Kidchella, fitness challenges and Ball Park Music – what’s on this weekend
Got no weekend plans? Now you do. From Friday to Saturday, the Gold Coast is bursting with markets, festivals, live music shows and a couple of challenges to get your blood pumping. See Ball Park Music take to the stage in Miami, or try your hand at Tattooing at Ink & Drink. Want to test your stamina? Gold Coast has a line-up of fitness focused events this weekend from the Kokoda Challenge to the Fitness Festival. Check out our guide to what’s on across the Gold Coast this weekend.
Markets, festivals and food events this weekend
Have you always wanted to try your hand at tattooing? This weekend, Ink & Drink is giving you the chance to test your artistic skills in Australia’s world-first tattoo-creative experience. The high-energy pop-up gives guests real tattoo machines and silicone skins to design their own artwork while guided by professionals. With limited seats and only four sessions available, you’ll want to book your spot sooner rather than later.
City of Gold Coast Active & Healthy presents its first ever GC Fitness Festival inviting you to warm up in the winter sunshine this Sunday. With classes including Yoga, Mobility, POUND, Les Mills Body Combat, Line Dancing and Zumba, there are endless options to move to. Between classes, check out the LSKD running group, the fitness and wellness markets, or the new Social Sport program with a wide selection of sports to try. Admission and classes are free but you do need to book your spot before they’re all gone.
Kicking off this Thursday is Jumpers & Jazz in July, the beloved winter festival turning Southern Downs into a celebration of community and good times. The 10-day festival hosts over 220 event experiences including tree jumper installations, jazz performances, an automobile display and a wide selection of markets, pop-up bars, artisan stalls and food trucks. Quit the city for some much-needed country air this July and get involved in Queensland’s quirkiest festival.
The beautiful Country Paradise Parklands will host Night Markets this Saturday afternoon, hosted by Meaghan Scanlon MP. The free event will feature live music providing the beats, free-face painting for the kids, a classic car show for automobile enthusiasts and food trucks galore.
In the mood for a challenge? This Saturday morning take on Gold Coast’s 6hr adventure as you and your team run, kayak, mountain bike and navigate a 15km or 3km off road course. Collect all the check points and be the first team back to the finish line in the allotted time to win. Book your spot now.
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Soak up some sun at the Broadwater Pavillion Markets, returning to the seaside in Southport this Saturday. This month, the event will also be host to Multicultural Market, with food trucks from around the world and a Brazilian dance performance, along with the markets usual local businesses to imbue your weekend with a little coastal vibrance.
Think you’ve got what it takes? Tackle the Kokoda Challenge this Saturday morning in the Nerang Hinterland over 30km, 48km or 96km trails. Australia’s toughest team endurance event features over 4000 metres of elevation and almost 40 hours of trekking. With all profits raised will go towards Kokoda Youth Foundation programs to help kids in the local community, this experience is more than a personal challenge – it’s an opportunity to give back to the community. Book now.
D’Arcy Arms’ Christmas in July month-long celebration is back by popular demand, bringing you a fireplace-warmed Christmas feast and respite from winter’s harsh cold. For only $50 a head, diners are treated to an authentic Christmas feast of roast turkey, Yorkshire pudding, cranberry and apple sauce, and plenty more. Head to D’Arcy Arms’ Irish Pub this winter for a heart-warming dose of Christmas spirit and festive feasting.
Embrace the apres-ski vibes at Aviary Rooftop Bar’s Aviary Après this weekend! Throughout winter, the popular Southport rooftop bar and dining spot transforms into a cosy alpine escape with fireside s’mores, spiked hot chocolates, mulled wine and some of the city’s best golden-hour views. It’s the perfect way to toast the season – no snow boots required! Read more about Aviary Après over here.
This winter, high tea gets a decadent twist as Calleija Jewellers teams up with Sheraton Grand Mirage for an indulgent high tea experience at Pearls Bar. Running daily from June 1 to August 31, guests will be greeted with ocean views, a welcome cocktail and a parade of indulgent bites – think salmon caviar tarts, champagne-compressed watermelon and white chocolate pearl macarons. Plus, every guest goes in the draw to win a sparkling Tahitian pearl and diamond pendant, and a luxe two-night stay at Sheraton. Treat yourself! Book your spot here.
