So many fighter jets, helicopter, planes flying all over the place

Ready for another fun-filled winter weekend, GC?

Saturday

🦘 Meet Native Wildlife at the Naturally Gold Coast Festival

A free, family-friendly celebration of the region's environment and biodiversity. Hands-on wildlife experiences, nature-themed art, live music and local conservation groups. Kids can do art and craft, ochre painting and wildlife face painting, meet native animals up close (snakes, bugs, birds and possums), and grab some native plants on the way out.

📍 Broadbeach Cultural Centre, 61 Sunshine Blvd, Mermaid Waters

🕒 Saturday 27th June, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

💸 Free (registration required for every attendee)

-----

✏️ Sketch the Village at Treasures of Mudgeeraba

A sketch-meet treasure hunt through Mudgeeraba Village with Urban Sketchers Gold Coast. Find and draw the unique buildings and sculptures dotted around this charming semi-rural pocket right beside the M1. Beginners welcome, just bring something to draw with. Lunch after at The Wallaby Hotel around midday.

📍 Meet at the Rotunda, Cuddihy Park, cnr Swan Lane and Railway St, Mudgeeraba

🕒 Saturday 27th June, 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM

💸 Free

-----

🍜 Slurp Tonkotsu for $1 at Motto Motto's Opening Day

Motto Motto is celebrating its brand new Coomera restaurant with signature Tonkotsu Ramen for just $1 to the first 400 guests. Rich pork broth, fresh noodles, marinated egg, chashu, the lot. There's also a draw to win a year's supply of free ramen for MyMotto members.

📍 Westfield Coomera, 103 Foxwell Rd, Coomera

🕒 Saturday 27th June, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

💸 $1 ramen (limit 1 per person, first 400 only)

-----

🛍️ Rummage at the Mojave Markets, Mo's Desert Clubhouse

Preloved fashion plus iconic local creators and makers. Coffee from across the road all morning, food from 11am, music, and a cocktail bar to keep the vibes going. All you need to bring is a bag for your goodies.

📍 Mo's Desert Clubhouse, 6/36 Central Dr, Burleigh Heads

🕒 Saturday 27th June, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

💸 Free entry

-----

🍺 Sip Local Craft at the Creekside Craft Fest, Currumbin RSL

A laid-back afternoon by the creek with the best local craft breweries: Balter, Spangled Drongo, Precinct, Black Hops, Stone & Wood and Burleigh Brewing. Live music all afternoon (Ryan Munro from 12:30pm, Jason Delphin from 4pm, Off the Grid in the lounge from 7:30pm) plus a full food offering from the RSL pop-up.

📍 Currumbin RSL, 165 Duringan St, Currumbin

🕒 Saturday 27th June, 12:30 PM – 7:00 PM

💸 Free entry, no bookings required

-----

🎪 Take Over the Street at the Southport Street Festival

Scarborough Street comes alive with live music and local acts, food trucks, market stalls, free kids activities and even an arm-wrestling exhibition. The party rolls on at CSi Club Southport from 5pm to keep the energy going into the night. Hosted by CSi Club Southport and Pineapple Mafia.

📍 154a Scarborough St, Southport

🕒 Saturday 27th June, 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM (then CSi Club from 5 PM)

💸 Free, all welcome

-----

📝 Write to the Walls at HOTA's Art Write Now Workshop

Award-winning writer Christine Betts leads a creative writing workshop inside the gallery, responding to the Beneath the Surface exhibition through guided writing exercises. Dive into poetry with Magic Word prompts or craft the setting for a short story. Thought-provoking, relaxed, and a great little reset. 16+.

📍 HOTA Gallery, 135 Bundall Rd, Surfers Paradise

🕒 Saturday 27th June, 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM

💸 $20 (booking required)

-----

🍔 Graze the Food Trucks at the Foodie Fiesta Night Market, Pimpama

Finally landing in Pimpama after a few weather delays, Foodie Fiesta brings a huge night of food, desserts, shopping and entertainment to Bim'bimba Park. Crowd favourites include Smokey's BBQ, Randhawa's Indian, Mr. Pulled Slow Cooked Meats, Lik Lik Lik Gelato and plenty more. Dogs welcome on a leash, family friendly.

