Five Romantic Brisbane Date Ideas for This Week From Budget to Blowout

Tired of the classic movie and dinner date night combo? Us too. That's why we're always on the hunt for new things to do, scouring the city for not-boring Brisbane activities — ones that are guaranteed to take your next date way beyond done-before beers at the pub.

Whether you're taking someone on a second date or doing your 100th with your significant other, we've got some killer (and, yes, cute) ideas for dates to go on this week, no matter how much money you've got to spend. And, in honour of celebrating the long weekend, they're all at festivals.

Just think of us as your cultural wingman. You're welcome.

Free

Drapl and Treazy, Aimee Catt

Check Out the City's Newest Street Art

There's no such thing as an ordinary coat of paint at Brisbane Street Art Festival. Here, every brushstroke, spray and roll contributes to a new work of art. There's also no such thing as an average Brissie roadway or public space at this annual fest. Everywhere in the River City becomes a canvas when it's BSAF time — so, in 2024, right now until Sunday, May 19.

For nine years now, this autumn event has celebrated splashing outdoor art around far and wide across Brisbane. This year's festival has welcomed more than 20 featured artists to literally paint the town red — and plenty of other colours — amid a program that doesn't just showcase celebrated talents showing off their skills, but also helps impart the tricks of the trade to everyone who wants to follow in their footsteps.

The big drawcard: live murals, as artists take to various patches of Brisbane to create new pieces while you watch. Superordinary at Northshore Brisbane, which also acts as a base for the fest, is gaining three live murals. Other sites for you and your special someone to head to: Howard Smith Wharves, where five new pieces are being brought to life — and also QUT Gardens Point, The Tivoli, Portside Wharf, Constance Street in Fortitude Valley, RNA Showgrounds, Garden City and The Barracks.

Doing the painting is a who's who of the local, national and international street art scenes, including Guirao, who hails from Spain but is now based in Melbourne; the Japan-born Spectator Jonze; Damien Mitchell, who spent ten years in New York; and Brisbane icon Sofles, who boasts more than 20 years in the industry. The likes of Davis Lee Pereira, The Brightsiders, Emily Devers, Kaho and Lisa Dot are also on the lineup, while Brissie's own Sethius Art is adding a bin chicken sculpture to Superordinary.

Under $20

Turn Your Saturday Morning Over to Adorable Dogs

One day, in the not-so-distant future, perhaps Brisbanites will take their pet puppers with them everywhere. For now, we'll all just have to grab our four-legged best friends and head to another doggo market.

It's the trend that won't go away, and we'd all be barking mad if we wanted it to. More excuses to take energetic ol' Rufus places? More chances to go "awwwww" over other people's pooches? Count us in.

The returning Doggo Day Markets are the latest such event, next taking over Virginia's VEND Marketplace between 9am–1pm on Saturday, May 18. The shindig's name also acts as you and your significant other's instructions, so round up your woofer and take them on an outing.

There's even a dress-up competition, as there usually is at these things. That's how adorable pups get even cuter. Also on the agenda: doggy stalls, a photo booth, a dog wash, plus the northside spot's general array of markets and greenery.

Under $100

Feast on Loukoumades, Drink Greek Cocktails and Dance the Zorba

For two days each year, Musgrave Park in Brisbane's West End pretends that it's on the other side of the world. The menu goes heavy on souvlaki, haloumi and barbecued calamari. For dessert: loukoumades aplenty. The wine hails from the Mediterranean, dancing the zorba is part of the entertainment and market stalls celebrate Greek culture.

The reason for all of the Greek-themed fun: Paniyiri, one of the River City's biggest annual events. Food-wise, when it runs from Saturday, May 18–Sunday, May 19, it'll serve up bites from 11 Greek regions. If devouring as much as you can is you and your favourite person's idea of a great time, the festival's regular food contests usually keep stomachs satisfied. Then, to wash all of that down, there's Greek wine, Greek beer and Greek-inspired cocktails as well.

In addition to eating and drinking, including at more than 20 stalls, the array of Greek revelry spans grapes to stomp, plates to smash, TV stars to rub shoulders with and cooking demonstrations to watch. To really ensure that attendees feel as if they've jumped over to Europe, a pop-up Greek village also sets up shop. Also, it wouldn't be Paniyiri without fancy footwork via Greek Dancing with the Stars and the Hellenic dancers.

Alongside relishing all things Greek in Musgrave Park, Paniyiri also takes over its original home at The Greek Club. And if you've always wondered why it has the name it does, that's for a very fitting reason: the event's moniker means 'festival' in Greek.

Under $150

Splatter Paint, Then Shop Your Way Around Creative Markets

Getting creative is a tried-and-tested way to de-stress. Sometimes, you and your other half don't just want to whip up a masterpiece, though — you also want to blow off steam. Enter splatter rooms, aka the paint-flinging alternative to smash rooms such as Rage Cage, which lets you hit stuff with a baseball bat. At this imaginative activity, you can throw colours at the canvas in the name of art and catharsis.

Keen to get a-splattering? Meet The Splatter Room, which is part of Portside Wharf's new Art Month in May. You'll find it next to the Dendy cinema from Friday–Sunday across the month, letting you get messy in a space that'll be white when you enter, then covered in paint when you leave.

The paid activity costs $60 per session, which includes all of the supplies that you'll need and an hour to use them. An obvious word of warning: don't wear something that you're not comfortable with getting covered with paint, even though you'll be donning a protective garment over the top.

The Splatter Room sits on the Art Month lineup alongside dedicating the month's markets to local creatives and artists. More than 35 stalls will sling their wares on Saturday, May 18. Pet portraits will be available, too, for free for the first 25 folks or for $10 afterwards. You'll either need to bring your furry best friend or a photo of them. Your dog can also get creative via peanut butter lick painting, which is exactly what it sounds like.

Under $250

Think Pink Over High Tea and Cocktails

At W Brisbane's Living Room Bar right now, treating yo'self to high tea means thinking, drinking and eating pink. Until Sunday, June 23, the venue's signature spread is being rebadged the Pretty in Pink High Tea.

This new excuse to kick back over small bites and hot beverages — plus a cocktail or some champagne if you like — is on offer every Friday–Sunday. Forget lunch, because you and your date will need to head by between 11am–3pm, which is when everything from red velvet cupcakes with rose petals and raspberry opera cake with ruby pearls to mac 'n' cheese croquettes and shredded chipotle chicken are on the menu.

This is always an interactive event, getting you playing with your food — yes, literally. For the Pretty in Pink theming, you'll decorate your own vanilla buttercream cake before you eat it. The icing is coloured pink, obviously.

W Brisbane's high teas whip up a signature cocktail for the occasion as well, this time using pink-hued Archie Rose gin, raspberry cordial, lychee liqueur, lavender, honey and lime juice. You'll pay $79 per person for the food, plus endless tea and barista-made coffee. Add a cocktail and the price is $99. For a glass of champers instead, it's $109.