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.

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

UNDER $20

FROLIC AROUND A SPRING FLOWER MARKET

If you and your other half are fond of spending your time browsing through stalls, looking at local wares and buying everything from arts and crafts to fashion and homewares, then you've probably made a visit to a BrisStyle market. The Brisbane group hosts several regular events around town, including the Brisbane Twilight Markets in King George Square and The Handmade Markets outside the Queensland Museum. It doesn't usually focus primarily on greenery, though — which is one of the reasons that its returning Plant Market is so special. Here are two others: it's happening in spring, so it's the ideal time for it; and it's happening in Roma Street Parklands.

From 9am–2pm on Saturday, September 23, you'll want to head to Roma Street Parklands's Celebration Lawn to get shopping. Yes, you'll be looking for greenery while surrounded by greenery. As well as plants, there'll be pots, gardening accessories and floral-themed homewares on offer, with more than 25 stallholders selling their goods. You'll also be able to chat to experts to get some tips about putting your green thumb to best use.

Expect food vendors onsite as well, because we all know that trawling the markets is hungry and thirsty work. Or, you can grab a picnic basket — if you pre-order first — from Roma Street Parklands' The Garden Room Cafe. Either way, live tunes will provide a soundtrack.

Before or after your purchasing and picnicking, take a wander to the site's Spectacle Garden, too, where 10,000-plus flowers are blooming.

UNDER $50

SIP JAFFA CAKE NEGRONIS AND NEGRONI SLURPEES

It's been more than a century since the first combination of gin, vermouth rosso and Campari was apparently mixed up in Florence, as dreamed up by Pascal-Olivier de Negroni. Cocktail lovers everywhere have been thankful ever since, and there's even an entire week — Negroni Week, obviously — to celebrate.

In South Brisbane and West End, the bars and eateries of Fish Lane Arts Precinct are marking the occasion again in 2023 — in the only appropriate way, of course. Until Sunday, September 24, the precinct's establishments are devoting the entire week to creative negronis, as well as negroni-worshipping events.

Stop by on whichever day you and your other half like to find classic negronis on the menu at Bar Brutus, Chu The Phat, Hello Please and Julius Pizzeria, as well as Maker Wine Bar, Maeve Wine Bar and Saccharomyces — and also Kiki Kiosk and Southside. Newcomer Midtown Bar is getting in on the drinks action, too.

Fancy a Negroni Week special instead? Options include a jaffa cake negroni, peach and mint negroni, jasmine negroni and chocolate orange negroni. Or, try the orange blossom negroni — or the cold-drip negroni. A negroni slurpee is also on the menu.

UNDER $100

EAT STRAWBERRIES BY THE SEA

They're red, sweet and juicy — and they're everyone's favourite fruit. They're also grown in abundance around Queensland. Did you know that around 40 percent of the state's strawberries come from the Moreton Bay region?

Well, you do now — and you and your special someone might just want to celebrate that fact. All you need to do is head on over to Sandstone Point from midday on Sunday, September 24 for the returning Strawberry and Dessert Festival.

Because you can never have too much of a good thing, this Sandstone Point Hotel event will paint the pub pink with farm-fresh strawberries — and strawberry milkshakes, strawberry ice cream, scones with strawberry jam and chocolate-coated strawberries are all usually on the menu. So is a strawberry-eating competition and a bar serving strawberry-flavoured cocktails.

As you might've noticed, this isn't just a strawberry festival. It's a showcase of many a sweet treat as well. Basically, arrive hungry — and wear something stretchy — as you prepare to devour desserts aplenty. Also on the lineup: cooking demonstrations, spanning strawberries and desserts; dessert cocktail-making demos as well; and live tunes and rides for kids. Tickets cost $13.60, and you'll pay for whatever you eat and drink.

GO ALL OUT

Josef W

MAKE SHAPES TO SKRILLEX AND FOUR TET

When Skrillex and Four Tet took to the Coachella stage back in April, they did so to help plug a gap left by Frank Ocean dropping out of the Californian festival's second weekend. When they make the trip Down Under this spring, however, they won't be filling in for anyone, headlining 2023's lineup for electronic-meets-hip hop festival Listen Out.

Back for another year — after 2022 marked its first gigs since 2019 — this fest is doing rounds throughout September, including hitting up Brisbane Showgrounds on Saturday, September 23. This is the first time that Skrillex will play gigs in Australia since Listen Out 2018 and, as well as Four Tet, the DJ and producer will have plenty of company.

HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE AT A 'DIRTY DANCING' CONCERT SCREENING

Pairing movies with music is no longer new news, but the latest returning event that's serving up that combo is hoping for two things. Firstly, it's betting on a whole lot of love for Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey dancing up a storm in a classic 1987 romantic drama. Secondly, when it comes to getting excited about seeing that now 36-year-old flick on a big screen with its soundtrack performed live, it's hoping that you've never felt like this before.

Obviously, Dirty Dancing in Concert wants to give you and your significant other the time of your lives as well — and to not only let you celebrate one of Swayze's biggest and most charming film roles, but to immerse you in the movie from the moment you take your seat. No one will be carrying watermelons or checking into Kellerman's Mountain House in the Catskills, but the digitally remastered feature will grace the big screen, and a live band and singers will perform its iconic songs as it plays.

Just as swoon-worthy: the fact that those musicians will stick around afterwards to headline a party that'll naturally have you singing and dancing. If you're feeling adventurous and inspired by the movie, you might even want to try to recreate the famous lift.

Here, nobody will put you or Francis 'Baby' Houseman in a corner — and you'd be just a fool to believe otherwise. Your hungry eyes will soak in Baby's first taste of dirty dancing, her eager rehearsals and her growing infatuation with Johnny Castle, as well as her parents' bitter unhappiness about the entire situation. This blast-from-the-past affair is touring Australia this winter, hitting Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday, September 22.