Brisbane, we may still be recovering from the Ekka public holiday but that’s no reason to remain idle once Friday hits. Haven’t you ever heard of backing it up? Regardless of your vibe, we’ve got your back – from strawberry festivals to 90s parties, here’s the best of what is happening in Brisbane on the August 16–19 weekend. more
Folks, spring has almost sprung and it’s bringing a little something special with it – we’re talking Brisbane Festival, baby! Come September 8, our fine city will be overflowing with a selection of local and international entertainment that will make your head spin. From circus and cabaret to top live bands and immersive theatre, the festival brings together the best of the arts scene for your enjoyment – so you’d better get out there and lap it up. Mark September 8–29 in your diary and start planning your hit-list, because this one’s going to be a doozy. more
There are so many things to love about the Ekka – the food, the animals and the rides are right up there, but it’s the public holiday that we’re most grateful for. If you’re not up for braving the crowds at the showgrounds on Wednesday August 10, we’ve whipped up a little list of things that are happening around town on the public holiday and the night before – you get a sleep-in, after all … more
Look, it’s absolutely no secret that Fortitude Valley is one of Queensland’s premier party hubs – the place was literally built for fun. Since 1997, there has been one particular event dedicated to shining a light on the Valley’s reputation as a hub of arts, culture, food and entertainment – the weekend-long celebrations of Valley Fiesta. Well folks, we can confirm that Brisbane’s biggest street party just got a heck of a lot bigger – clear August 29 to September 2 in your diary because the Fiesta is coming in hot with five days of revelry. more
The great state of Queensland quite simply has loads of things to be proud of. XXXX Beer, Savage Garden, the Story Bridge and Yatala Pies have all earned us some serious bragging rights, but there is one thing that makes our hearts swell with pride for the rich culture we have cultivated – the Royal Queensland Show (or the Ekka, as its more affectionately known as). This year the show celebrates an impressive 141 years (seriously, the only thing that’s stopped it since its inception have been the Spanish influenza and World War II), returning to its home turf of the Brisbane Showgrounds to celebrate the best of Queensland. more
Whether you’re in it for the taste or you rely on it to get you up in the morning, the lure of a good coffee is incredibly strong. Luckily for all of us, Brisbane’s coffee scene is absolutely stellar – our local roasters, cafes and baristas all work extremely hard to keep us caffeinated with delicious brews all year long. If you’re a fan of the world’s favourite bean-based beverage, we have some news that is set to get you buzzing – we’re getting a festival dedicated to the best in the business! Clear your diary for Saturday August 4 because the inaugural Bakery Lane Craft Coffee Festival is coming for you. more
Folks, that magical time of the year is upon us again – hordes of foodies will be flocking to South Bank for Regional Flavours, eager to sample the best of our state’s fine fresh produce. We’re all over the fact that Queensland is home to some of the country’s greatest natural fare, but there are actually a whole heap of exciting products popping up that you might not have even heard of before. We’ve done some digging to find five must-try items from Regional Flavours that are a little outside the box – go on, we double-dare you. more
Certain pairings are just meant to be – peas and carrots, Ben and Jerry, horse racing and … rock’n’roll? Hear us out here – while it may not seem like the most orthodox combination, the union of Tattersall’s Racing Club and Triple M has come about to treat us punters to a race day that is set to shake things up. Taking over Doomben Racecourse on Saturday July 21, the Triple M Rocks Tattersall’s Race Day comes with all of the ingredients of a rad race day event combined with some seriously rockin’ additions. more
It's time to don your most chic stretchy pants – the annual James Street Food & Wine Trail is back for its seventh year! Over two jam-packed days, the James Street precinct will play host to a plethora of foodie goodness, and The Weekend Edition is joining in on the fun to bring you two very special events. more
PLEASE NOTE: Sorry cheese lovers, The Cheese & Wine of New Zealand event has sold out! Stay tuned for more cheesy events in the future. As well as sheep, adventure sports, cute accents and Lord of the Rings, one of the things New Zealand is most famous for is its wine. Our cool southern neighbours have long had a reputation for turning out some of the world’s top drops, so it comes as no surprise that Treasury Brisbane has decided to pay homage to the country’s offering with one of its famous wine and cheese nights. For the first time on Tuesday August 14 (EKKA Show Day eve), the entire ground floor of the iconic Treasury Hotel will transform into a wonderland of all things choice for Cheese & Wine Of New Zealand. more
