Fish Lane Festival

Overview

When a laneway boasts a pub, bar, bistro, pizzeria and beer cafe — and will soon play host to Brisbane's only Gelato Messina store — it's the kind of place you want to spend plenty of time in. And whether you've been hanging around South Brisbane's Fish Lane already, or you're planning to in the future, here's another reason to stop by: they're throwing their own free festival.

That'd be the aptly titled Fish Lane Festival on May 7, which promises to showcase all of the food and drink options the stretch of road between Merivale and Grey streets is known for, plus a few other nearby favourites as well. Satisfying your hunger and thirst isn't the only thing on the agenda, though. Two stages of live music will also feature among the gourmet eats, signature dishes, and craft cocktail beer and wine bar pop-ups,complete with tunes by Reece Freeman, Franky Smart, Groove or Die, Soulergy Music and Parasol.

Trust the folks from The Fox Hotel to be behind the fun; they are the laneway's most prominent hangout, and one of its longest-standing hotspots, after all. They'll be joined by Billy Kart Kitchen, Birds Nest Restaurant, Fish Lane Bistro, Gauge, Habitat Restaurant & Bar, Julius Pizzeria, Madame Wu, Maker, Saccharomyces Beer Cafe and The Gunshop Cafe. And, gelato fans, Gelato Messina will be making a pop-up appearance ahead of their much-anticipated October opening.

Not only does it sound like a great day out, but it's also the kind of party that wasn't possible even a decade ago. Remember when Brisbane didn't have thriving nooks and crannies like this? Yes, we're choosing not to, too; however Fish Lane Festival proves a very fitting celebration of the city's blossoming laneway culture.

Fish Lane Festival takes place from 12pm on May 7. For more information, visit the festival's Facebook page.

Image: Dana Newman for Gelato Messina, coming soon to Fish Lane.