togooff&things

Due to recent threads looking into boredom, I've been thinking about what I'll miss from Edinburgh. I'm no clubber, or party animal - 2 kids so not an option even if I was. But one thing Edinbugh had in abundance is a reason for mass gathering - be it the Festival (which is pretentious but the fire works at the end are great), Guy Fawkes, New Year - (hmm ok more fireworks - I'm sensing a theme here!!) ER yes, but also Parades, Music gigs, Beltane Fire festival (Celtic New Year which is amazing), Edinburgh Fringe, Meadows festival, carnivals, Fringe Sunday, numerous Gala days and on and on! What about Brisbane? I love the chance to do these sorts of things with my kids - does Brizzy have anything similar at any time of the year?

fimart

Haven't been to any of the Edinburgh festivals but..... we have just had in Brisbane the Riverfest, which was a week long of music concerts etc and was kicked of with the Riverfire which was fireworks and F1-11s all along the river. There is the Ekka in August (which has fireworks too!), Southbank always has something on be it movies screened at the lagoon or something other type of thing (which I am yet to find out about myself). There are markets scattered about the place which usually have some kind of entertainment and sell interesting crafty things etc. I grew up in Brisbane, but have only been back for 4 months so some of the things that I remember may not happen anymore but there are also a lot of things happening that never happened when I lived here before. I will post a link to the Brisbane site that tells all about what is planned etc.

http://www.ourbrisbane.com/whatson/festivals/

I hope you find something you like there!
Fi

togooff&things

FABBY - I am a happy bunny! "movies screened at the lagoon"? Is that like a Drive in idea? If not, does Brisbane have any Drive In's? It sound like there will be enough to keep me happy, after reading other posts I almost had visions of "tumbleweeds" on every street! Thanks for that.

fimart

Unfortunately they have closed alot of the old driveins (they were great to go to as a kid and I wouldn't mind going again!) but i think there might be one or two left. Check out this site!

http://www.drive-insdownunder.com.au...alian/qld1.htm

I think (as I have only heard rumours) that in Summer they put a screen up at the lagoon in Southbank and you can watch a film while swimming.
I think there is always plenty to do here if you look for it but it will be very different from Edinburgh. I hope you enjoy it though!
Fi

Trevglas

Just down from Bisbane, on the Gold Coast is a theme park called Wet'n'Wild, which is a big outdoors swimming pool complex (if you have seen Bill and teds excellent Adventure, the Waterloo's there = Wet'n'Wild).

In the summer they have the dive in movies each saturday night, which is pretty cool!

togooff&things

I'm going to Tamborine, which from what I gather is pretty close to Wet'n'wild. Well that sounds like my kind of heaven - my 2 favie things water and movies! Don't suppose they sell sparkling wine too! If they did I may move into the complex and live at the bottom of the pool! I'm an even happier bunny! All I'm taking in my suitcase over is my silk bedding, cuddly elephant and my multimedia projector! (oh yes, and the kids too!) I think we'll love it there! COOOOOOL!

jayr

Brisbane has loads of events on, pity you have just missed the Riverfestival, the biggest event of the year. As mentioned elsewhere, the Ekka (Royal Brisbane Show) is a show that lasts a week (you've just missed that too), there is an International Film Festival, New Years obviously, lots of stuff always happening at South Bank, movies also shown for free at Suncorp Piazza (Southbank), the month long Energex Brisbane Festival of the arts is on at the moment, an annual Medieval festival thing, a young playwrights' festival, the Indy car racing in October and even a sand sculpting festival

ABCDiamond

The Gold Coast has these free movies on the beach aswell in the summer. They set up a big screen on the beach in the evening, and everyone sits on the sand, and watches whatevers on. Its only 40-50 minutes drive away from us.

Last weekend was the Redlands Strawberry eating competition, at the local 3 day Spring festival, in Cleveland. It also had: family entertainment, displays, arts and crafts, parade and fireworks. (They seem to put fireworks with almost everything )
I didnt get there this year, but last year they also had Medieval Knights fighting.

An example of other things that have been available:
The "World Freestyle Rock'n''Roll Championship" was held in June 2004 locally.
http://www.dancenetwork.com.au/page.asp?page=21

Trevglas

The downside to fireworks in Australia is shown by what happened on my sister-in-laws road in Canberra a few years back.

A few neighbors got together to have a firework party, and they finished up burning down a house after a spark landed on some dry gum leaves in a gutter

jayr

I was under the impression that retail sale of fireworks is illegal, though possibly not in Canberra, for that very reason.

ABCDiamond

It is illegal - http://www.nrme.qld.gov.au/mines/exp...fireworks.html

"The new Explosives Act 1999 came into effect in june 1999. Illegal possession has a maximum penalty of $30,000 or 6 months imprisonment."

"There are a number of individuals and interstate companies selling fireworks to the public illegally. Some are even claiming that it is legal to use fireworks in Queensland without a licence. This is untrue."

Trevglas

You can still legally buy fireworks in Canberra for the Queens Birthday.

When I was living in NSW, there was a fireworks shop on the main drag through Raymond Terrace

mlbonner

All the stuff the other guys have said basically. There's always something going on. Last weekend I spent Saturday at the Annual Boat Show and then on Sunday took part in the 10km run, as part of the River Festival. This weekend I'm actually going to Sydney, but originally had plans to go to a Rodeo not too far away from where I live. The Whats On section in the weekend papers is always useful, and the links the other guys have given you too.
The lagoon screening in Brisbane is pretty good. The river stage down there is also very popular. In four weeks time I'm going to see Black Eyed Peas preforming on the river stage.

From what I hear, just as much going on down the Gold Coast - you have the Indy Lexmark in October (which I hope to be going to!) for starters

fimart

I just remembered that there was the Grease Festival just recently. A big 50's fest, kitsch galore!
Fi
Fi

ABCDiamond

Not quite a "Drive-In", but I just got an email from Wet'n'Wild, and the are talking about "Dive-In Movies"

Dive-in Movies are the coolest way to enjoy the hottest movies at Wet'n'Wild Water World - Australia's premier water park.
YIKES! The season will begin on Saturday 18 September with a full day of family fun and entertainment followed by Warner Bros. hit flick, Scooby-Doo 2:Monsters Unleashed.
Dive-in Movies will then screen each Saturday night until April 2005 and EVERY night from 27 December until 25 January 2005. The fantastic line-up of latest release movies for this season includes Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Spiderman 2, Connie and Carla and whole lot more!
http://www.wetnwild.com.au/home/homepage.cfm