Christmas Carols and Festive Markets
Okay, so here’s a handy rundown of the Christmas-themed festivities this weekend. A Sanctuary Cove Christmas kicks off in spectacular fashion on Thursday night with the annual Carols On The Green event from 5:00 pm – The Village Green will once again come alive as local gather for a night under the stars singing along to their favourite festive tunes! You can also sing along to your favourite Christmas tunes at the eighth annual Mayor’s Christmas Carols this Saturday at Southport’s Broadwater Parklands from 2:00 pm. A little further south on Saturday, Seagulls Club in Tweed Heads is hosting its annual Christmas Carols event – get into Christmas spirit and bust out your favourite carols performed live by musical guest stars, as well as the St Joseph’s and Bilambil Primary School choirs. Seagulls is putting on plenty of entertainment alongside the live Christmas beats, including a pirate ship jumping castle, face painters, a balloon artist, and an appearance by Santa – and the event is doubling as a fundraiser for fire relief, so be sure to dig deep! Up north, there’s the Coomera Waters Christmas Market Twilight Event on Saturday, as well as the Maudsland Twilight Market and Pacific Pines Christmas in the Park. On Sunday, there’s the Ormeau Christmas Carols, while back in Burleigh there’s an extra Christmas edition of The Village Markets happening on Sunday morning – there will be more than 100 boutique market stalls, street food, pre-loved Rack Sales and live tunes by Lily Budiasa and Phil & Tilley. Fun!

Live Music
On Friday, Summertime Sessions in The Village returns to Mudgeeraba’s Cuddihy Park for its weekly twilight live-music session – the artists rotate each week, and this Friday you’ll be treated to toe-tapping tunes by Electrik Lemonade and The Brothers Calling, all for free! Over at The Star Gold Coast, The Stafford Brothers and Lisa Hunt will be providing the beats at Not So Silent Night, a group-friendly Christmas bash which is happening both Friday and Saturday – each night includes a decadent buffet dinner with seafood and traditional trimmings, delicious desserts, a four-hour beverage package and live entertainment in the spectacularly themed ballroom. If you’re a lover of Queen, then you’ll definitely want to be at The Star on Saturday night to witness Adam Thompson and the We Will Rock You Band return to the Gold Coast to pay homage to Queen and Freddie Mercury in a special musical experience in The Theatre. Jimmy Barnes fans can be treated to Chisel Revived at BBQ Bazaar in Burleigh on Sunday night, while down at Currumbin’s Soundlounge the rock continues with Tim Rogers and The Honey Sliders from 3:00 pm Sunday.

Food & Drink, Festivals and Community Events
Settle in for a knee-slapping time at HOTA on Friday night – the Sydney Comedy Festival is in town! Expertly curated and lovingly presented, the showcase will feature some of the festival’s hottest acts live on stage for an incredible two hours of hard-hitting laughter. If you like beer, cheese and cured meats (name a better threesome!), then head along to the Brucie’s X Lost Palms event on Saturday night. The Miami brewers are teaming up with Broadbeach bar Brucie’s to pair their latest brews with top-notch cheeses and cured meats by Le Fromage Yard. You’ll enjoy paired courses and a rundown of the brews, plus live music – it all kicks off at 6:00 pm! Head back out to HOTA on Sunday (yep, it’s a busy spot right now with its current HOME event series in full swing) for Concrete Culture, which will see the outdoor precinct transformed into a skateboarding mecca with free skate lessons, demos from sponsored skaters and pros, an open skate jam, an exhibition from Yeah Girl, as well as live tunes by local bands Perve Endings and Radolescent. Head down and get amongst it! After a successful event in May, community event Dogs on the Green is back at Benowa State Primary School this Sunday – take your pooch along for a fun day out to socialise with other dogs and support small businesses that specialise in products and services for our much loved furry friends. Stalls will include a mobile dog groomer, treat stands, clothing pop-ups and much more! Finally, the Gold Coast Fashion Market is happening this Saturday and Sunday at a new location at Coolangatta State School – head along from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm to either sell your wardrobe or go shopping!