HAVE A SUPER WEEKEND

Not all heroes wear capes … but plenty of superheroes do, and the Gold Coast Superhero Weekend is powering back to provide three days of pop-cultural experiences for people of all ages. Catch the Gold Coast leg of the Supanova Comic Con & Gaming Expo hosted at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, enjoy movie screenings presented by the Gold Coast Film Festival or maybe even meet your favourite superheroes. Visit gcsuperheroweekend.com.au/about/

ST PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

Organisers of the Brisbane St Patrick’s Day Parade say the show will go on, with this year’s event scheduled to proceed as normal tomorrow in Brisbane CBD. The parade, which starts and finishes outside the City Botanic Gardens on Alice St, has taken place in Brisbane city for the past 31 years, flooding the inner city with a colourful convoy of more than 80 floats and displays representing Irish culture. The march takes place from 10:30am until 11:30am and as part of the festivities there will be a picnic in the park taking place at the Botanic Gardens from 8:00am until 2:30pm, with food, drinks and crafts on offer, and free. Visit brisbaneirishfestival.com

BITTERSWEET SYMPHONIES

From Reedy River to Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and The Boy from Oz to Bran Nue Day, discover the fascinating history of Australian made musicals and the remarkable stories of talent and tenacity that have brought truly Australian musicals to the stage at Bittersweet: The Rise of the Australian Musical, at QPAC.  This free exhibition is taking place at Tony Gould Gallery, which is open Tuesday to Saturdays from 10am-4pm, until April 18.  Visit qpac.com.au

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Following on from the success of musicals Kinky Boots, We Will Rock You and Wicked, Rockhampton Regional Council is bringing much-loved musical Mamma Mia to the Pilbeam Theatre, with several shows across the weekend. Set on a Greek island paradise and featuring ABBA songs including ‘Dancing Queen’, ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’, ‘Take a Chance on Me’, ‘Money, Money, Money’, ‘SOS’, and ‘Mamma Mia’, writer Catherine Johnson’s heart-warming tale centres around Sophie, a young bride-to-be, who invites three of her mother’s former flames to the island on the eve of her wedding, in an effort to find out who her biological father is. Visit rockhamptonregion.qld.gov.au

TANKS FOR THE TUNES

After winning a slew of new fans on recent tours supporting Busby Marou and Xavier Rudd, Byron Bay ukulele strummer, drummer and singer Bobby Alu is on a headline tour to celebrate the release of his album Flow, and he’ll be at Tanks Arts Centre in Cairns tonight.  From delicate ukulele reflections to full throttle drumming and dancing, Alu’s live show is a feast for the senses.  Alu also plays Townsville’s Neighbourhood Sessions, at NQ Licensed Events Centre, South Townsville tomorrow night.
bobbyalu.com.au

FEMALE ARTISTS’ LASTING LEGACIES

This weekend is the last chance to catch the New Woman exhibition at the Museum of Brisbane.  New Woman reveals the art, personal stories and enduring legacies of Brisbane’s most significant and groundbreaking female artists over the past 100 years. The free exhibition presents a snapshot of the art, personal stories and enduring legacies of Brisbane’s most significant and ground-breaking women artists between 1920-2019 reflected in painting, photography, sculpture, performance and installation works on a scale never before seen.  Visit museumofbrisbane.com.au/

SAPPHIRES TO SPARKLE AT BUNDABERG

The Sapphires is one of Australia’s best-loved stories, and writer Tony Briggs will direct his work at Bundaberg’s Moncrieff Entertainment Centre tomorrow night in a version he promises will be the most intimate telling of The Sapphires story yet. The Sapphires is a funny, heart-warming tale inspired by the true story of writer Tony Briggs’ mother. It tells of the incredible journey of a singing group of four Yorta Yorta women, who sing Motown soul hits against the backdrop of personal change and massive social upheaval.  Visit artsbundaberg.com.au

BAYSIDE BUILDING EXHIBITION

Head along to Redland Yurara Art Gallery at Thornlands tomorrow to see the Houses and Buildings Art Exhibition.  Escape the heat and enjoy the gallery’s airconditioned comfort while admiring the paintings of buildings and houses from Australia and all over the world, painted by local Redland artists.  The exhibition is free and open from 10:00am-4:00pm.  Visit redland.qld.gov.au/

BEYOND THE PALE ALE

BeerFest Australia will take festival-goers on a journey of beer and food discovery at Brisbane’s Victoria Park Saturday; exploring rare brews, beer/food pairing and exclusive festival brews, ciders, cocktails and boutique spirits from around the country, direct from the brewers themselves. There will be more than 300 unique, exotic and small-batch craft beers, ciders, cocktails and wines, complemented by decadent local street eats. The event kicks off at 1:00pm and features live entertainment, including a performance by electronic-dance group Art vs Science.  Visit bris.beerfestivals.com.au/

ECO EXHIBITION

Opening on International Women’s Day 2020, EcoWomen is an exhibition of prints by women artists from Maleny Printmakers and Migaloo Press, Brisbane. This display showcases environmental images and portraits using a diverse range of printing techniques. The prints highlight the work that women do to raise awareness, conserve and protect the environment. The exhibition is on at Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve until March 22.  Visit sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/

ESCAPE TO THE SCENIC RIM

The RQAS Escape Artists is a small sub-group of artists from Royal Queensland Art Society, Gold Coast, who regularly paint in outdoor locations, escaping from the four walls of their studios. During September 2018 and October 2019, members of the group stayed in The Outlook retreat in Boonah and travelled around the picturesque local area to capture their own impressions of the Scenic Rim. Some of their art from those visits is on display at the Boonah Regional Art Gallery, which is open from 10:00am to 4:00pm from Wednesday to Sunday. Admission is free. Visit scenicrim.qld.gov.au/