Food & Drink, Markets
This Friday night, brand-new permanent market The Night Market makes its debut! Held at Carrara Markets, the weekly event will be held on Friday and Saturday nights as of this week – you can read more about what’s on offer over here. There’s also Moon Night Light happening up at Southport’s Chinatown on Saturday night – if you’ve been to the monthly Chinatown Street Markets, you’ll love this one-off event! There will be plenty of Asian-inspired street food, pop-up market stalls, live entertainment and a show from famed local songstress Lisa Hunt. The Green Marquee Twilight Markets are back this weekend, bringing market stalls, street eats, live music and a pop-up bar to the dreamy Currumbin Valley this Saturday afternoon. In case you missed it, a vodka fountain has popped up on the Gold Coast! The Fountain of Goose is operating (with free cocktails!) at Pacific Fair until Sunday – head here for details and times. Those down south can head along to Seagulls’ Birthday Bash on Saturday afternoon – the free community event kicks off at 3:00 pm with tasty street food, live music and roving entertainment for all ages, before ending with a massive fireworks display! Also down south, there’s the first Tweed Coast Eat the Street Market happening at at the Cudgen Leagues Club on Saturday afternoon and evening. Back up north, you can gather the crew at indulge in free-flowing drinks and an all-you-can-eat brunch spread at the Bottomless Brunch at Aviary Rooftop on Saturday (yes, you can get get tickets here!). October is here – and you know what that means? Oktoberfest celebrations are ramping up! Garden Kitchen & Bar’s month-long Oktoberfest on The Lawn bash is in full swing, taking over the lush lawn area every Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon/evening this month – read more here, but expect warm salted pretzels, ice-cold steins, live music and more! There’s also Oktoberfest at The Bavarian Robina this Saturday and Sunday, featuring oompah bands, pretzel-eating competitions, hotdog-eating competitions and stein holding championships. Fun! On Sunday, Morena Espresso in Mermaid is hosting Lane Way Sundays – a chilled out Sunday morning market featuring tunes by local musician Rob Edwards, products and stalls, as well as ‘Flash Trash’ rack rummaging for all your vintage and thrift shop finds. Morena Espresso will be serving up the morning treats with fresh toasties, acai bowls and smoothies – plus, there’s a Vietnamese food truck. This event is also dog-friendly, so bring your pooch along! Up on the northern end, there’s the Ormeau Beats and Eats Food Truck Feast happening on Sunday afternoon. Finally, for something a little different this weekend, book in for a High Seas Experience at The Sheraton – it’s like high tea, but with seafood! You can indulge in a decadent seafood tower with a glass (or bottles?) of Chandon sparkling.

Arts, Exhibitions and Community Events
Fright Nights are back at Movie World on Friday and Saturday nights until October 26 – this year there are new mazes, horrific scare precincts, panic room experiences, live music and the biggest offering of interactive scares ever! Musical lovers won’t want to miss infectious rock musical HAIR brought vividly to life at HOTA’s outdoor stage this weekend – the shows are running this Friday and Saturday, don’t miss out on seeing some of Hugh Sheridan’s finest on-stage moments! More of a ballet fan? The Imperial Russian Ballet Company will take the stage at HOTA’s theatre on Saturday night with its production of Swan Lake. This weekend also marks the final days to check out the Collective Minds exhibition at Robina Town Centre – the pop-up gallery shines a light on mental health by using photography as the catalyst for a public conversation, in an attempt to make mental illness more visible, tangible and better understood within the local community. It’s all in support of charity LIVIN, so get down there to show your support before it wraps up this Sunday. Keen to get creative this weekend? Gather your friends for the Paint and Sip Creekside event at Currumbin RSL on Saturday, or head along to the Paint Your Pet session at Brush and Barrel in Surfers Paradise on Sunday. Those looking to get creative with food should book in for the Georgia Barnes Perfect Platters Masterclass at The Kitchens on Saturday.

Live Music
Get stuck in on Thursday night with Free the Genie at The Cambus Wallace, a ticketed Angie McMahon concert over at Miami Marketta, or head south to catch The James Street Preachers down at The Scottish Prince or Benny Whiskey at Eddie’s Grub House. On Friday, Gold Coast surf-rock band The Shambolics is bringing its groovy tunes to Mo’s Desert Clubhouse, while back down south Wollongong punk getup Topnovil is bringing its acoustic set to Eddie’s Grub House from 7:00 pm (plenty of time for pre-show burgers). On Saturday, you can catch The Music of Elton John and Billy Joel at BBQ Bazaar and Punx Picnic at Vinnies Dive. If your little ones are into rock music, take them along to Bunny Racket at Mo’s Desert Clubhouse on Saturday afternoon – it’s like the Motorhead of children’s’ music, featuring members of The Vines, Wolfmother and Goons Of Doom that create rock ‘n’ roll that’s perfect for kids and their families alike!