Boat Gold Coast – Events Guide November – January 2016 BONJOUR FRENCH FESTIVAL 7-8 Nov The Sunshine Renault Bonjour French Festival is a free Gold Coast French event. The Festival will celebrate Freedom, Equality and Fraternity, providing a rich cultural experience to the local community. French cuisine, art, music, educational activities and sports. Southport Broadwater Parklands. 
NATIONAL KITEBOARD LEAGUE (NKL) 12-15 Nov The first national kiteboarding event series for Australia and New Zealand. With the exciting speed and rush of windsurfing combined with the dangerous, thrilling tricks of wakeboarding, kiteboarding is fast becoming the most exciting sport for both competitors and spectators. Phillip Park Main Beach. AUSTRALIA PGA GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP 3-6 Dec Australia’s oldest professional golf tournament now welcomes the European Tour to the Gold Coast, with $1.75 million being contested, the richest prize in Aussie golf this year. The week includes activities for all the family such as autograph signings, interactive zones and putting practice areas. It’s a fun way to spend the day! RACV Royal Pines Resort. 
BROADBEACH CHRISTMAS CAROLS 12 Dec Under the stars, the annual Broadbeach Christmas Carols in Kurrawa Park offers an afternoon jam-packed with kids’ activities and incredible entertainment filled with Christmas spirit and joy. Old Burleigh Road, Broadbeach (6pm). WOODFORD FOLK FESTIVAL 27 Dec-1 Jan An annual six-day-and-night event, it is one of Australia’s largest and most iconic events in Woodford, Queensland. A gathering of artists and musicians, with dance, music, cabaret, circus, comedy, workshops, debate, street theatre, films, forums, visual arts, an entire children’s festival and many special presentations including a spectacular fireworks event on New Year’s Day. (woodfordfolkfestival.com) COFFS TO PARADISE 7 Jan Join Southport Yacht Club for the Feeder race during the Annual Sail Paradise Regatta. The event will start from Coffs Harbour Yacht Club on Thursday 7 January, finishing at Southport Yacht Club, Gold Coast. Open to all Category 2 Monohull and Multihull Yachts. JEEP MAGIC MILLIONS RACEDAY 9 Jan The jewel in the crown of the Gold Coast and indeed Queensland, this is the event which defines all that is great about being Australian. The love of horses, the beach, the sun and the surf is what brings people from all over the globe to the one destination. Racecourse Road, Bundall. SAIL PARADISE REGATTA 13-17 Jan Southport Yacht Club’s spectacular high summer four-day regatta will be staged on the beautiful ocean waters off the Gold Coast. The regatta is open for a wide variety of sailboats—from Grand Prix level ocean racers to cruising yachts, racing and cruising multihulls and off-the-beach small boats. Friday will be a special lay-day/fun-day event for the sailors, their families and friends to enjoy. Southport Yacht Club, Main Beach. SURF TO CITY YACHT RACE 23 Jan Organised by the Queensland Cruising Yacht Club in association with Southport Yacht Club, the race is open to monohulls and multihulls. Inshore Fleet follows the main channel from Southport to Brisbane past all of the islands in the southern part of Moreton Bay. Offshore Fleet start off the Southport Seaway, the yachts head to enter Moreton Bay and finish at Cabbage Tree Creek, in the picturesque Brisbane bayside village of Shorncliffe. BURLEIGH PRO 2016 29-31 Jan The three-day World Surf League (WSL) sanctioned event for both men and women. A great warm-up for some of the best surfers in the world who will later compete at the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro contests at Snapper Rocks. The prize purse of $15,000 up for grabs and valuable Qualifying Series points at the iconic Burleigh Headland. 
CHINESE NEW YEAR 2016 This event marks the new lunar year in the Chinese calendar. Sanctuary Cove welcomes visitors to celebrate the Year of the Monkey. Enjoy traditional Chinese crafts, kite making, mask painting and Chinese calligraphy, and also Chinese music and lion dancing, fire cracker and kung fu display. Try a special New Year banquet on offer at Dragon Cove Chinese Restaurant, Sanctuary Cove Marine Village. 12-14 February. 
Compiled by Andy Kancachian
