See Southport’s skyline come alive with colour at BIG CITY LIGHTS*: Rug up and brave the cold to explore the streets of Southport for BIG CITY LIGHTS*. Launching on Thursday night, the inaugural festival will feature stunning and immersive audio-visual experiences, large-scale digital works, 3D mapping and unexpected projections across five incredible art zones. All you need to do is follow the lights across the Gold Coast CBD, searching for colourful creations and vibrant installations in Nerang Street, Scarborough Street, Young Street, Regent Lane and Davison Lane. Oh, and did we mention it is completely free to attend? Think of it like Christmas-light-looking in July!

Head to the theatre and watch Come From Away: The Tony® and Olivier Award-winning musical Come From Away is heading to HOTA, Home of the Arts, for an extraordinary limited season. Come From Away tells the remarkable true story of thousands of stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland, Canada, that welcomed them all. On 9/11, the world stopped. On 9/12, the stories of those in Newfoundland moved us all. The show is only on the Gold Coast until July 31, so grab your ticket to avoid missing out on this captivating new musical that has taken the world by storm.

Enjoy a taste of the Barossa in Broadbeach: Langmeil Winery is joining forces with The Lucky Squire to host a wine lover’s dream evening. Guests are invited to become acquainted with exceptional wine paired to perfection with a five-course bespoke menu. This delicious affair is taking place on Thursday at 6:30 pm. Grab a ticket today and prepare to practice your sommelier skills by the beach.

Prepare to LOL as Jimmy Rees gives us an insight into true-blue Australian culture: Social media sensation Jimmy Rees is leaving the comforts of COVID life at home and hitting the stage with his first-ever live comedy show Meanwhile in Australia! Jimmy and his characters have kept us all going throughout the pandemic and will be gracing the Gold Coat on Saturday with two performances at The Star at 4:00 and 8:00 pm. Get ready to relate a little too hard as Jimmy highlights the Gold Coast stereotypes we all love to hate.

Warm-up with a winter comfort food cooking workshop: Warm yourself up from the inside out and learn the secrets to making the perfect slow-cooked, roasted and baked meals. This workshop, held at Icon Cookery School in Robina on Friday night, includes a three-hour fun and interactive cooking class led by professional chefs. Get hands-on and cook up a storm of lamb shanks oozing with flavour, complete with sticky golden syrup dumplings for dessert. Talk about yum. Spots to this mouth-watering workshop are limited, so book now and prepare to feast!

Road trip to the country for the scenic Art Fair at Stokers Siding: Pile into the car and slip out of town for a day as you head to Stokers Siding (just outside Murwillumbah) for the bi-monthly art fair. You can breathe fresh air while strolling through artworks from a talented pool of local Northern Rivers artists. If you fancy a bite to eat, why not tantalise those taste buds with delicious woodfired pizza and nachos while sipping on a piping hot coffee or luxuriously brewed chai.

Sing and sway to Pete Murray’s soulful tunes at Miami Marketta: Grab the gang and get ready to swoon as Pete Murray and The Beautiful Girls hit Miami on Sunday afternoon to play some of his old and new hits. As one of Australia’s most-loved singer-songwriters, Pete is ready to share music from his latest EP with Gold Coast fans. There are only a few tickets left for this Sunday afternoon soiree, so grab yours now to avoid missing out!

Let cured meats cure those winter blues at this Salumi Masterclass: Get ready to impress your friends at the next cheese and wine night with your very own handmade salami. The Hazelwood Estate is running Salumi Masterclasses on July 8 and 9, giving attendees the chance to gain insight into the ancient Roman techniques of salting, curing and drying meats. During this intimate class, guests will create salami for curing in the onsite cabinet that will be ready to take home in six weeks. So, what are you waiting for? Grab one of the remaining tickets and head to the country for a class in cured meats.

Set sail for YOT Club’s Winter Series launch and Sax Sundays: Jump on board the uber-luxe YOT Club for a floating festival like no other! Saturday will see the launch of the winter series – the chance for you to dance the night away surrounded by mystical vines and whimsical woodland creatures while sipping one of the new themed cocktails. If a Sunday sesh is your kinda vibe, you can head on board the YOT Club at 4:00 pm and soak up a healthy dose of sexy sax, music from resident DJs and plenty of good times. You’ll need a ticket to board the YOT, so grab yours and gather your crew for an epic afternoon on the water.

Finish the school holidays in style with these fun-tastic activities: Keep your groms entertained during the last week of school holidays with these fun activations around the Gold Coast. Robina Town Centre is encouraging kids to rebuild the world with LEGO from 10:00 am-2:00 pm each day. HOTA, Home of the Arts, is hosting Postcards from the Edge, a free, immersive and interactive exhibition showcasing the artist’s travel adventures from around the world. A life-sized pirate ship has sailed into Pacific Fair and is packed full of free workshops, treasure hunts and sword fights for the kids to enjoy for free. Krispy Kreme is inviting kids to become certified doughnut decorators at their Surfers Paradise store and decorate two Original Glazed® doughnuts with a range of fun and funky toppings. Lastly, Gold Coast Libraries are hosting a range of workshops to help educate your little ones on how to be part of a sustainable future. Think bee craft, eco hanging gardens, LEGO nature build challenges and more!

Stroll past some street art at SURFACE Festival: Head down to Miami for SURFACE, the Street Art Festival that sees art explode onto footpaths, fence lines, laneways and walls. Popular events include the fence line exhibition, sunset skate seshes, Social Muscle Club and much more! Plan your street art route and view the entire program online.

Cheer on your state in the nail-biting final Origin game: While this event isn’t technically until Wednesday, we figured you might want the heads up. State of Origin game three is kicking off at 7:00 pm, and The Star Gold Coast is the place to watch all of the action. Garden Kitchen & Bar is hosting their annual Origin event, so you can sit by the cosy fire pits, enjoy live entertainment and watch your team on the big screen. Alternatively, head inside to Sports Bar, where you can let your taste buds choose a winner between the QLD and NSW burger while watching all of the action live on the massive 10-m screen.

Cosy on up by the fireplace at this Christmas in July feast: Throughout July, the D’Arcy Arms Irish Pub crew are transforming their digs into a festive wonderland for the annual Christmas in July feast. There will be a roaring fire, succulent Christmas roast, pumpkin soup and traditional pudding with brandy custard. Bookings are essential for this cosy festive celebration.

We do our best to remove cancelled events but be sure to check the organiser’s own event page for the most current updates.