Whats On in the Gold Coast - February 2016

Australian Sword Swallower
Michele White

Monkey Around at Dreamworld This Chinese New Year - 1-15 February

Celebrate the Year of the Monkey this Chinese New Year with exciting festivities at Dreamworld from 1– 15 February. Transformed into a Chinese market place right here on the Gold Coast, Dreamworld's Main Street will be adorned with traditional Chinese themed decorations including lanterns and drums. There'll be roving entertainment, noodle vending carts and DreamWorks character Po appearing daily. Click here for more information.

Sand Safari - 5-28 February

Enter the enchanted wonderland of Sand Safari presented by Streets Ice Cream as Surfers Paradise transforms into a precinct of art inspired by sand and sea over three weeks from 5-28 February. Sand Safari will feature DreamWorks Heroes from Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Shrek and more, carved in large sand sculptures at the Australian Sand Sculpting Championships along the foreshore and 22 mini sculptures in the Sand Trail from Tweed Heads to Loganholme, plus some exciting brand new elements including Sand and Sea themed inflatable sculptures, art murals and photography exhibitions. It's all FREE! Visit surfersparadise.com for individual event dates, details and to download the program.

Made in QLD: Ode to the Souvenir 13 February – 16 March

Discover icons from past and present, relive your favourite holiday memories, and see how the Gold Coast has changed over the years through an eclectic souvenir collection and the creative artwork of six local artists presented by the Gold Coast City Gallery's latest exhibition. From 13 February – 16 March 2016 Made in QLD: Ode to the souvenir celebrates highlights from Gold Coast City Gallery's souvenir collection alongside the work of six local artists from diverse practices who view and create artwork responding to the collection. The exhibition extends beyond the Gallery walls with pop ups at the Sunday arts and craft market and The Strand in Coolangatta. An After Dark 'show and tell' event will be held on Thursday 10 March. Click here for more information.

RACV Ladies Masters – 25-28 February

The RACV Ladies Masters is one of Australia's best known professional golf tournaments. This world-class event has players represented from over 25 countries and showcases the greatest in women's golf and will be played at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast from 25 – 28 February. RACV Royal Pines has undergone an entire makeover with a brand new 18 holes in play for the 2016 event. The event will again be co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour and Australian Ladies Professional Golf and celebrates its twenty-seventh year since inception in 1990. For the latest player updates and event information, visit the website.

World Sword Swallower's Day – 27 February

Ripley's Believe It or Not! will pay tribute to the ancient art of sword swallowing by holding free sword swallowing performances at its Odditoriums around the world as part of World Sword Swallower's Day on Saturday, 27 February. Two things to remember - that's solid steel and yes, it's all real. For the first time, Ripley's Believe It or Not! Surfers Paradise will participate in this event. Australian Sword Swallower Michele White will put her death-defying sword swallowing skills on display from 1.30pm on 27 February. This will be the 9th annual World Sword Swallower's Day celebration, founded by the Sword Swallowers Association International (SSAI) in partnership with Ripley's Believe It or Not!

Bleach* Festival Program Announcement

Bleach Festival

From 4-20 March 2016, Bleach* Festival will push the boundaries of what is physically, creatively and logistically possible when the Gold Coast's signature multi-arts festival launches its most audacious and visionary program in the festival's five year history. Across three huge weekends of Bleach*, hundreds of Gold Coast artists, along with a formidable team of renowned Australian and international artists, will present eight world premieres and a blockbuster line-up of easily accessible and mostly free events. Beaches, parks and waterways become unconventional outdoor stages for performances. Program highlights include the world-premiere of Horizon with Angels, Shifting Sands, The Last Blast and more. To view the full program, click here.

Canadian Star Brooke Henderson and Thrill-Seeker Jiyai Shin join RACV Ladies Masters Field

Two-time Women's British Open champion and former world number one Jiyai Shin and one of the world's most exciting new talents in women's golf, Brooke Henderson, will join the RACV Ladies Masters at the RACV Royal Pines Resort from February 25-28. The 27-year-old South Korean thrill-seeker and 18-year-old Canadian will add star-power to the field that includes seven Solheim Cup players as well as former champions Cheyenne Woods, Su Oh and Laura Davies. RACV Ladies Masters tournament chairman Bob Tuohy said their inclusion in the field was a tournament coup.