Brisbane Festival isn’t quite here yet, but over the next two weeks you’re going to feel it slowly seeping into town. As Dennis Denuto would say, “It’s the vibe.” In short, there’s plenty to see and do around Brisbane at the moment, and it’s made all the sweeter by this rich vein of late winter weather we’re experiencing. As always, some of the best events are freebies. Here are our favourites.
On Friday night it’s all in the Valley. First up is
Texas Tea at Black Bear Lodge. A Brisbane-based alt-country duo,
Texas Tea have played all over Australia whilst also touring frequently in Europe, where they’ve apparently gathered quite the fan base. The band take to the stage from 7pm, so don’t dilly-dally.
Saturday morning we’re on a much more laidback musical tip as Wynnum plays host to the
Rare Vinyl Record Shop. Featuring a selection of over 10,000 LPs, 45s, CDs and DVDs, Rare Vinyl are having a clearance sale to make way for new stock. Prices have been slashed beyond belief – LPs from $2.50, most CDs at half-price and 45s also at 20 - 80 percent off. If nothing else, it’s a nice excuse to visit the bay.
If you’re keen instead to stick around town, head to the Brisbane Powerhouse at 1pm for the
New Farm Handball Festival. The event page seems to be billing this as European handball, but no: we’re talking four-square with a tennis ball – which is of course the best kind. There will be competition across three age divisions, casual games, entertainment, food, dress-ups and a paper plane throwing competition. Just be sure to book to secure a spot.
Looking further afield on Saturday, perhaps think about driving down to North Tamborine for
Monte Lupo presents Alice. Monte Lupo is a Multicap organisation that employs people with disabilities to produce some spectacular sculptures. This Alice exhibition explores popular literary titles and turns them into beautiful ceramic characters. Pieces on display draw inspiration from a range of titles including
The Wasp Factory, To Kill a Mocking Bird, A Clockwork Orange, Moby Dick, The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, and
The Cat in the Hat. It’s a gorgeous area, so go for the drive if nothing else. Everguide got down to the launch the other week, you can
check out the gallery here.
Finally on Sunday, if you have kids you’ll want to register them for
The Walking Neighbourhood. Pairing children with professional artists to curate a series of short walks around Fortitude Valley, The Walking Neighbourhood addresses concepts of children’s visibility in communities and the harder task of building friendships between generations. The walk may include stories, poetry, architecture, graffiti, and meeting local neighbours or those passing by. It’s free, but once again: bookings are essential.
And that’s you sorted for the weekend. The nature of events around town is set to change as the days continue to get warmer. We’re slowly counting down until September and spring, but in the meantime we’ll keep you in the loop as to the best free events Brisbane has to offer.
WORDS: Matt Shea