HOTA is sending 2020 a live-entertainment lifeline with a cracking line-up of music, ballet, movies, art and more as part of the UPSPRING program. Welcome in the new season and farewell the winter blues with talented local performers and artists. more
Friends, we made it! Another work week done and dusted and in the immortal words of a singer who we won't mention for obvious reasons, it's the freakin' weekend baby, let's go have us some fun. Footy fans are undoubtedly in for a big one with the AFL grand final kicking off on Saturday and the NRL grand final on Sunday. Sport not your bag? No worries, there's still plenty of things to see and do across the Gold Coast to get you out of the house and into the sunshine. From fashion markets to boozy art classes and sake degustations, here's a handy guide of what's on this weekend (October 23–25). more
BLEACH* is set to make a triumphant return to the Gold Coast – hurrah! Kicking off on Thursday November 12, the annual arts and cultural event will run for 11 action-packed days, with audiences invited to experience the best of the city through one-of-a-kind contemporary art, live music, cabaret, theatre, dance and storytelling, with the magic to unfold across three key precincts – Burleigh Heads, Chevron Island and the Botanic Gardens in Benowa. While the entire festival program is well and truly worthy of the spotlight, we’ve cherry-picked our top five events for your viewing pleasure. From parties at an abandoned block of houses to acrobatic archers – go ahead and clear your calendar because you definitely won't want to miss these. more
Concerts are few and far between at the moment – and harder than ever to secure tickets for. That's why Australian Brandenburg Orchestra's special digital premiere of Ayres & Graces has arrived at just the right time, ready to serve up an evening of bewitching sounds straight to your living room on Sunday November 1. Featuring everything from heavenly trio sonatas to intimate chamber music, this is one musical journey you don't want to miss out on. more
Like most things this year, concerts and music festivals have had to adapt to the new normal. On the not-so-fun side of things, this has seen a few fallen soldiers in the process, with many events cancelled or postponed to a future date. After a few months of radio silence, a brand-new live music concept – Feedback Festival – is set to breathe new life into the Gold Coast music scene. It's all happening over ten firecracker nights, from Thursday December 3 until Sunday December 13. Festival fun is back, baby! more
In a huge boost for the city's arts and culture industry, Placemakers* Gold Coast – the team behind the iconic BLEACH* Festival – has officially revealed a new and reimagined program for the highly anticipated 2020 version of the annual event. Kicking off on Thursday November 12, BLEACH* will run for 11 action-packed days, with audiences invited to experience the best of the city through one-of-a-kind contemporary art, live music, cabaret, theatre, dance and storytelling, with the magic to unfold across three key precincts – Burleigh Heads, Chevron Island and the Botanic Gardens. more
In a truly unique live-music offering, some of Australia's most renowned female singer-songwriters will be showcasing their sounds in a series of small, intimate shows at HOTA across October and November. Big names like Sarah McLeod and Katie Noonan are part of the all-female line-up at the unmissable Supper Club series, which kicks off with its first event on Saturday October 17 with songstress and piano virtuoso Dami Im. more
Before kids the world is your oyster. You can go anywhere, anytime with nothing but your phone and wallet. Add one or more little people into the mix and suddenly things change, drastically. You inevitably pack the entire contents of your house and view outings very differently – places you once loved become terrifying cold-sweat inducing experiences and vice versa, places you never even noticed before become havens of solace. If you're in need of an outing that isn't attached to a playground, TM Sundays at Miami Marketta is right up your alley. more
It’s important to be positive and enjoy life’s crazy ride!~ Vera Blue more
A wise man (okay, Nelly, it was Nelly) once said 'it's getting hot in here' except this time, you won't be the one taking off all of your clothes. Intrigued? Good! Allow us to elaborate. Local pottery legends Crockd are hosting a cheeky life sculpting event that promises to lure you out of your comfort zone to take part in a collective art experience. It's guaranteed to be a real eye-opener, in more ways than one. more
With everything that's happening at the moment, our social-media feeds and news websites are becoming inundated with waves of coronavirus-related information – almost too much to keep up with! To help you stay on top of the most-important announcements, we've put together a regularly updated rundown of the day's top stories – some lighthearted, some a bit more serious, but all worthy pieces of information. more
