Everything You Need to Put in Your Diary for August
Track down strawberry sundaes at the Ekka, catch a magical 'Cinderella' musical and go wandering through a human-sized kaleidoscope.

Everything You Need to Put in Your Diary for August
A lot happens in this big, bustling city of ours. Think film festivals one day, exhibitions another, and everything from booze-fuelled shindigs to excuses to get outdoors in-between. And, of course, there's always more around the corner. That means that there's plenty to look forward to, and plenty of awesomeness to fill your diary to the brim.
To help you plot out things out, make plans with the gang and make the most of every moment, we've rounded up Brisbane's best happenings for August. Don't say you don't have anything to do next month.
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Food & Drink
Ekka Nostalgia Sundaes
Three South Bank venues are levelling up the classic Ekka strawberry sundae with honeycomb, meringue and a Bertie Beetle.
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Food & Drink
Showstopping High Tea
Tuck into Ekka-themed treats at this two-day-only high tea, including fairy floss, strawberry spritzes and mini dagwood dogs.
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Travel & Leisure
Retrosweat's "Let's Get Physical" Olivia Newton-John Tribute Sessions
Pay tribute to Olivia Newton-John by donning lycra and getting physical — in-person in Sydney, or at home around the country via livestream.
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Food & Drink
Pawgust
The Prince Consort is pairing pints with pooches all month, complete with special dog-friendly events, cocktails named after canines and fundraising for Animal Welfare League Queensland.
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Food & Drink
Four-Legged Pub Crawl
Forget regular old pub crawls — this one takes you hopping between three Fortitude Valley bars with your cute pooch.
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Design & Style
Brisbane Open House 2022
Explore the city's buildings and precincts over two big weekends, including at Woolloongabba's revamped Princess Theatre, the Fish Lane Arts Precinct and the Old Windmill in Spring Hill.
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Food & Drink
Ekka Cocktails at Emporium
Get into the Ekka spirit with a ‘Sideshow Alley’ cocktail made with pink gin and strawberry milk, and topped with fairy floss.
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Arts & Entertainment
Hekka Festival
Kickstart the midweek public holiday with a night of live tunes by Pandamic, Total Pace, Annoying Neighbours, Mitch Please, Hot Reno and more.
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Food & Drink
All-You-Can-Meat Wednesdays
Feast your way through unlimited pork belly, chicken schnitzels, chicken wings and German sausages.
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Arts & Entertainment
Murder Party
If ‘Amelie’ and ‘Knives Out’ combined, the end result would look like this candy-coloured French whodunnit.
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Arts & Entertainment
Bullet Train
Brad Pitt's charisma, scene-stealing supporting players and spectacular stunt choreography help this assassins-on-a-train action-comedy mostly prove a blast.
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Food & Drink
Lobster & Co at Woody Point
Head to Woody Point to tuck into two different types of lobster rolls — plus truffle fries and glasses of champagne.
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Food & Drink
Strawberry Sundae Kisses Beer at Stone and Wood
Sip your way through a strawberries and cream-flavoured brew inspired by the Ekka's famed sundaes.
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Food & Drink
The Dinner Crawl
Feast your way through four Fortitude Valley venues in one night, eating a different dish and sipping a different drink at each one.
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Arts & Entertainment
Full Time
This French standout turns a single mother and five-star hotel chambermaid's hectic daily routine into a relentless thriller.
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Arts & Entertainment
Vinyl Village
Rocking Horse Records is heading across the river to host a vinyl market and listening party at South Bank Piazza.
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Travel & Leisure
Murder Mystery: Wedding Murder
Sleuth your way through an interactive murder-mystery game in a former Fortitude Valley church.
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Arts & Entertainment
'Drag Race Down Under' Viewing Parties
Watch 'RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under' season two on The Wickham's big screen over cocktails and share platters.
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Arts & Entertainment
Official Competition
Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas are fantastic in this sharp and witty Spanish Argentine comedy about filmmaking.
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Arts & Entertainment
Superfamous — Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Exclusively playing the bangers, the Sunshine State's orchestra is set to wow symphonic die-hards and part-time culture fans alike.
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Arts & Entertainment
A More Perfect Union 2022
Gang of Youths are coming back to Queensland for the second iteration of their very own festival.
