26 March 2026
SESSIONS SURF FESTIVAL RETURNS TO THE GOLD COAST IN MAY
The Sessions Surf Festival returns to the Gold Coast from 23–30 May 2026, building on a successful debut last year as the Solento Surf Festival. Founded by renowned surf filmmaker Taylor Steele, the 2026 program expands to week-long citywide takeover of surf, film, art and live music. Activations will span key locations including Miami Marketta, Mondrian Gold Coast, HOTA, Home of the Arts and Burleigh Heads Beach. New to 2026 is an expanded live music offering alongside returning favourites surf festival, film showcases and the festival art exhibition.
Kicking off on 23 May at Miami Marketta, the program features an all-day live music festival, with a lineup of live bands including a headline performance by Dope Lemon, Babe Rainbow, Mt Warning, Makua and more. Sessions Art Exhibit features at HOTA all week, showcasing works from multiple artists across a range of mediums, highlighting the connection between surf culture and contemporary art.
On 28-29 May, Mondrian Gold Coast will host the Sessions Film Festival, showcasing leading surf films, panel discussions and appearances from world-class athletes and creatives including Taylor himself.
The festival culminates at Burleigh Heads on 30 May, with a Surf Festival takeover where locals can surf head-to-head with pros and watch a Surf of Origin competition, where football greats and surf legends compete in teams. There will also be live music, entertainment, food trucks and a pop-up beach bar.
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR QUEENSLAND EVENT FUNDING PROGRAM
Round One of Tourism and Events Queensland’s ‘Homegrown’ event funding program is open now, offering Gold Coast event partners the chance to access support for new and emerging events. With simplified funding tiers, a streamlined process and updated eligibility criteria, the Homegrown program supports locally-born events that attract audiences from outside the region, encourage overnight stays, and boost tourism outcomes across the state.
A key feature this round is the new ‘Destination Kickstarter’ event fund, designed for first-year events to test ideas, build capability, and attract visitors from outside the region. Kickstarter provides up to $25,000 per year for two years that can be used for eligible growth activities including marketing to out-of-region audiences, program enhancements, event planning, and specialist support.
Applications for Round One 2026 are open until 8 April and are for eligible events held from October 2026 to January 2028. Round Two opens August 2026 and closes October 2026 and is for events held April 2027 to June 2028.
AUSTRALIA’S BEST SWIMMERS TO HIT THE GOLD COAST FROM 4-18 APRIL
The Gold Coast is set to shine as the host of Australia’s premier swimming events in April 2026, with three major competitions back-to-back at the world-class Gold Coast Aquatic Centre.
From 4–6 April, the Australian Multi-class (MC) Age Championships will see boys and girls aged 12–18 compete for national honours. This is followed by the Australian Open from 6–8 April, determining the Open Club champions, including over-18 MC swimmers. Finally, from 11–18 April, the Australian Age Championships will bring together the nation’s top young swimmers, aged 13–18 who are all vying to become Aussie champions of their age group.
This is Swimming Australia’s biggest event of the year, with thousands of young swimmers and their families bringing energy to the pool and the stands. These championships provide a critical stepping-stone for Australia’s future Olympians and Paralympians, giving young athletes the chance to test themselves at the highest level.
The 2026 Australian Age Championships will be broadcast live and free on 9Now, 4-18 April 2026
ULTRA BEACH GOLD COAST 2026 TICKETS ON SALE NOW
The Gold Coast is set to host the third annual ULTRA Beach Gold Coast at Broadwater Parklands on Sunday, 12 April 2026, promising its biggest edition yet. Expanding from a single-stage format to two dedicated stages, the festival will deliver world-class electronic music and a truly immersive waterfront experience.
Multi-platinum superstar Alesso will headline with his only Australian performance for the season, joined by global heavy-hitters including The Chainsmokers, DJ Snake, Darren Styles, MaRLo, Nico Moreno, and Oliver Heldens. The festival also spotlights Australia’s rising talent, with artists such as Hektic, Ali James, Brooklyn, Justice, and Fletcher Kirkman adding fresh energy to the event.
ULTRA Beach Gold Coast attracts thousands of music fans from across Australia and internationally, supporting the city’s visitor economy and cementing the Gold Coast as a premier destination for major live music experiences.