Christmas Carols and Festive Cheer
A Sanctuary Cove Christmas will bring The Marine Village to life this week, with the magical Christmas Carnival (including workshops, entertainment, Santa photos and more!) happening each day until Friday. Part of A Sanctuary Cove Christmas is also the unmissable Carols on the Green, which is happening on Thursday night – it’ll be a fun night soaking up the Christmas cheer, with some of the Gold Coast’s best performers like Alex Fietz, the Rob McMullen Duo, the Paradise Carollers, and The Kitty Kats sing spread the joy with plenty of sing-a-long carols. If you’ve got a Santa suit that you’ve been itching to bust out, then NightQuarter’s Santa Crawl on Saturday night will be right up your festive alley. The Surfers Paradise Carols on the Beach is happening on Sunday evening with a stunning line-up of local talent and entertainment, which will all come to a head later in the evening with a magical (and massive!) fireworks display. For some family-friendly festive fun, get along to the Christmas Family Night at Southport Sharks on Sunday – it all kicks off at 5:00 pm, with an interactive Christmas show and live entertainment by LOL Crew – Kids shows, the Grinch and Fideous the Frog on the main stage. If you’re a little hot and sweaty and are dreaming of a white Christmas, head on down to seagulls these school holidays – its Stardust auditorium has transformed into a magical Winter Wonderland complete with an ice skating rink, toboggan run and snow garden – how fun! Finally, if you’re yet to experience the magic, make sure to add Movie World’s White Christmas to your list of to-dos as well!

Food & Drink, Live Music
If you’re wrapping up work this Friday and are keen to let your hair down, there are plenty of options! Follow your nose to the Nerang Hinterland Feast at Country Paradise Parklands on Friday night, or head down south for a killer line-up of live music, burgers and beers for Eddie’s Satanic Christmas Ritual on Saturday night. Or, celebrate Saturday afternoons in summer the right way – with a cocktail in hand – at the newly launched Bellini Saturdays at Nineteen at The Star, held every Saturday from 3:00—6:00pm. Don’t forget, all regular local food markets like Miami Marketta, NightQuarter and BBQ Bazaar are all opening as normal this weekend! Okay, who’s keen for some live tune? Catch Brisbane-based quintet Kayso Grand at NightQuarter on Friday night, sing along to four-piece party-starters Mckenzie at Southport Sharks, or you can spend Friday a little further south with Tijuana Cartel at The Soundlounge in Currumbin. There’s local alt-pop outfit Ivey’s End of Year Party at Miami Shark Bar on Saturday night, with supporting acts The Lonesomes, The Oogars, Love Banana, Passion Fingers, Dylan Fyffe and The VANNS.

Markets, Music and Arts
For some last-minute shopping, don’t miss the Trader Trove Twilight Market on Thursday night – it’ll be brimming with local labels, live music, second hand clothing racks, a delicious Mexican food truck and more. The Hide & Seek Children’s Market is flipping the script with a special twilight Christmas market this Saturday afternoon and evening at Miami State School. For those that have really left it to the last minute – don’t stress, because the Cooly Good Vibes Christmas Market is here to save you. It’s happening on Sunday at Coolangatta State School from 9:00 am. Rock-music lovers, HOTA’s latest exhibition Let there be rock! has officially kicked off – and you need to see it! The exhibition coincides with a killer three-month-long event program, which runs until February 17, so make sure you check it out this summer. The Live and Local: Gold Coast Music Photography display in HOTA’s main gallery is a great place to start.

Be sure to keep our Events Guide handy this festive period, it’s full of local events happening over the break. Enjoy the final weekend before Christmas, pals!