Southern Gold Coast, from Coolangatta to Burleigh Heads
Get your long weekend off to a great start with some tasty food and sweet tunes at Currumbin’s Sanctuary Markets on Friday night or sink a couple at Coolangatta’s newest dive bar, Eddie’s Grub House. Chill out with some live music in the park on Sunday for Palmy Sunday Funday or mosey around Tweed Coast’s new art and design market Retro Summer Party @ The Lake. On Australia Day eve, The Coolangatta Hotel is hosting Pavlova 2016 featuring Crooked Colours. The electronic trio has one foot in the indie genre and one foot in a darker electronic realm but always put on a damn good show. The lads from The Wiener Haus have created some Aussie-themed dogs for the occasion and everybody’s favourite Calippo ice-cream will commandeer a pop-up bar for the evening. If you’re keen to catch triple j’s Hottest 100 countdown, nab yourself a table at Lester & Earl or poolside at Hotel Komune Beach Club. From 4:00 pm, the Coolangatta Sands Hotel invites you to partake in (or just watch) a pie eating competition and other Aussie Day-themed shenanigans and North Burleigh Surf Club is hosting a barbecue in the park with entertainment aplenty. The fun kicks off at 11:00 am. If you don’t mind crowds, grab a floatation device and head along to Oz Day Float at Palm Beach Currumbin Estuary. The viral Facebook event has already attracted thousands of want-to-be-revellers including the local police, so keep that in mind.

Central Gold Coast, from Miami to Surfers Paradise
This weekend is shaping up to be epic for music lovers! Kick things off on Saturday with OZFEST 2016 at Miami tavern and back it up on Sunday with a House Party at Vintage Velvet. On Tuesday, Bavarian Bier Cafe in Broadbeach will be streaming the Hottest 100 and dishing up some tasty Aussie tucker. Use the occasion to take a look at mateship, the relationship with the mother country and those people who were here originally at Australia The Show at The Arts Centre Gold Coast or get amongst the excitement of Australia Day at Evandale Parklands. The iconic event, which is celebrating 35 years, has it all, sheep shearing, pig racing, food and fabulous entertainment from Juzzie Smith, Walrus and the Carpenter, Jake Whittaker Band, Cook Island Dancers and the Big Kitty Band. Over at the Aussie Stage, cheer on contestants and chefs at the Aussie Ready Steady Cook-Off or have a laugh with the Magic Comedy Show. Meanwhile, in Mudgeeraba, the Wallaby Hotel is stepping back to a time before mobile phones and Facebook, to when the things that mattered were Tamagotchis, mood rings and Air Jordans at That 90’s Show.

Northern Gold Coast, from Main Beach to Sanctuary Cove
On Friday night, Southport Sharks will pay homage to one of Australia’s greatest ever rock bands with the INXS Tribute Show. Eat, drink and be merry at NightQuarter’s Celebrate Australia fashion event on Saturday before doing it all again on Sunday at Parkwood International Gold Course’s Food Truck Round Up. The fully sick world of the Fat Pizza restaurant and its subwoofer-loving staff will meet the houso-dwelling residents of Sunnyvale, at RSL Club Southport and come Tuesday, Cabana Bar and Lounge will celebrate all things Australia with a free barbecue with any drink purchase between 3:00–4:00 pm and triple j’s Hottest 100 will be well and truly cranked. Southport Yacht Club is offering live entertainment by Captain Wow from midday and Fishermans Wharf Tavern is going all out with Australia day themed beverages and crab racing. Hope Island Tavern is celebrating the national day with a spit roast and backyard cricket in the car park and Runaway Bay Tavern has pig racing and live music from 2:00 pm.