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Food & Drink
Take the Wheel
On the first Wednesday of every month, you can tuck into creamy pasta served straight out of a parmigiano-reggiano cheese wheel.
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Arts & Entertainment
Where the Crawdads Sing
This 2018 bestseller jumps from the page to the screen, but proves as pristine and polished as a swampy southern gothic murder-mystery melodrama can be.
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Travel & Leisure
The Netherworld Sideshow 2022
The sideshow you go to when you're not going to the sideshow.
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Food & Drink
Pasta Palooza
One Fish Two Fish is serving up four-course seafood pasta feasts, complete with dessert ravioli topped with candy floss.
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Food & Drink
The Return of The Walrus Club
You're invited to a debaucherous weekend to celebrate the return of this sensational speakeasy.
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Arts & Entertainment
The Black Phone
Reteaming with his 'Sinister' director Scott Derrickson, Ethan Hawke is unnervingly excellent in this tense and eerie 70s-set horror film.
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Arts & Entertainment
The 'Twilight' Saga Movie Marathon
Relive the entire vampire romance saga in one epic 600-minute sitting.
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Arts & Entertainment
Love Lust Lost
Let curiosity guide your adventure through this immersive Fortitude Valley wonderland.
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Arts & Entertainment
Pub Choir 2022
Croon tunes in a crowd with a beer in your hand — Kate Bush even approves.
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Travel & Leisure
Ekka 2022
The Royal Queensland Show is finally returning for nine days of show bags, rides, giant vegetables, cute animals and strawberry sundaes for the first time since 2019.
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Arts & Entertainment
Studio Ghibli Film Festival 2022
Get spirited away at this magical cinema tribute, with Studio Ghibli classics screening on Thursdays and Sundays throughout August and September.
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Food & Drink
Lennons Wine Dinner
Pull up a seat at this sensational mid-week meal that marries seasonal produce and hyperlocal wines.
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Arts & Entertainment
The Gray Man
Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans bounce off of each other with chalk-and-cheese aplomb in this globe-hopping action-thriller, Netflix's most expensive film to date.
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Arts & Entertainment
The Phantom of the Open
Based on a true story, this entertaining Mark Rylance-starring underdog comedy focuses on the British man dubbed "the world's worst professional golfer".
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Food & Drink
Beats and Eats 2022
Overwater bar Will and Flow is livening up Thursday nights with pizza, sparkling and DJs — all for $20.
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Arts & Entertainment
Container: Brisbane Film Society
Swap the multiplex for these new fortnightly film screenings showcasing ace new and experimental features.
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Food & Drink
Long Island Iced Tea Rita Series and Limited-Edition Tacos
For three weeks, El Camino Cantina is splashing together Long Island iced teas and margaritas in one boozy beverage.
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Arts & Entertainment
Chiharu Shiota Up Late
GOMA is throwing an after-hours art party in its huge labyrinth of black and red string — complete with live tunes and drinks.
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Food & Drink
Lobster & Co at Pacific Fair
This indulgent pop-up is returning to the Gold Coast to serve lobster rolls with truffle fries and glasses of champagne.
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Arts & Entertainment
Thor: Love and Thunder
Taika Waititi's second 'Thor' film is a ball of playful, goofy, 80s-worshipping chaos — in both fun and messy ways.
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Food & Drink
Winter Reloaded at Wet Deck
Pretend you're in the Swiss Alps at W Brisbane's après-ski pop-up, which features ski gondolas, firepits, gruyere fondue and spiked hot chocolates.
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Arts & Entertainment
Legacy: Reflections on Mabo
Thirty years on from the High Court of Australia's groundbreaking Mabo decision, the State Library of Queensland has enlisted 24 artists to reflect upon and celebrate Eddie Koiki Mabo.
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Arts & Entertainment
Bleach* Festival 2022
Back for its 11th iteration, the Gold Coast's annual arts and culture fest will feature 233 artists, 94 performances and 36 events across 11 days.
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Food & Drink
Piano Bar's Ski Chalet
Emporium Brisbane has turned its Piano Bar into a wintry ski chalet, complete with a fireplace, three-cheese and truffle jaffles to eat, and champagne to sip.
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Arts & Entertainment
Palace Cinemas' $9 Student Saver Day
The cinema chain is treating students to $9 tickets every Wednesday.