Rome may not have been built in a day, but there are certain elements that we can replicate pretty well here in Brisbane. Two institutions that know a thing or two about the Italian way of life – Salt Meats Cheese and Gelato Messina – have joined forces to bring a little slice of Roman style to West End. Taking up residence in the lush Laneway WV at West Village, this exclusive joint pop-up is headed our way from Tuesday July 3 to give us all a taste of the Euro life. Bellissimo! more
Here at The Weekend Edition, we are all about knowing as much as possible about your food – who makes it, where it comes from and its impact on the environment are just as important as taste. In Brisbane we’re lucky enough to be a short distance from the Scenic Rim, one of our country’s most bountiful resources for fresh produce. Eat Local Week is a yearly showcase of the Scenic Rim’s stunning offering, bringing together the people who’s hard work makes the area shine. more
If you’re the sort of person for whom ‘the meat sweats’ are a common affliction, we have news that is set to make you drool – the Brisbane BBQ Festival is back, baby! Taking over its new home at Victoria Park Sporting Fields on Saturday June 30 and Sunday July 1, the two-day fiesta is bringing some of the country’s most talented barbecue lords together to smoke, grill, tenderise and tantalise. more
It seems like just yesterday that we were telling you guys all about what to expect at this year’s instalment of Good Food Month, but true to form this year is whizzing by and the time to feast is fast approaching. From July 1 to August 5, our city will be a hotbed of specially curated foodie events designed specifically to make you drool. We already spilled the beans on saucy noods, pasta parties, next-level surf’n’turf and young guns at work, so we’re here to shine a light on some of the other goodness happening during the food fiesta. more
When it comes to a great day out, there are a few key ingredients that we like to include. Delicious food is a given, fantastic drinks kick it up a notch, a spot of shopping certainly doesn’t go astray, and something to keep the kids occupied is just the cherry on top. If this sounds like your idea of a nice time, we have something that ticks all of the boxes. On Sunday June 24, Portside Wharf will come alive in a flurry of food, fashion and family-friendly fun for its inaugural Flavours of Portside event, celebrating all aspects of the precinct in signature riverside style. more
As much as we adore Brisbane winter, the temperature drop comes with some serious temptation to tuck in to all of the naughtiest foods we can imagine. We’re willing to bet that if you haven’t spent a chilly night holed up on the couch devouring potato bake straight from the dish, at the very least you’ve fantasised heavily about it. While a little indulgence is fine in moderation, if we spend the next three months living off creamy pasta our guts may never recover. Enter the next instalment of Laneway WV’s green living month, a series of free clean eating workshops from the mind of Jacqui Toumbas. more
Friday June 1 marked a very special day for Brisbane City – the opening of its first five-star hotel in 20 years, W Brisbane. There are many elements that make W Brisbane particularly worthy of the five-star accolade, one of which is the W Insider, Montana Tozzi, a gal about town whose job is to ensure guests have access to whatever they want, whenever they want it. Each month Montana treats guests with her hit-list of what to do and see in Brisbane via the Cool Hunter Guide, and seeing as that's our specialty, we've partnered with her to curate it each month. Here you have it folks – the best of Brisbane this June. more
Let’s not sugar-coat it – starting your own business from scratch in any industry is damn hard work, but hospitality can be particularly intimidating. Even if you have a killer idea and loads of ambition, that won’t exactly impress the bank when it’s time to front up the cash to get started. If you’ve got big foodie dreams but are lacking in the financials to make it a reality, listen up – visionary hospitality funders Silver Chef and beloved incubator Wandering Cooks have teamed up to bring budding restaurateurs a very sweet opportunity indeed. more
Real talk – one of the best things about Brisbane is that it’s a cultural melting pot. From the delicious food to the lively events, there is always something happening that celebrates the unique mix of people that call this place home. Whether you want to taste something exciting, take part in a new ritual, catch tunes from another culture or see art from across the globe, it’s all happening in Brisbane this winter. We’ve taken a look through Brisbane City Council’s Live guide and picked five must-do events that prove you don’t need a passport to see the world. more
This time of the year is a particularly dangerous one – as soon as Brisbane’s temperature drops a little and we’ve exhausted our bank of long weekends, all we can think about is jetting off to another country for a sweet escape and loads of feasting. If you’re lusting after a cheese-fuelled European getaway but can’t spare the airfare, we have the next best thing – take a trip to the Fromage Laneway, popping up at West Village on Sunday May 27. more