A nostalgic cabaret show, Cinderella and dinosaurs galore – what’s on this weekend
We’ve compiled a curated list of the best events on the Gold Coast this weekend so you don’t have to. We’ve got a cabaret cirque show taking a nostalgic trip down memory lane, a pet adoption open day, line dancing and family-friendly events keeping kids entertained for the school holidays. Check out our guide to what’s on across the Gold Coast this weekend.
Markets, festivals and food events this weekend
The HOTA Hawker Night Market will transform the precinct into a bustling twilight market this Saturday, from afternoon to evening. The Southeast Asian-inspired food market is the perfect remedy for seasonal blues with more than 150 stalls serving up dishes like succulent dumplings and fiery noodles. As you scour the streets for the perfect bite, enjoy local live music, roving street performers and Chinese lion dancers as they wander the market, also looking for their next meal. Free tickets can be booked here.
This Saturday, the Animal Welfare League Queensland (AWLQ) Gold Coast Animal Rehoming Centre in Coombabah is hosting a free Open Day. With adoptions open, leave furry friends at home and get a glimpse into the work done by those dedicated to rehoming animals in need. Enjoy live music, food trucks, family-friendly activities and information stalls where you can learn what you can do to help shelter pets in search of their forever homes.
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.
This Friday, join in as Coolangatta honours First Nations culture and history at the Kalwun NAIDOC Week March. Dress in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander flag colours to show your support in the march from Griffith Street to the NSW border, ending in a Corroboree at Christ Cunningham Park. No tickets or RSVPs required – just show up and walk!
Discover the meditative art of bonsai this Saturday at Carrara’s Bonsai Market Day. Explore over 20 showcasing bonsais and offering bonsai-related items, as well as advice on growing your own. This event is free entry and will be slinging snags at their all-day sausage sizzle to keep you warm while you browse.
Surface Festival has returned to Miami for the fifth year running with over 250 exhibiting artists, a selection of which have been tasked with muralling over 1500-sqm of Miami’s blank walls. Running until July 13, this free, family-friendly festival will bring an abundance of colour to your cold winter days while celebrating local creatives, cultures and businesses.
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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 for the school holidays
The Smurfs have taken over The Strand at Coolangatta this week for a fun-filled school holiday celebration running from July 8–12. Little ones can get creative at The Smurfs Free Activity Centre on Level 1 (outside Timezone), with a different Smurf-themed craft on offer each day from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm – from decorating frisbees to making colourful sipper cups and Smurf house ‘food’. Kids can also go on a Smurf statue hunt throughout the precinct, snapping photos with favourites like Smurfette and Farmer Smurf. Make a day of it with pancakes at Pancake Diner, a movie at Cinebar and the chance to win a family pass when you spend $5 or more in-centre.
Flock to Paradise Centre in Surfers Paradise these school holidays for a week of family-friendly entertainment, hands-on activities and more than $15,000 worth of prizes up for grabs. Dance off the winter cold with daily dance-offs between 1:00 and 4:00 pm for instant prizes or enjoy miniature painting workshops with Mr Brix. For the food-oriented, get involved with pizza-making at Enzo’s Cucina, Krispy Kreme doughnut decorating, or the Grill’d burger masterclass. This is an experience that kids and parents alike will love, with free face painting and ‘kids eat free’ deals at select venues including La Playa, TGI Fridays, Kitty O’Shea’s and The Sporting Globe. Watch out the free pop-up dance performances outside Gelato Messina on July 11 and 12. Shoppers who spend $50 or more at Paradise Centre between July 7-12 can score an instant $50 voucher.
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.
Take the family on a prehistoric adventure these school holidays as Robina Town Centre gets overrun with dinosaurs for Jurassic World Rebirth Adventure Zone. Spark young imaginations with huge animatronic dinosaur interactions, dino egg hunts and augmented reality experiences that will see another world come to life. Find out more here.
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
From Friday to Sunday, party through time as Sundown Productions’ Cabaret Cirque show NOSTALGIA revisits the glittering night life of the olden days under the stars of Southport’s Broadwater Parklands. With music, comedy, acrobatics, dance and glamour, this strictly 18-plus event breathes life back into decades gone by – from the psychedelic 60s, night-clubbing noughties. Whether you’re a disco diehard or passionate about punk, this memorable three-day-only show will transport you back to the nights you never wanted to end. Grab your tickets here.
This weekend, The Star Theatre will be exclusively showing Ballet Theatre Queensland’s (BTQ) enchanted retelling of Cinderella. Watch in wonder as 49 of BTQ’s most talented dancers under the age of 21 retell the classic fairytale in a vibrantly rich performance, supported by the Cadenza Chamber Players playing live on stage. This exclusive show is only running for three days, so grab your tickets here before they run out.
In-demand tribute act The Killer Queen Experience is hitting the stage at Currumbin’s Soundlounge this Saturday night. Complete with a Freddie Mercury lookalike lead singer, this two-hour live show will deliver Queen’s greatest hits (and outfits). Don’t miss out on your chance to experience the Queen cover band that has performed in Norway, Singapore and India, and even met the Queen. Tickets here.
Step right up – the circus has rolled back into town! Ashton’s The Great Australian Circus is here in Broadwater Parklands bringing over three weeks of heart-racing stunts, laugh-out-loud clowning and gravity-defying feats. Run by the Ashton family for an incredible 175 years, this iconic big top is Australia’s oldest circus, now led by sixth-generation star Chantel Ashton-Rodriguez, who’s been performing since the age of two. With tickets from just $15, don’t miss your chance to catch this magical slice of history under the iconic red-and-white tent. This Sunday is the last night you can see the circus in the Gold Coast so book your seats here!
This weekend, Cavill Lane Surfers Paradise will be hosting three nights of live music with Live in the Laneway, a free event supporting local musicians. Friday night will see Dario Lagana lighting up the stage with his acoustic rock covers and originals, while Jasmine Rain will warm up Saturday night with her sentimental songs and captivating vocals. Closing the week on Sunday is Alice Adelie with her soft atmospheric ballads.
The Wallaby Hotel is partnering up with Gilly’s Line Dancing this Sunday to bring an afternoon of boot-scooting, hat-tipping fun to Mudgeeraba. Beginners and experienced line-dancers alike are invited to try their hand at some timeless moves and enjoy the laid-back, country vibes. This 18+ event is free entry, and the perfect excuse to dust off your cowboy boots and round up some friends for an evening of rootin’ tootin’ dancing.
The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale is wrapping up at HOTA this weekend. Revisit Frodo’s legendary journey across Middle-earth from J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic trilogy, reimagined with thrilling performances, spectacular visuals and an exciting and dynamic score. This a show that will enchant Tolkien devotees and fresh faces alike. Grab tickets here before the last show on Sunday.
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.