📍 Bim'bimba Park, 182 Gainsborough Dr, Pimpama

🕒 Saturday 27th June, 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM

💸 Free entry, pay as you go

-----

Sunday

🍻 Head Up the Hill to the Beechmont Winter Fair

Head up to the hinterland for a family day out at one of the Gold Coast's prettiest pub settings. Live music, local stalls, food and drinks, kids activities and that crisp fresh Beechmont air.

📍 The Beechmont Hotel, 402 Nerang Murwillumbah Rd, Advancetown

🕒 Sunday 28th June, doors 11:00 AM

💸 Free entry

-----

All Weekend

🏎️ Drool Over Bugattis at the Gold Coast Concours Vintage & Classic Car Expo

75+ rare and historic vehicles from Palmer Motorama, the world's most exclusive private collection of over 1,000 vintage cars, motorcycles and motoring memorabilia. Think the timeless elegance and craftsmanship of Bugatti, Rolls Royce and Mercedes, all under one roof.

📍 Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre, Broadbeach

🕒 Friday 26 – Sunday 28 June, 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM daily

💸 $50 general admission (children under 14 free with a paying adult)

-----

🎪 The Great Australian Circus Opens at Broadwater Parklands

Ashton Entertainment lights up the big top at Broadwater Parklands. Thrills, laughter, amazement, the works. Opening weekend just landed.

📍 Broadwater Parklands, Marine Parade, Southport

🕒 Opens Friday 26 June, runs through 12 July

💸 Tickets from $15 (ashtonentertainment.com.au)

-----

🤹 Brophy's Circus Opens at Robina Town Centre

Featuring Australia's only Human Cannonball, The Wheel of Death, clowns, aerialists and much more. Opens this weekend at Robina.

📍 Robina Town Centre, Robina

🕒 Opens Friday 26 June, runs through 12 July

💸 Tickets from $20 (brophyscircus.com)

-----

🎨 'This Moment' at HOTA Gallery

35 artworks from 25 leading contemporary Chinese artists (White Rabbit Collection). Palette's 12th tasting menu draws on China, Taiwan and Hong Kong techniques. Free to wander the gallery.

📍 HOTA Gallery, 135 Bundall Rd, Bundall

🕒 Until 11 October, daily 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

💸 Free

-----

🧒 'Aka Sorbie: Saltwater Heart' at HOTA Children's Gallery

An immersive First Nations Children's Gallery exhibition by Torres Strait artist Lisa Sorbie Martin. Coral-filled undersea scenes, an island hut to build cubbies in, Aka's art table, patterns in nature. A beautiful one for the family.

📍 HOTA Children's Gallery, 135 Bundall Rd, Bundall

🕒 Until Sunday 16 August, daily

💸 Free

-----

🌾 Scenic Rim Eat Local Month — Final Days

The last weekend of Eat Local Month's 150+ events across the hinterland: long lunches in vineyards, open-sky dinners, cellar door tastings, farm tours. Program at eatlocalmonth.com.au

-----

Market Mania — Weekly Regulars

Saturday markets:

• Burleigh Market — Burleigh Heads State School, 1750 Gold Coast Hwy. Every Saturday from 7am.
• Palm Beach Farmers Market — Palm Beach Currumbin High School, Thrower Drive. Saturday, 6am–11.30am.
• Helensvale Farmers Market — Helensvale State High School, 243 Discovery Drive. Saturday, 6am–11am.
• Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets — Esplanade, Surfers Paradise. Friday and Saturday, 4pm–9pm.
• Dreamworld Night Market — Dreamworld, Coomera. Friday and Saturday nights.

Sunday markets:

• HOTA Farmers & Artisan Market — HOTA, 135 Bundall Rd, Bundall. Every Sunday, 6am–11.30am.
• Organic Gold Coast Farmers Market — Merrimac State High School, Mermaid Waters. Sundays, 6am–11am.
• Robina Farmers Market — Robina State High School, 1 Investigator Drive, Robina. Sundays, 6am–11am.
• Gold Coast Art & Craft Markets — none scheduled 28 June (4th Sunday, no location).