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Arts & Entertainment
Kaleidoscope
Go on, get lost — in this huge human-sized kaleidoscope that’s made of glass, steel, mirrors and moving prisms.
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Food & Drink
Truffle Sundays
Emporium's fine diner is serving up a five-course truffle degustation for $150.
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Arts & Entertainment
Let the Music Play 2022
The multi-venue fest will take over Fortitude Music Hall, The Zoo and Brightside Outdoors this winter, and turn Warner Street into a big disco street party
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Food & Drink
Lina Rooftop's Sunday Brunch — Winter Edition
Spend your wintry Sundays sipping bottomless bellinis, bloody marys and cocktail slushies on a South Brisbane rooftop.
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Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival
Enjoy live music and local produce at this seaside food and wine festival.
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Food & Drink
Brisbane Brunch
Howard Smith Wharves' rooftop bar is saying cheers to Sunday boozy brunches — complete with two hours of champagne cocktails.
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Food & Drink
Kingaroy BaconFest 2022
Eat bacon ice cream — and plenty of other bacon dishes — at this three-day pork celebration.
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Food & Drink
$2 Taco Tuesday
This lively chain of Tex-Mex bars is slinging cheap tacos one night a week.
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Food & Drink
Queensland Vegan Markets at Portside Wharf
Queensland Vegan Markets is bringing its cruelty-free stalls to Portside.
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Food & Drink
Crafted Beer and Cider Festival 2022
Spend two days in Broadbeach enjoying beachside brews, beats and beer yoga.
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Arts & Entertainment
Disney: The Magic of Animation After Dark
Enjoy drinks, discussions and a night at the museum touring a dazzling Disney animation exhibition.
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Arts & Entertainment
The Sound Society at Roma Street Parklands
Listen to free live music in stunning natural surroundings.
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Travel & Leisure
Brisbane Kite Festival 2022
A high-flying day of kites, markets, food and workshops is taking over Murarrie Recreation Reserve.
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Arts & Entertainment
Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella
Glass slippers and pumpkin carriages are coming to Brisbane, with the Broadway production dancing into the QPAC Lyric Theatre from August.
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Food & Drink
One-Cent Wings at Beerhaus
Tuck into cheap chook pieces in Bowen Hills every Thursday night.
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Food & Drink
Two-for-One Gyoza Plates
Double your dumpling fix for the same price every Tuesday at Harajuku Gyoza.
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Food & Drink
Vegan Mondays 2022
Brisbane's huge riverside brewery serves up two-for-one vegan and vegetarian meals every week.
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Arts & Entertainment
Acoustic Wednesdays 2022
Improve your Wednesday with free live tunes over a brew in this leafy beer garden.
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Travel & Leisure
Gasworks Markets 2022
Shop for fashion, art, homewares, plants and ceramics beneath Newstead's heritage-listed old gasometer.
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Food & Drink
Rita's Bottomless Brunch
Margarita jugs and tacos are on the menu every Sunday in Teneriffe.
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Food & Drink
Cheese Wheel Wednesdays 2022
Eat creamy pasta scooped out of a wheel of cheese every week.
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Food & Drink
All-You-Can-Eat Pizza Mondays 2022
Devour all the slices of pizza you can handle in 90 minutes for $25 — with a drink purchase.
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Food & Drink
Triple T Tuesdays
Spend your Tuesday night tucking into tacos, drinking tequila and playing trivia at Bloodhound Bar.
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Food & Drink
Bottomless Gin Brunches 2022
Sip gin cocktails, sangria and Pimm's cups over a shareboard brunch.
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Food & Drink
Sundays at City Winery
Sip frosé slushies, hit up the oyster bar and listen to live tunes at Brisbane's inner-city winery.
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Food & Drink
Sky-High Sundays
Brisbane's latest rooftop bar is serving up soda cocktails, Mediterranean-inspired dishes and R&B tunes every Sunday.
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Food & Drink
Brisbane Distillery's True Spirit Bus
Stop by Riverside Markets every Sunday for tastings and cocktail flights.
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Food & Drink
Fat Noodle's Street Food Series
Chef Luke Nguyen is spending three months whipping up street food dishes, focusing on Vietnam in July, Thailand in August and Malaysia in September.
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Arts & Entertainment
Scandinavian Film Festival 2022
Calling all Nordic cinema fans: Australia's annual showcase of Scandi movies returns to Brisbane.
