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To promote your local family friendly event including school fetes and fairs, community groups, get-togethers and local festivals in the next ‘Families Fun’ listings (February/March 2021) send your entry by 5pm on Friday 8 January 2021. Email Natalie – Listings@FamiliesMagazine.com.au

Listings in this section are FREE for most non-commercial ventures. Please check the details of the events listed before setting off in case anything has changed since going to print.

The Enchanted Garden This summer, journey through The Enchanted Garden at

Roma Street Parkland and experience one of Brisbane’s largest lighting displays from 4 Dec 2020 – 17 Jan 2021. The Enchanted

Garden is a magnificent evening walk, set amid winding pathways bordered by towering trees and lush foliage, lit with the warm glow of mesmerising lights. Bookings are required to attend this event. FREE tickets were initially released on Mon 9 November, with a subsequent release on Fri 11 Dec. Please note that tickets will not be available at the event. The Sound Society Pull up a rug in Brisbane’s biggest sub-tropical backyard, relax and listen to smooth, jazzy tunes at The Sound Society. 6

Dec 2020. Kids Collective School Holiday Program This school holiday take the kids to Roma Street

Parklands for a day of fun activities suited to all ages. 18-22 Jan 2021.

Gallery of Children’s Art Sometimes the biggest ideas come from the smallest artists.

A celebration of children and creativity,

Gallery of Children’s Art comes to Museum of

Brisbane with What’s Different: Children’s Art in the age of COVID-19. This fully interactive exhibition showcases the imagination and unfettered wisdom of our city’s young people.

Your little artists can even try their hand at creating some art of their own. The Storytellers Can you help break

Slim Halliday out of Boggo Road Gaol?

Pick up a free Code Breakers activity and wander the exhibition to help crack the secret combination and set Slim free. Little bookworms will love collecting the pages of the special Lung Fish story scattered throughout the exhibition, yours free to take home. Want to make the adventure last even longer? For the ultimate experience, grab a

Storytellers Adventure Book available at MoB

Shop, jampacked full of activities for ages 5 – 12 years, and only $5. You can even enjoy a daily guided activity book session in the museum at 10:30am.

Climb the Clock Tower An absolute ‘mustdo’ for anyone in Brisbane, get whizzed to the top of City Hall’s famous Clock Tower through an original hand operated lift from the 1930s.

Get a bird’s eye view of the city and find out about the amazing history of this Brisbane icon. Then, take a peek behind the scenes of

City Hall with a free tour of one of Brisbane’s most beautiful buildings. Bauhaus Now: ART+DESIGN+ARCHITECURE

Step into a colourful world of history and design and explore the legacy of the Bauhaus in this amazing exhibition. Make sure you pick up your free take-home activity kit, where you can make your very own Bauhaus inspired creation.

Physics Observatory Imagine throwing a wooden block while on the Moon’s gravity and then observing the difference when you throw one on the Sun. As you explore the Physics Observatory you will learn about key historical figures, their experiments, and be able to play through different scenarios to discover key principles of physics. Get zapped by a Tesla coil, change the gravity in the environment, drop weights from a great height and even find out how long light takes to travel across the Solar System. Code-A-Bot is a FREE interactive digital game putting you in charge of programming robot workers to collect and sort rubbish, improving the overall efficiency of a waste recycling plant. Using The Cube’s digital touch screens, robots can be coded to move, sense, and collect or distribute rubbish around the facility and into the correct bins.

The Living Reef A digital marine ecosystem, The Living Reef is a FREE immersive underwater interactive experience of the Great Barrier Reef. The Living Reef features interactive on-screen activities. Turtle Tangle allows visitors to cut away ghost nets to help to free a turtle and Reef Ranger allows visitors to navigate RangerBot – an underwater vehicle developed by QUT’s Professor Matthew Dunbabin.

miffy & friends miffy, or nijntje (little bunny) has captivated children and adults alike for 65 years. First conceived by Dutch illustrator

Dick Bruna as a bedtime story for his son, miffy has evolved into a globally recognised and much-loved character. miffy embodies a universal language of minimalism and timeless simplicity, inspiring generations of artists and designers. Showing at QUT

Art Museum until 14 March 2021, miffy & friends brings Bruna’s work to Australia for the first time, celebrating the illustrator’s underlying philosophy of allowing room for the imagination, and introduces the influence of miffy on the work of seven contemporary

Australian artists.

Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols This iconic annual event hosts a variety of Australia’s most renowned singers and entertainers as they ignite the big stage in a joyous and magical celebration of Christmas. This is a must-do for Brisbane families! Bookings required. Sat 5 Dec.

The Motorcycle: Design, Art, Desire This world-exclusive exhibition, only in Brisbane, will showcase the art, design and history of one of the most iconic objects of the last 150 years, the motorcycle. Featuring more than 100 innovative and influential motorcycles from the 1860s to present day, it will consider the iconic vehicle from the perspective of social history, popular culture, design and technology. Highlights of the exhibition include an 1871 Perreaux, the first steampowered velocipede and oldest known motorcycle in the world and the earliest

Australian-designed and built machines, including a Spencer produced in Brisbane in 1906! Bookings are essential. NOW IS THE TIME Raquel Ormella invites children to speak up about climate change and the environment in her exhibition at the

Children’s Art Centre. In the exhibition space, children can design a protest t-shirt and watch their message come to life in an animated scene, while listening to a playlist of moving protest music. Raquel highlights Australia’s long history of environmental activism with a timeline featuring historical photos and posters. The exhibition also includes two videos made in collaboration with Junction

Park State School students. In these videos, the students perform protest songs and share their views about climate action with the artist. Until 26 Jan 2021. Kids Trail - Australian Art Collection From the earliest rock paintings to contemporary works, animals have featured in art for thousands of years. For many artists, animals are subjects that allow them to share ideas and experiences. In this trail activity, you can discover a wild and wonderful menagerie of animals hiding in the Australian Art Collection.

Roy and Matilda - Australian Art Collection Roy and Matilda are two mice who love art galleries. One day, a man who worked in the gallery’s workshop restoring and carving frames found they were living there and decided to make them a special little front door. Take the family on an adventure to find Roy and Matilda’s carved door enlivening the imagination of little visitors, this is a perfect way for young children to be introduced to fine art.

Sea Monsters While dinosaurs may have ruled the land, giant marine reptiles hunted the depths of the sea. See some of the largest, fiercest and most successful predators ever that lived in Earth’s oceans. The Sea Monsters exhibition combines real fossils from millions of years ago, gigantic replicas including a 13m long Elasmosaurus and 9m Prognathdon, 180-degree immersive video that puts you right inside the action, hands-on interactives and much more. Discover the secrets of these monsters of the deep in this new exhibition that will delight all ages! Bookings required.

I Do! Wedding Stories from Queensland Who doesn’t love a beautiful wedding gown?! This exclusive exhibition explores diverse stories of Queenslanders who celebrated this major milestone – the life-changing moment of marriage – by examining the social and cultural changes associated with weddings over the past 180 years. Head into the Queensland Museum to see 40 sets of garments and 100 objects on display. Bookings required. Lost Creatures Get up close to some of Queensland’s long-lost inhabitants, including dinosaurs, giant marine reptiles and megafauna. Featuring some of the most significant fossil finds, including the famous Muttaburrasaurus reconstruction and new 3D modelling of Queensland dinosaurs, this is a larger than life FREE exhibition you won’t want to miss! Wild State Gallery & Discovery Centre Showcasing more than 1300 objects, discover, play and have fun in this exciting FREE space. Specialist staff are on hand to answer questions and identify objects – from archaeology to palaeontology, cultural history to earth sciences and of course, questions about insects, reptiles, arachnids and mammals. See live snakes, stick insects and giant cockroaches – along with the Meet the Curator sessions.

Science Bar What would a marshmallow look like in the vacuum of outer space?

Get up close with live science experiments and demonstrations where you get to ask questions, predict outcomes and direct part of the investigation. Science Bar is included as part of your SparkLab ticket. Daily session times are 10am, 1pm and 3pm. Maker Space Imagine and design solutions to challenging questions posed at the Maker

Space. Make your creation from a range of materials provided and test out your design.