School holidays are – for the most part – a welcome reprieve from the relentless Monday-to-Friday routine. Two glorious weeks of freedom – hurrah! The downside to all of this extra time is that you have to fill it with something and, let's be honest, there's only so many times you can watch Frozen 2 in a day. If the thought of finding activities to keep your offspring amused has you breaking out in a cold sweat, fear not. We’ve rounded up some fun things to do with the kids across the Gold Coast these school holidays. more
Get set to treat your ears, eyes and mind with powerful live music, sensory art, dance, soundscapes, circus and film at HOTA this October – the city's arts precinct has just announced a massive 11-day program of free and ticketed events, aptly named WONDER, which will run from October 1–11. more
Spring has sprung and so has our wanderlust. If you're in need of a weekend getaway and some cultural goodness, take a roadtrip north for Noosa Open Studios, an annual art trail where gifted local artists open the doors to their studios so you can get a behind-the-scenes look into their work. more
North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) is well known as an oasis for sun-soaked summer adventures with surfing, whale watching and snorkeling luring in mainlanders on the weekends. Along with its natural beauty, North Straddie also boasts a rich history and culture, which has been carefully preserved by the traditional custodians of the land, the Quandamooka People, who have cared for Minjerribah for more than 20,000 years. So you can experience some of the island’s rich arts and cultural traditions, members of the vibrant local arts community are swinging open their doors and inviting visitors to their private studios, workshops and galleries as part of the Minjerribah Arts Trail from Friday September 18 to Monday October 5. Now, all you have to do is book a ferry ticket. more
If you're an up-and-coming writer, an avid bookworm or you've been in the field for years, the Independent Australian Authors Symposium is the perfect chance to mingle with some of the best and brightest in Australia's writing community. Rolling into Brisbane on Saturday November 14, the event will give you the chance to hear from expert speakers who will be discussing everything from their experiences in the writing and publishing world to what the future holds for the industry. With delectable eats, book signings, jam-packed goodie bags and lucky door prizes also on the cards, this literary event is not to be missed! more
In probably some of the most exciting news to be announced this year, a massive music event – Factory Summer Festival – has revealed it's heading to Brisbane with a jam-packed line-up of Australian musical talent. If everything goes to plan (we are crossing our fingers and toes), then this series of gigs will be here come December. Start planning your outfit pronto. more
Spring has sprung, the flowers are blooming and the days are getting longer and more balmy by the hour. What a wonderful time of year! While it's been a rocky few months for Gold Coast events, there's light at the end of the tunnel, with a bunch of smaller, COVID-safe events still forging ahead. So, we've hand-picked a fun cross-section of events happening across the city this spring, from seaside art exhibitions to boozy brunches, dog markets, race days and a reimagined Bleach* Festival. Pop these in your calendar, folks! more
Summer is right around the corner and we're going to safely assume that all of you are very ready for sun-kissed days, salty swims, long lunches and balmy nights with a spritz in hand – but, is your wardrobe ready? While the early part of 2020 didn't exactly warrant a clothing overhaul (apart from cute tracksuits and loungewear), it's time to embrace the sun-soaked months ahead and inject some new-season goodness into your wardrobe. You can thank the fashion gods because, as fate would have it, Pacific Fair's annual Summer Fashion Weekend is returning to help you do just that! more
If you ask a group of kids what they want to be when they grow up, you're guaranteed at least one of them will say astronaut. Viewing Earth from outer space has been, until now, an experience reserved for the fortunate few who have actually followed through on their childhood dreams. If you were one of the many (many) who moved on to more realistic pursuits in adult life but still secretly harbour dreams of launching off into outer space, HOTA's latest exhibition Gaia is right up your alley. more
The longest-running floral event of its kind in Australia and the premiere celebration of all things spring – Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers continues to bloom in its 71st year. Picture-perfect flora, plenty of family-friendly fun and local foodie adventures are all on offer over the course of the entertainment-filled festival from September 18–27. So you know what events to make the roadtrip for (there are more than 30 of them!), we have curated our top five picks of (horti)cultural adventures to get around – from dog-friendly activities and street-art walking tours to grand floral parades and Ferris-wheel rides. Read on to discover what to add to your calendar ... more