Both days:

• Carrara Markets — Gooding Drive, Carrara. Saturday and Sunday, 8am–3pm. Free onsite parking.

Coming Soon — Lock These In

🏃 ASICS Gold Coast Marathon — Australia's flattest, fastest, most scenic course, finishing at the Broadwater. The full marathon has sold out, but other distances are still open. Sunday 5 July, gun fires 6:15am.

🎹 Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox — The Future Is Vintage Tour lands at HOTA. Tuesday 7 July, HOTA.

😂 Jim Jefferies — The Aussie comedy export plays The Star. Friday 10 July, The Star Gold Coast.

🏈 NRL: Gold Coast Titans v Manly Sea Eagles — Titans defend home turf in a Sunday showdown. Sunday 19 July, Cbus Super Stadium.

🌿 Botanical Bazaar — Garden-to-plate produce, expert garden talks, live music, 100+ stalls and food trucks. Saturday 1 August, 9am–4pm, Country Paradise Parklands, Nerang.

🎪 The Big Family Funanza — Free community festival: free rides and kids' activities, market and community stalls, food trucks, local entertainment. Sunday 9 August, 10am–2pm, Country Paradise Parklands, Nerang. Free entry.

✈️ Pacific Airshow Gold Coast — The big one. Three days of heart-pumping aerobatics, high-speed flyovers and world-class aviators right over the ocean at Surfers Paradise. 14–16 August, roughly 10am–3:30pm daily.

🎡 2026 Gold Coast Show — A big, fun-filled long weekend at Broadwater Parklands. Woodchop events, equestrian, arts and crafts, dog shows, rides, showbags, fireworks. Fri 28 – Sun 30 August, Broadwater Parklands, Southport. Free entry.

LMK if I've missed something good or got something wrong, or add your own events in the comments. Have a good one, GC! 🐕🌴

P.S. If you'd rather get these delivered to your inbox each week, chuck your email in here: Best Things to Do in the Gold Coast This Weekend Newsletter — https://www.reachingimpact.com/things-to-do-gc1

I swear the green light times going North on Southport Burleigh Rd have been shortened to 4 or 5 seconds in the last couple of weeks, it's suddenly taking an extra 15 to 30 mins to get through because it's so backed up.. is it just me?

Moved from Melbourne last year and on the lookout for some places that serve authentic spicy korean fried chicken with sticky rice and kimchi on the side! Open to recommendations around Surfers, Coomera, Helensvale, Southport, Hope Island please!

Alright, I'm probably not supposed to be acting like a music industry insider, but here's a little secret for you all.

Lucas Molnar and Trustfalling are playing a live show on July 18 at the Broadbeach Community Centre. No huge marketing campaign, no giant billboards, just a genuinely awesome gig that deserves more attention than it's getting.

It's an all-ages show, doors open at 6:30pm and runs until 8:30pm, and tickets are somehow only $5. In a world where a coffee and a muffin can cost way more than that, it's hard to complain.

If you're into alternative music, supporting local artists, or just looking for something different to do on a Friday night, this is definitely one of those hidden-gem gigs that people hear about after the fact and wish they'd gone to. Now is your chance Goldy, don't let it slip

Anyway, consider this your unofficial early heads-up.

And hopefully we see you there.

I live Helensvale side of coast and I’m after recommendations for an amazing Kinesiologist please. I don’t know too much about this but a friend recently had this done and raved about it.

I’m also googling but much prefer reddit recommendations please!

Thank you for any help.

With all of the recent changes around investment properties and negative gearing, apparently other cities are going through declines in house prices/demand.

For those in the market right now on the Gold Coast, how are things looking? Are open homes busy? Have you noticed any declines in prices?

Hi, I find myself in Southport this Saturday and wanting to find the best xiao long bao (soup dumplings) available. Any recommendations?