Share your thinking with others and build on each other’s ideas. Science on a Sphere is a huge 1.8m diameter sphere suspended in the centre of SparkLab.

It uses the latest digital technology to project global, environmental and planetary data (known as datasets) onto its surface. Watch real-time clouds move across our planet and spot the moment when a cyclone begins to form. Then blast-off to outer space to visit

Mercury, Saturn and beyond.

Carnival of the Animals The Circa Carnival is coming to town with whimsical tales of creatures of land and sea, who tumble, fly, leap and spin their way through the many wondrous worlds of the animal kingdom.

Zebras juggle and flip… Kangaroos skip and somersault… Elephants have rhythm… And dinosaur bones shake, clatter and roll to the music. Carnival of the Animals whisks you away on a thrilling circus escapade inspired by Camille Saint-Saëns delightful salute to feathers, fur and fins, as this classical music suite comes to life for a whole new generation of circus, music and animal lovers. 16 - 20 Dec. Spirit of Christmas Featuring a stunning line up with a full orchestra, choirs, and two of Australia’s leading musical theatre performers, this traditional yuletide concert promises to be a celebration of the true meaning behind the festive season. Each concert presents an opportunity to enjoy uplifting songs, be inspired by Christmas’ enduring message of love and peace, and sing along to much loved Christmas carols. 18 - 19 Dec 2020. A Christmas Carol This December the awardwinning stage spectacle – Charles Dickens’ A

Christmas Carol – returns to lift your spirits at the Lyric Theatre. Brimful of song, humour, love, and lashings of festive joy, A Christmas

Carol is a magical, grand-in-scale production – perfect for the entire family. Complete with live music, yule-tide carolling, innovative video design, lavish costumes and, of course, snow, A Christmas Carol, is quite simply the most uplifting theatrical experience you’ll have this year. 16 - 24 Dec.

Big Voices: Children’s Art Matters Showcasing beautiful and thought-provoking artwork by children from Queensland, Vietnam and

China, Big Voices takes you on a journey into these young artist’s worlds to see how they view themselves, their lives, their rights, and their futures. This very human exhibition explores a child’s right to be heard and to share what they think with others.

Cinderella This breathtaking ballet adaptation of the timeless Charles Perrault fairy tale, Cinderella, will be the first fulllength ballet to be staged at the Queensland Performing Arts Complex (QPAC) since March 2020. Forbidden from going to the palace ball by her wicked stepmother and stepsisters, Cinderella is overjoyed as her fairy godmother miraculously makes her dreams come true. Join Cinderella in January 2021 at the ball as Ballet Theatre Queensland celebrates another year of ballet magic by bringing this beloved fairy-tale to life. 20 - 23 Jan.

Streets Summer Celebration Head to

Streets Beach this summer for live music, a relaxed dwell space and ice cream van onsite.

This is definitely one of the best spots to cool off on a hot day in the Brisbane CBD. From 1pm-5pm, Sat 5 Dec. Sound Society Tune into the smooth vocals and unique sounds of Brisbane’s most celebrated up and coming artists, surrounded by panoramic parkland views every Friday and Saturday at The Sound Society. Friday 4-6pm at River Quay and Saturday 2-5pm at

Rainforest Green. From 1 Jan 2021.

Throughout Dec Perfect Little Planet | Mt Coot-tha Kids will love this tour of the solar system through the eyes of a family of aliens on vacation from another star system, discovering rings, ice cliffs, and moons. Recommended for children from 5 years. The show runs for approximately 40 minutes, inclusive of a night sky tour presented in the Cosmic Skydome – a 12.5-metre-diameter projection dome! Bookings are required.

Throughout Dec Wheely Fun | Multiple Locations Riding’s more fun on two wheels! Brisbane City Council’s friendly trainer will help young ones (5-7 years old) make the transition from training wheels to two wheels, and provide some tips for how parents can keep encouraging them. Young riders who are already off their training wheels are welcome too. Bookings essential.

