The Easter Long Weekend. It’s come to mean many different things to many different people - the end of Lent, a visit from the Easter Bunny, the start of the school holidays, a chance to get away and enjoy the last of the warm weather, four days off work lazing on the sofa watching TV.
In more recent year’s it’s also become a festival lover’s paradise, or possibly headache, having to choose which one to attend.
Here’s a quick round-up of festivals in and around Brisbane on the Easter long weekend to help you:
Sandgate Bluewater Festival - this annual event is held each year in the lead-up to the Easter Long Weekend, and marks the start of the historic Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race on Good Friday. It features music, food, markets, rides, entertainment and more.
Festival of Sails - This colourful, seaside carnival runs along Suttons Beach, Redcliffe. Get there early enough and you can watch the yachts on the start of their race. Throughout the rest of the day you can enjoy roving entertainers, pantomime, a beach Easter egg hunt, sand-sculpting and drumming workshops, kite and candle making, beach tennis and volleyball, a Lego building challenge, and camel and pony rides. If that’s not enough, there’s also a parachuting Easter Bunny!
Tambourine Easter Fest - designed for young and old. The Kids Carnivale plays host to crocodile and reptile shows, egg and peg hunts, sandcastle comps, face painting, an activities tent, and prizes for the best Easter costumes. For the grown-ups there’s live blues to entertain and special “Easter cocktails” and bubbles to enjoy.
Easter Vintage Festival – Toowoomba’s Highfields Pioneer Village has displays and demonstrations including historical representations and re-enactments of pioneering life including arts and crafts, music, animal nursery, vintage machinery and age-old crafts such as Silversmithing, Tinsmithing and Blacksmithing.
Easterfest - a massive three-day Christian music festival, also in Toowoomba. More than 40,000 revellers will cram into Queens Park to witness over 100 of the biggest names in international Christian rock, blues and gospel strut their stuff.
Great Noosa Campout Music Festival – a new addition to the Easter weekend festival circuit. Headliners at this inaugural event are straight from the 80s, including Men At Work’s Colin Hay, Daryl Braithwaite and Gangajang, along with 50 other performers, and camping on the beautiful hinterland.
Byron Bay BluesFest - previously known as the East Coast Blues Festival, it’s probably the most well known Easter weekend festival. This year you can enjoy Buddy Guy, John Mayall, Jools Holland, Jack Johnson, John Butler Trio, Kev Carmody, Gypsy Kings and many more. At the time of writing, tickets were still available.
Whatever you do this Easter long weekend, stay safe and don’t eat too much chocolate!