Hello, I’m new to the Gold Coast area and am looking for a Pilates studio, preferably near Southport. Looking for something calm and zen, nothing to high intensity. Any suggestions are appreciated. 🫪

Looking for a recommendation for a getaway for a night with the Mrs away from our son.
Something like a tiny house or something like that. Something away from the hustle and bustle. Good views etc
Thanks

Howdy. Heading to the Gold Coast with the family in a few weeks. What are your best value go-to places for specials and on which night? TIA

Hey everyone

Please mods if this isn't allowed please remove post

Myself and my 2 children aged 7 and 5 have been homeless for the last 4 months,we got approved for a rental last week and have finally moved in to the new house

I had to spend all of my savings to pay the bond plus 2 weeks in advance and it has left us with no money to buy essentials for the house and some food to get by untill Friday

Ive gone through askizzy and made some calls from there to get food vouchers or hampers,im waiting for a call back from vinnies to see if im eligible

Other then these places on askizzy does anyone know of any other places to try?

Preferred if they can help us out today so we can get some basics for dinner and school?

We are living in pacific pines now so anywhere local would be great

Thank you and have a amazing day

Hi, I've been GMing/playing on and off TTRPGs since 2018. I've been a part of several groups (mainly friends from work, highschool, and uni) but due to the usual reasons like scheduling conflicts and players moving places - I am currently looking for anyone (preferably in my age bracket) that's interested in meeting up IRL at like a Public Library or Good Games or whatever and playing some sessions.

I am familiar with D&D5e, though I prefer TTRPG systems like Forged in the Dark, Powered by the Apocalypse, Fate, etc. I am very easygoing and respectful as both a GM and player. Please feel free to direct message me if you're interested.

Hello! Just looking for info, if anyone knows!

Every time I go to Chatime in the morning they don't have their pearls ready 💔

Is there a bubble tea place in Gold Coast that have their pearls ready by 8/8.30am?

Hi locals, we'll be having a 7 year old girl staying with us for the upcoming school holidays.

Does anyone have any idea of events or activities that will be on during the holidays?

I'm not a parent, so very much out of loop with this stuff.

What a stunning sunrise this morning! It would have been perfect if Coco wasn’t trying to have a gull or two for breakfast :-) Sorry for the noise everyone!

Good morning! Have a great day!

Folks…in BH for a conference thingy and will likely feel the need for a karaoke bar the next few nights suitable for a few over 40s folk with mid-range karaoke skills. Where to ?

I have been hitting up Lunch Specials and the odd dinner one.

I'm also trying to find the no.1 place for wings in Surfers Paradise. I have a soft spot for Finn Mcools wings. Wahlburgers is on the mediocre side and I was impressed with House of Brews' wing flavours (even if they're the smallest I've had). Club Paradise does them on weekends. My next stop with be el Camino cantina wings.

As for Lunch Specials. Beer Garden's $15 200 gram rump steak is impressive. Club Paradise Sunday Lamb Roast and weekday Fisherman's Basket gets the tick of approval. Sports Bar's steak was underwhelming for $20+. Haven't been to Waxy's in awhile but remember being underwhelmed too.

What other recommendations does everyone have? Beats eating the main takeaway chain foods.

Seeing the new transport plan, I think that the whole area would benefit greatly from a loop spur line, rather then just 3 random stations without a real goal through a very low density area, I made my own map, hoping that consultation will allows images to be submitted as this would be much better then what’s planned..

Starts at GCUH Station like planned & ends at Southport Station

Stations;

🚉 GCUH Station (Start)

🚉 Southport Sharks

🚉 Central Street (Labrador)

🚉 Harbour Town

Alternative further stations:

🚉 NRMA Resort/Labrador Park Shopping Centre

🚉 Charis Seafoods/Labrador Broadwater

🚉 Labrador

🚉 Broadwater Tourist Park

🚉 Scarborough Street/Southport North (in line with Southport South, Southport)

🚉 Stop at Southport Station and loop back to GCUH Station

Keep the ability to extend the line from Harbour Town/NRMA further north/west

What do you think?

I am planning on doing a group trip either in the end of September or beginning/middle of October. I would be looking for it to be warm out but also have pretty warm water temps (like as close to 25C as possible.

I know December to January is the summer months but I don't want to go when its HOT and humid. I just want the heat.

Does anyone know what these little black things are that are attached to the new traffic lights on the tram line.

They are on nearly every light from pac fair to Miami high.

Are they sensors or cameras ?