Book ahead, Australia: Perth Writers, Yabun, Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche

Perth Writers Festival will see Elizabeth Gilbert discuss the magic of creativity Photograph: Deborah Lopez/PR

Get happy

The power of optimism shines brightly at the Perth writers festival, kicking off with former Greens leader Bob Brown’s opening address on his life philosophy, authors Hilary Mantel and Elizabeth Gilbert each dissecting creativity in a double headliner event, and US justice lawyer Bryan Stevenson with a stirring speech on redemption. Even social media gets the warm fuzzy treatment with a Twitter novella, created by 50 festival authors each contributing two tweets and culminating in a live reading.

Perth writers festival, University of Western Australia, 19-22 February

Buffy Sainte-Marie was recently announced as part in the Brunswick Music festival Photograph: supplied

Hipster heaven

Recently declared the national songwriting capital of Australia, Brunswick has announced the lineup for its annual music festival. Opening with the Sydney Road street party, the Melbourne festival will see Archie Roach join forces with Radical Son, kiwi talents Charles Jenkins and the Amateur Historians take over the Spotted Mallard stage and Native American activist singer Buffy Sainte-Marie perform her stirring back catalogue.

Brunswick Music festival, various venues, 1-15 March

This year’s Yabun festival in Sydney will feature the Doonooch dancers Photograph: supplied

Deadly music

What better way to celebrate 26 January than with a festival of all things Indigenous? The annual Yabun festival returns to Sydney’s Victoria Park with art, dance and plenty of music. Performers include Stephen Pigram of the Pigram brothers, Jimblah and Australia’s Got Talent’s favourite Dean Brady with his brothers. There’s also an Elders tent, stalls and a jarjums program for the kids.

Yabun festival, Victoria Park, Glebe, Sydney, 26 January

Off Broadway cult hit 5 Lesbians eating Quiche is part of the inaugural Melt festival in Brisbane Photograph: supplied

No Men, All Manners

Their motto is “no men, no meat, all manners”, and the ladies of the Susan B Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein are determined to hold their 1956 annual meeting and quiche breakfast, despite the very possible atomic threat outside their church basement. Part of Brisbane’s inaugural Melt: A Celebration of queer arts and culture festival, this interactive off-Broadway hit show explores how much sexual mores have changed and how much they’ve stayed the same.

5 Lesbians eating a Quiche, Visy Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse, 3-8 February

Fringe feast

Proving yet again that the nation’s capital is not limited to old besuited white men, the Canberra Multicultural Fringe festival celebrates the diversity of Australian music, dance and arts. The inimitable Thelma Plum leads the charge, along with emerging hip-hop talent L-Fresh the Lion, Deadly Award-winning brothers Stik n Move, and Australian Poetry Slam champ Omar Musa. There will also be burlesque, face-painting and a stunning opening dance performance choreographed by Canberra’s own Alison Plevey.

Canberra multicultural fringe festival, venues across Canberra, 13-15 February