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Arts & Entertainment
Brisbane Only Rotoscoped Lightning Film Festival
This new Brisbane film festival is completely dedicated to movies with hand-drawn lightning effects.
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Arts & Entertainment
World of Wonder: Margot McKinney
Scope out the bold and intricate work of Brisbane jewellery designer Margot McKinney, complete with rare gems and one-of-a-kind pieces.
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Food & Drink
The Rooftop Lodge
The Gold Coast's rooftop beach club is turning into a sky-high (and snowy) alpine lodge for winter.
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Arts & Entertainment
OUTstanding
Next time you stroll around the city, keep an eye out for impressive First Nations art.
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Arts & Entertainment
Twilight Electric
This riverside pop-up is bringing wild cabaret and a Japanese-inspired bar to Northshore Hamilton.
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Arts & Entertainment
Blanc de Blanc Encore
Prepare for a night of fun, frivolity and breathtaking acrobatics — all at Brisbane's new pop-up riverside precinct.
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Arts & Entertainment
Maho Magic Bar
A Shinjuku-inspired bar and magic show has hit Northshore Hamilton, bringing neon-lit vibes and sake cocktails.
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Arts & Entertainment
Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical
Calling all 90s teens: this film-to-theatre adaptation is bringing its 90s soundtrack and dangerous liaisons to Brisbane.
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Arts & Entertainment
Not On Your Rider 2022
This music game show takes place live, featuring different musicians each time — and you can play along.
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Arts & Entertainment
In Transit
For its latest immersive installation, the Museum of Brisbane is exploring growth and healing through works about intersectionality, language, displacement and reclaiming history.
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Food & Drink
Forbidden Forest in the Courtyard
The Regatta is turning its courtyard into a forest-filled winter hangout, complete with a fruity cocktail menu.
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Food & Drink
Bar Paradiso's Universo Cocktails at W Brisbane
Barcelona's Bar Paradiso has brought its acclaimed and inventive cocktails to W Brisbane.
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Food & Drink
Winter Afternoon Tea
Celebrate the frostier weather with decadent pastries, bite-sized Reubens and stomach-warming hot spiced cider.
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Food & Drink
All-You-Can-Eat Satay Night
This once-a-month satay night serves up two hours of non-stop skewers for just $30.
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Food & Drink
In the Snow at Customs House
Spend winter sipping champagne and eating Moreton Bay bug croissants in igloos by the river.
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Travel & Leisure
The Handmade Market 2022
Forget machines — everything at this monthly market in Queensland Museum's Whale Mall made by hand.
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Arts & Entertainment
Bricktionary: The Interactive Lego Brick Exhibition
Check out the A-to-Z of Lego — including more than 150 impressive models, plus six interactive building zones.
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Arts & Entertainment
Gigs & Picnics 2022
Listen to free live music and grab snacks from food trucks at this free monthly hangout in the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens.
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Arts & Entertainment
Making Place: 100 Views of Brisbane
With artwork dating back two centuries, this city-focused exhibition surveys pieces that've captured Brisbane and its changes.
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Arts & Entertainment
Museum of Brisbane's Public Art Walking Tour 2022
Spend an afternoon exploring Brisbane's stunning outdoor art.
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Arts & Entertainment
Chiharu Shiota: The Soul Trembles
Rescheduled from 2020, Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art will host a showcase of weaved web-like installations by the Japanese artist.
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Arts & Entertainment
The Picasso Century
Scope out more than 70 works by the Spanish artist, as well as 100-plus others from over 50 of his contemporaries.
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Arts & Entertainment
Disney: The Magic of Animation
Explore the Mouse House's huge animated catalogue via more than 500 original paintings, sketches and drawings.
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Food & Drink
R&B Brunch
Pair margaritas, pancakes, avocado on sourdough, bacon and eggs, and brie and crackers with old-school 90s and early 00s R&B tunes once a month.
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Arts & Entertainment
'The Room' Monthly Screenings
The worst movie you'll ever see never stops selling out screenings.
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Travel & Leisure
Tides of Brisbane Boat Tour 2022
Hit the water from the City Botanic Gardens to spend three hours floating past historic landmarks.
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Arts & Entertainment
Imaginaria
A multi-sensory playground with light-filled mazes and inflatable bubbles is taking over South Bank.