The Gold Coast Show runs Friday 28 to Sunday 30 August 2026 at Broadwater Parklands, Southport, about 7 km south of Bayview Beach Holiday Apartments. This guide covers the dates, tickets, getting there and parking from our Biggera Waters front door, session highlights, where to eat, and when to book your stay.
Dates and tickets
The Gold Coast Show returns to Broadwater Parklands on Marine Parade, Southport, over three days: Friday 28, Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August 2026. Rides run from 9am to 9pm each day, and there are fireworks over the Broadwater every night at 6:45pm. Friday 28 August is Gold Coast Show Day, a local public holiday across the Gold Coast, so expect the Friday to draw big family crowds.
General entry to the Show at Broadwater Parklands is free. You pay as you go once you are inside: ride wristbands or single-ride tickets, showbags, and food are all bought on the day. That free-gate setup makes it easy to pop down for a few hours, watch the fireworks and head back to your apartment, rather than committing to a full day.
Getting there from Bayview Beach Holiday Apartments
We sit at 418 Marine Parade in Biggera Waters, on the same road that carries you straight down to the showground. Here are the realistic options for the three days.
- Drive: It is roughly 7 km and 10 to 12 minutes down Marine Parade and the Gold Coast Highway to Broadwater Parklands. Simple in normal traffic, slower in the show-day crush.
- Parking, honestly: The main option near the gates is the Carey Park car park, reached off Marine Parade, plus the side streets around Australia Fair and the Broadwater. These fill fast once the rides open, so arrive before mid-morning or plan to circle. On the Friday public holiday and Saturday evening fireworks rush, kerbside parking near the parklands is genuinely scarce.
- Cycle or walk the foreshore: The Broadwater path hugs the water for about 7 km from Biggera Waters down to the parklands. It is flat the whole way, so it is a scenic 20 to 25 minute cycle that skips the car park entirely. Guests staying with us often ride it for the morning markets and beach, and show weekend is a good excuse to do the same.
- Park and ride the tram: The G:Link light rail stops right at Broadwater Parklands station at the southern end of the show, and runs across all three show days. The catch: the tram does not reach Biggera Waters yet. An extension north to Labrador and Biggera Waters was only announced on 22 June 2026 and will not be running for this year’s show, so you would drive to a Southport-area stop and pick the tram up there to dodge the final parking scramble.
Highlights across the weekend
The Show packs a lot into three days, so it helps to pick your moments. The signature is the fireworks: they light up the Broadwater on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 6:45pm, and the foreshore lawns give families a clear, free view. Between the fireworks, here is where the good stuff sits.
- Friday: Show jumping in the equestrian ring, Side Show Alley rides open all day, and the first night of fireworks. As the public holiday, it has the most local-family energy.
- Saturday and Sunday: The woodchop competition runs in the northern parklands, camel rides operate down on the beach, and Dock Dogs put on a splashy show with Farmer Dave. There is a reptile show with five performances a day, a farmland area with duck racing, and the Triple M live-music stage.
- Sunday wind-down: Show dog judging, and line dancing on the Great Lawn at 4pm before the final fireworks.
One thing worth knowing that the timetable does not spell out: the whole event is walkable end to end along the Broadwater, so prams and grandparents cope well, and the showbag lawn and food stalls sit close to the main entrance if you are doing a short visit.
Where to eat around it
On the day, the show food does the heavy lifting: Dagwood Dogs, potato tornadoes and the usual showground treats are all inside the gates. If you would rather eat properly, Australia Fair in Southport is a short walk from the parklands and covers everything from a quick food court feed to sit-down meals.
The smarter move is often to fuel up before you leave. Our apartments are a short stroll from the Biggera Waters cafe strip, and we have rounded up the best spots in our guide to breakfast and coffee near the Broadwater. Grab a proper coffee near us, then roll down to the show without paying show prices for your morning cuppa.
Staying for it
Show weekend is one of the busier August weekends on this stretch of the Broadwater, and the Friday public holiday gives it a long-weekend feel. Our larger two and three-bedroom apartments book out first, so if you are bringing the whole family, six to eight weeks ahead is a safe window.
Staying with us puts you on the right side of the Broadwater for an easy run to the showground, with a full kitchen to feed the kids before the rides and a quiet apartment to come home to after the fireworks. Have a look at our current holiday deals to lock in the dates.
Frequently asked questions
Is there parking at the Gold Coast Show?
Yes, but it is limited. The Carey Park car park off Marine Parade and the streets around Australia Fair are the closest options, and they fill quickly once rides open at 9am. Arrive before mid-morning, or park and ride the G:Link tram from a Southport stop to skip the crush.
How do I get to the Gold Coast Show from Biggera Waters without driving?
The Broadwater foreshore path runs about 7 km flat from Biggera Waters straight to the parklands, so it is an easy 20 to 25 minute cycle. Alternatively, drive to a Southport light rail stop and take the tram to Broadwater Parklands station at the show’s southern edge.
Is the Gold Coast Show free?
General entry to the Show at Broadwater Parklands is free. You pay on the day for what you use: ride wristbands or single tickets, showbags, and food. Watching the nightly 6:45pm fireworks from the foreshore lawns costs nothing.
What time are the fireworks?
Fireworks are on every night of the Show, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, at 6:45pm over the Broadwater. The open lawns along Marine Parade give families a clear view, and you can settle in early with dinner from the food stalls.
Is the Gold Coast Show good for young kids?
Very much so. Baby animals, pony and camel rides, duck racing and the reptile show are all pitched at little ones, the site is flat and pram-friendly, and free entry means a short, low-pressure visit works fine. The Friday public holiday is the biggest family day.
Plan your show weekend
The Gold Coast Show is one of the easiest big events to fold into a Broadwater stay: free to enter, a short hop down Marine Parade, and fireworks you can watch from the grass. Pair it with a wander through our things to do near Biggera Waters and keep an eye on our Gold Coast events page for what else is on while you are here.
Image credit: Foreshore at Southport Broadwater Parklands, Southport, the Gold Coast Show venue. Photo by Shiftchange via Wikimedia Commons, released under CC0.