Fijian circus takes off, as crowds build for Riverfire

The Fijian Flying Circus is bringing acrobatics, aerial performance, drumming and dance to Australia, including the unusual art of hair hanging.

Created by Pacific dance company VOU, the circus began its four-city Australian tour with a sold-out run in Darwin. It is now performing at Brisbane’s South Bank Piazza as part of the Brisbane Festival, before traveling to Melbourne and Sydney later in 2026.

The show takes place in the round under a traditional big top. It follows Loma, a girl who enters a mystical forest where spirit forces live in harmony with their tropical environment. Alongside the story, the performance highlights circus skills, inventive drumming and choreographed dance.

Ticket sales support the Conservatorium of Dance in Nadi, which provides 20 Fijians each year with fully funded two-year performing arts diplomas. Graduates can go on to become full-time artists with VOU, which has toured more than 35 countries and developed into an international showcase for Fijian performance.

The Brisbane Festival has drawn large crowds ahead of Riverfire, with people placing chairs and picnic rugs along the Brisbane River. Six fireworks barges were positioned along the river, while a military flyover also attracted spectators during a practice run. Ferry services were disrupted by strike action on Saturday, and buses were planned to provide 36,500 extra trips after Riverfire. The festival runs until September 26.

“

We’re all birds, so we might have different colours and plumages and come from different areas, but you know, we’re all the same.