From PNG Fashion Week to Paradise Festival Markets: A monthly platform for Pacific business in Brisbane

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA — The vision behind PNG Fashion Week is finding another expression in Brisbane. Paradise Festival Markets, created by PNG Fashion Week founder Philma Kelegai through Pacific Cultural Capital Co., gives Papua New Guinean and wider Pacific communities a regular place to share culture, sell their work and build businesses.

Kelegai developed the idea after launching Pacific events in Australia and seeing how a platform for creativity could also create opportunities for income. She wanted to make those opportunities available beyond major events, in a setting that people could join at their own pace.

“When we launched our events in Australia, we saw how much our people had to offer,” Kelegai said. “They could showcase their culture and creativity, but they could also meet customers and earn from their work. I wanted to create a community based opportunity that more people could take part in, whether they were just starting out or already growing a business.”

The markets began in July 2026 and are held on the last Saturday of every month at Captain Burke Park, Kangaroo Point. Its central location beside the Brisbane River gives stallholders a beautiful place to present their products and invites the wider Brisbane community to spend time with Pacific businesses, makers and cultural creatives.

The monthly format is deliberate. Opening a retail shop can mean committing to rent, regular staffing and other ongoing costs before a business knows how much it will sell. A market stall offers a smaller step: vendors can prepare their products, set up for the day, meet customers and return the following month when they are ready.

“We know that retail can be expensive, especially for someone testing an idea or balancing a business with work and family,” Kelegai said. “At the markets, people can come once a month, bring what they have made and give it a go. They have time to prepare, learn from each market and decide when they are ready to come back. That flexibility makes the opportunity more accessible.”

Paradise Festival Markets brings together food and drink, fashion, arts, crafts and community organisations. Stalls cost $60 for community groups and NGOs, $70 for arts and crafts vendors, $80 for fashion and retail vendors, and $90 for food and drink vendors. Power is available for an additional $10.

The next market will be held on Saturday 31 October 2026, with the final market of the year on Saturday 28 November 2026. For Kelegai, the aim is to build a lasting ecosystem where Pacific culture is visible, small businesses have room to grow and participation remains within reach.

Follow Paradise Festival Markets for updates.