REWIND festival, Macbeth and motorbikes – what’s on this weekend
Winter got you down? Well the weekend is looking up as the Gold Coast takes on heart-pumping action, community-building live music shows, and a few sweet little extras. See Teenage Dads take to the stage at Sundown, or don your best Dolly Parton getup for a little line dancing. The Scottish Play takes on HOTA while something raunchy gets up close and personal with The Paramour Chapiteau. Check out our guide to what’s on across the Gold Coast this weekend.
Markets, festivals and food events this weekend
Ever wish you could go back in time to party through the good old days again? Well REWIND: Gold Coast 2025 is as close as you can get, with The Big Party pumped to relive and celebrate decades gone by at Broadwater Parklands. This Saturday, you can funk, jive and boogie to 70’s soul, 80’s punk, 90’s R&B, noughties’ teen pop and more at Australia’s biggest outdoor party. With old skool experts DJ and producer Mobin Master Godfather of Dance Nick Skitz working the decks, REWIND invites you tap into your inner party animal in your best fancy dress. Grab your tickets here while you still can.
After a stunner turnout last year, Sundown music festival is back this year with another stellar lineup of Aussie artists. This Saturday, Teenage Dads, DICE, Betty Taylor and more take to the stage at this free, all-ages pop-up festival kicking off in Southport. This year the event is boasting fresh artwork, a DJ laneway and even better beats, eats and vibes than last year.
Flock to the coast’s beloved Warner Bros. Movie World for one of the country’s biggest cultural celebrations of the year. The Grand Multicultural Carnival will exhibit more than 30 cultural performances, the grand world parade, global and multi-cuisine food trucks and stalls, live music, arts and crafts, and cultural stalls, on top of the Warner Bros. Movie World’s usual fanfare. Movie World invites you to step into a world of colours, rhythms, flavours and fun in Australia’s most unique theme park. Tickets are available here.
This Friday night, Junior’s Deli will be taking over the kitchen at The Boomerang Farm for a one-night only Cook Club event. In an exciting take on Junior’s Deli’s classic Burger Night, diners can feast on limited edition flame-grilled burgers and southern fried chicken wings in the lush green escape of The Boomerang Farm. Cook Club will be behind the bar for the night whipping up paired cocktails while DJ beats continue the momentum into the evening.
This Saturday will see the motorcycle community of Gold Coast and surrounds coming together for Bike Fest Yatala, presented by AMA Warehouse. From 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, bike enthusiasts can go into the draw to win up to $8000 worth of gear while browsing the best brands and supplier demos. Check out stunt shows by Tjay Stuntz, the Show & Shine competition, exclusive event merch and food trucks to keep the energy going. Free tickets are available here.
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Dogs on the Green – Christmas in July is hitting Southport this Saturday morning if you’re looking for an excuse to spoil your furry friends. Check out 70 stalls stocking all your pet essentials, while live music, food trucks and coffee carts give you the chance to relax and refuel. Leashed pets are more than welcome and (unleashed) kids can enjoy the Peninsula Playground and mini beach of Fisherman’s Lawn in Broadwater Parklands. Make sure to arrive early to catch of glimpse of Santa Paws and his bag of goodies for dogs and humans alike.
This Friday, men of all ages are invited to take part in the life-changing New Warrior Adventure Training program. The program has been operating worldwide for more than 40 years and initiated 90,000 men. The 48hr rite of passage offers tools to build a new life, unplugged time spent in nature, a chance for self-discovery and a much-needed sense of brotherhood. The program is supported by The Mankind Project Queensland, dedicated to the mental, emotional, and personal growth of men through peer-to-peer work. Book your spot here.
The Gold Coast Car Show is returning to the Mudgeeraba Showgrounds this weekend for two days of retro automobile appreciation. With the region’s best vintage rides flocking to the Gold Coast, you can also witness monster trucks in action, death-defying FMX stunts and dazzling fireworks to round out the night. Grab tickets here.
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.
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
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!
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
Fill your afternoon with the gentle acoustics of Peter Miller’s Celtic/folk melodies. This Sunday, acclaimed finger-style guitarist Peter Miller graces the stage to once again enchant Gold Coast with his intricate artistry and community spirit at Country Paradise Parklands. For only a gold coin donation, you can experience for yourself the delicate talent that has taken Peter around the world.
In the mood for something a little risqué? This Thursday night, Paramour Cabaret kicks off its first show at The Paramour Chapiteau for an adults-only performance that will take you on a ride you won’t forget. Expect shocking circus acts, bold burlesque performances, seductive vocals, unapologetic drag queens and feats of flexibility to leave you gasping. Tickets are available here.
Fair is foul, and foul is fair. The Scottish Play comes to HOTA this Friday for a dynamic and gruesome production of Shakespeare’s classic play. This new contemporary production from Sport for Jove brings a fresh new perspective to Macbeth. Tickets are available here.
Kiwi comedy icon, Guy Montgomery, is heading down to the Gold Coast this Saturday with his newest stand up show ‘I’ve Noticed So Many Things, It’d Be Unfair To Keep Them To Myself’. Guy has garnered laughs across Australia and beyond with his work on Have You Been Paying Attention, Thanks God You’re Here and his own Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont-Spelling Bee. Grab your tickets here!
Tired of the 9 to 5? You need a Dolly Parton Dance Party. Don your best Dolly Parton digs this Friday for a night of boot scooting line dancing to celebrate the icon’s inspiring 60+ year career. Deck yourself out at the sparkle station before heading to the dancefloor where you’ll learn the moves to Dolly’s biggest hits. This is an event that is all about big hair, rhinestones and self-love so get gaudy and dance your heart out. Tickets available 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.