Success of 2025 THRIVE Festival
The Empire’s annual school holiday event, THRIVE Festival, has wrapped for 2025 with a record-breaking 5,127 people attending the four-day celebration of creativity, play and storytelling.
Presented by The Empire in partnership with C&K Childcare and Kindergarten, this year’s THRIVE Festival was the most ambitious yet, transforming the theatre precinct into an underwater wonderland filled with bubbles, colour and imagination.
The Empire Chief Executive Officer Giuliana Bonel said the overwhelming community response was a testament to the strength of the festival and its place in the region’s Spring school holiday calendar.
“This year’s THRIVE Festival was extraordinary – not only did we welcome our largest audience ever, but we also saw multiple sold-out performances, record community involvement, and an atmosphere of joy and imagination that filled every corner of the precinct,” Ms Bonel said.
“The festival’s centrepiece installation, Thriving Jellyfish, alone connected 574 students across 28 class groups from 17 schools, reminding us just how powerful creativity can be in bringing communities together,”
“THRIVE Festival is about connection as much as it is about creativity and its success is a testament to the community support and engagement,”
Giuliana Bonel
“We’re so proud of what THRIVE Festival has become for our city, and it wouldn’t be possible without the support of our volunteers, local schools, businesses and partners who all played a huge role in bringing it to life and making this year so special.”
Families flocked to the program of interactive installations, free activities and sold-out performances including Sea of Light, School of Magic workshops, and First Five Forever’s reading of One Remarkable Reef with the Toowoomba Concert Orchestra.
Alongside them, 80 volunteers contributed more than 315 hours to help make the event possible, and over 10 local businesses, four out-of-town artists and providers, and seven government and community partners came on board to support the program.
THRIVE Festival was made possible by the generous support of its presenting partner, C&K Childcare and Kindergarten, and through The Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) – a partnership between the Queensland Government and Toowoomba Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland – alongside contributions from Toowoomba Orthodontists, Stirling and Truffles, and the Friends of The Empire.
Photo credit: Jake Lodder
Photo credit: Jake Lodder
Photo credit: Jake Lodder
Photo credit: Jake Lodder
Photo credit: Jake Lodder
Photo credit: Jake Lodder
Photo credit: Jake Lodder
Photo credit: Jake Lodder
#What’s New
Shakespeare and a smash hit soundtrack collide at The Empire as preparations for the 2026 in-house production of & JULIET kick off with the appointment of Queensland-based Director, Tim Hill.
The Empire’s popular school holiday event, THRIVE Festival, is set to return from September 25-28, this year plunging beneath the waves and celebrating the wonders of the ocean.
Following the incredible success of 2024’s Come From Away, The Empire is thrilled to announce the next in-house mainstage production, award-winning smash-hit coming of age jukebox musical, & JULIET.
The Empire Foundation’s commitment to the development of young artists in the region continues with the opening of applications for The Empire Foundation 2025 Youth Bursaries.
After six months of sold-out performances, Theatre of Magic is extending their season by popular demand for the remainder of 2025, including four special performances to celebrate the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers.
The vibrance and talent of Southern Queensland’s artists takes centre stage with the launch of a premium publication, Under the Southern Sky – Arts and Culture of Southern Queensland, a showcase of the region’s incredible skill and creativity.