Family-friendly fun
This weekend, Surfers Paradise will transform into Kidchella, a free-admission kids festival with an exciting line-up of activities and events. From DJ dance parties and face painting to art studios and skateboarding workshop, there’s enough to keep tykes entertained for hours on end. Make sure to finish the day with a trip on the Coachella-inspired Ferris wheel to take in Gold Coast’s stunning sunset views.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary will be celebrating Jurassic July these school holidays by turning into a prehistoric playground perfect for curious young minds and budding palaeontologists. Check out the Extinction Trail offering dinosaur encounters, dig for fossils, get crafty with hands-on dino-themed activities, or experience the Dino-mite Explorer Show. Grab tickets and passes here!
From Monday until Saturday, The Langham Gold Coast is offering a chance for families to indulge in luxury and fun with an exclusive winter school-holiday program. Families can enjoy offers like kids fitness classes, disco parties, cooking and crafting sessions, and family yoga from the Langham’s world-class facilities. With 24/7 kids club and babysitting services available, it’s almost too easy to make these school holidays unforgettable.
Marvel at illuminated night walk Astra Lumina at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. The cosmic after-dark journey will take you on a curated trail through Currumbin’s 27 hectares of pristine bushland by night, with immersive projections, incredible lighting and otherworldly soundscapes. It’s a must! Grab your tickets here.
Music, live shows and exhibitions on the Gold Coast this weekend
Brisbane legends Ball Park Music are heading down to Miami Marketta this Sunday to celebrate Like Love, their newest album. Accompanied by indie rock trio Bean Magazine, this will be a night sure to leave stars in your eyes. Tickets are available here.
This Friday evening, famed tattoo art exhibition Made to Suit is returning to Miami Marketta for its 4th year. Celebrating tattooists across Australia and New Zealand, the two-night exhibition boasts bold artistry, unique creativity and atmospheric celebration. Grab your tickets here.
Take part of the world’s biggest flashmob this Sunday at The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever, celebrated on the same day from Gold Coast to Germany. Over 70 locations worldwide will don their best Kate Bush red dresses this weekend to learn the iconic dance moves of the 1978 “Wuthering Heights” music video. 100% of the $30 tickets goes toward Friends with Dignity, to support domestic violence survivors rebuild their lives.
Experience the brilliant and powerful energy of brass music coming to life this Saturday afternoon at Surfside Sounds in Miami. The Surfers Paradise Brass Band is teaming up with the Gold Coast City Brass Band to deliver a stirring performance of thrilling musical pieces and toe-tapping tunes. Tickets are available at the door.
In a unique mix of true crime and stand-up comedy, Shayne Hunter will take to the HOTA Comedy Underground stage this Saturday night for his Comedian’s Guide to True Crime show. Shayne delivers some of 1920’s Australia’s most interesting crimes with witty punchlines that are strictly 16+. Grab ya tickets ‘ere!
Hailing all the way from Italy, dark psych rock outfit New Candys are touring in Australia for the first time with their newest album, The Uncanny Extravaganza. The band has made waves in the rock scene for their unfiltered artistic expression and electrifying live-shows, which you can witness first-hand this Friday night at Mo’s Desert Clubhouse in Burleigh Heads. Grab your tickets here.
Explore literary treasures at HOTA’s blockbuster exhibition Writers Revealed: Treasures from the British Library and National Portrait Gallery, London. The one-of-a-kind exhibition experience brings together over 100 rare manuscripts and portraits from literary legends like William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, William Blake, Virginia Woolf, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Lewis Carroll, Sir Kazuo Ishiguro and Zadie Smith – many of which have never been seen outside the UK. Structured in five thematic sections, the exhibition spans 500 years of authorship, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of iconic English-language writers through their original works and portraits.