The Wedding Singer at HOTA: It’s the show everyone’s talking about – catch The Wedding Singer as it hits HOTA this weekend! Based on the smash-hit Hollywood movie starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, The Wedding Singer is a hilarious musical comedy that celebrates all the fun of the 80s. Following sold-out performances on Broadway and across the UK, this feel-good musical features your favourite characters, and a sparkling new soundtrack that does for the ’80s what hairspray did for the ’60s. Head here for the details.

Stitches & Craft Expo + Scrapbook Papercraft & Art Expo: If your ideal afternoon involves a cup of tea and a spot of craft, you are cordially invited to supercharge your creativity with two excellent craft events under one roof. Conveniently, the Stitches & Craft Expo plus the Scrapbook Papercraft & Art Expo will be on at the same time this weekend, from Thursday June 17 to Sunday June 20 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm each day at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Whether you’re a craft novice or expert, you’ll find something to inspire and excite at this craft event collective. From embroidery and quilting through to scrapbooking, paperwork and more, you’ll find it here.

Infamous at Broadwater Parklands: The jaw-dropping show is coming back to the coast this weekend! Taking place at Broadwater Parklands in the custom-built Spiegel Big Top is the risqué show featuring unbelievable stunts, side-splitting comedy and a whole lot of glamour. Not one for the shy among us, this hedonistic combination of shocking manoeuvres, glitzy dance acts, hilarious hosts and more than its fair share of eye candy is the perfect night out. Head here for the low-down.

Evergreen Festival at Tamborine Mountain: Temperatures are dropping and there’s nothing more appealing than a soul-warming winter menu enjoyed in a winter wonderland. Running for this weekend only, check out the inaugural Evergreen Festival, a three-day celebration that will transform a tree-lined precinct on Tamborine Mountain into a magical winter escape reminiscent of festive Europe. ​Admission will be free for visitors to experience and view the lighting installations and shop at the specially curated festooned market stalls, plus there’s a range of additional optional ticketed activities have been put forward. Head here to learn more

Are You Lonesome Tonight at The Southport School: This weekend will see a trio of musical talent will descending upon the Gold Coast for a dazzling cabaret-style production – Are You Lonesome Tonight. The highly anticipated night celebrating the best in opera and country music (possibly the strangest match made in heaven) features a cast of young Australian singers including Irena Lysiuk, Marcus Corowa and Jonathan Hickey who will perform arias and songs by composers such as Puccini, Verdi, Slim Dusty and Dolly Parton, to name just a few. Make sure you catch Are You Lonesome Tonight while you get the chance – head here for more info.

Cocktails and Bites at Ms Margot’s Bar and Eats: It’s the weekend, so go on and treat yourself. Whether you’re thirsty for a top-notch cocktail or can’t go past a luxe lunch, we have just the recommendation – the much-loved Ms Margot’s Bar & Eats at Hilton Surfers Paradise has just launched its brand-new menu and it’s looking pretty dang fine. With a creative cocktail list that you’ll struggle to choose from and an array of decadent dishes perfect for sharing (or keeping all to yourself, we won’t judge), if you’re looking for a lunch locale then this is just the spot.

Lantern Festival at Kingscliff Beach Hotel: There’s nothing quite like an itch you can’t scratch, and for those who have a travel craving for far away lands and international flavours, we have just the ticket. Head down to the much-loved northern New South Wales haunt the Kingscliff Beach Hotel for its Lantern Festival, which runs from now until Sunday June 27. Expect a rainbow of colour and light at the lantern-filled festival, plus a whole lot of flavour! Head here for the low-down on this juicy event.

Late Night Cooking Classes at Robina Town Centre: For those struggling with the weekly recipe repertoire, may we suggest heading down to Robina Town Centre this week? Catch the brand-new late night workshops at Robina Town Centre’s Icon The Cookery School. With each workshop running for three hours and open to all abilities, it’s the perfect (and fun!) way to refresh your recipe round-up. Head down on Thursday June 17 for the Vietnamese Street Food class taking attendees on a gastronomic journey through some of Vietnam’s most-loved recipes, or catch (sorry) the Local Fish Cookery class on Thursday June 24. Not only is learning to plate up an entire fish the ideal way to impress your guests, but bringing your friends along for the class would be pretty fun too. Each class starts at $99 and includes ingredients, an apron, your meal and a celebratory drink. Head here for more.

HOTA Reads Book Trivia: Presented by Somerset Storyfest, if you consider yourself a literature whiz, this is the chance to put your knowledge to the test! From The Cat in the Hat to Shakespeare, come along with a bunch of friends to prove once and for all who the real literary genius is. Spend the afternoon testing your knowledge and enjoying trivia in teams of four or two. Head here for the details.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, events may be subject to be postponed or cancelled at the last minute. We do our best to remove cancelled events but be sure to check the organiser’s own event page for the most current updates.