Throughout Dec & Jan What Lurks Below | Bribie Island From peculiar slug-like creatures to giants of the sea, explore What Lurks Below as you dive into the hidden world of the waters surrounding Bribie Island. Down there you’ll meet sea creatures that like to hide and ones that you should hide from! There are clever creatures that make potions, ones that look a bit strange and the gentle giants of the sea. What Lurks Below is an interactive exhibition for the whole family. Be prepared to get hands on, be amazed...and maybe even be a little bit scared! 10am-3pm, Bribie Island Seaside Museum.

Throughout Dec & Jan The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny | Brisbane See Beatrix Potter’s classic children’s book live on stage at the Brisbane Arts Theatre. Join in the adventure as the evercurious Peter Rabbit is drawn into the wondrous and enticing world of Mr McGregor’s garden. The thrills are just beginning when the angry farmer spots the silly bunnies. Children will love joining Peter in a world filled with excitement, and adventure! Bookings required.

Throughout Dec & Jan Wind Tubes | Ipswich Design and build your very own flying creation to test in the Wind Tubes, Ipswich Art Gallery’s exciting FREE exhibition. See your creation take flight and soar to the ceiling, and defy gravity by hovering high overhead… or just fall to the floor. It’s all about air and invention, with a little bit of mid-air mayhem. There’s ample opportunity to experiment and modify your design, and possibly set the record for the longest flight time. Can your design overcome turbulence, drag, air resistance, and gravity? Bookings required.

Until 31 Dec Christmas Putt Putt | Herston Victoria Park’s Christmas Putt Putt is back! Christmas this year has got them feeling extra Santa-mental so they are transforming the Putt Putt course into a beautiful Christmas wonderland. Take the family to have a game under the twinkling lights or snap an elfie with Santa, Frosty the Snowman, gingerbread people, giant candy canes and much more! Bookings required.

Until 22 Dec Carols in the Reservoir | Spring Hill Imagine being six metres underground, in a 150-year-old water reservoir as the snow falls at Carols in the Reservoir! What could be more mystical about Christmas than celebrating in the Spring Hill Reservoir, being serenaded by world-class performers singing traditional Christmas favourites with Carols in the Reservoir. Bookings required.

Thurs 3 Dec Carols on the Green | Sanctuary Cove A stellar line up of local performers will sing on the night including the Paradise Carollers, Amazon Blue, Chad Trent & Becky Keen and Vanessa Krummenacher and the event will include the much loved and celebrated Rotary Buggy Parade. This family-friendly event will conclude with a special appearance by Santa and Rudolf. 5pm-8pm, Sanctuary Cove.

Thurs 3 Dec – Sun 13 Dec Feedback Festival | Gold Coast From Southport to Burleigh Heads, Feedback Festival will offer families the chance to see more than 50 bands, performing over 100 hours of live music across 10 nights this holiday season. Fans of jazz can enjoy dinner and a show at Spaghetti & Jazz, or take the family along for a picnic on the lawn with FREE live music every afternoon.

Fri 4 Dec – Sun 20 Dec White Christmas Movie World | Oxenford Movie World White Christmas is an incredible event for the whole family. Every year Movie World puts on a dazzling display of lights, decorations, street performances, music, and a spectacular Christmas parade. Of course, no White Christmas would be complete without the magic of snow! Bookings required.

Fri 4 Dec Jingle All the Bay | Sandgate Celebrate Christmas on the Sandgate Bayside with a festive street party and christmas parade. Jingle all the Bay is proudly presented by the Sandgate and Districts Chamber of Commerce. Enjoy live entertainment, a Meet and Greet with Santa, Winter Wonderland Laneway, food and Christmas markets, Whoville Themed area with entertainment, heaps of Free activities for the kids, amusement rides and animal farm. Plus don’t miss the Christmas Street Parade at 7pm!

Sat 5 Dec Chillogan Festival | Beenleigh At this year’s festival enjoy a range of attractions including roaming Mexican wrestlers, and test lots and lots of chilli goodies in Hellfire Alley! For the brave or crazy among us you can register for a chilli-challenge! Unwind with live music, spicy food and even try some chilli beer or a chilli cocktail at the AfterBurn Bar. It’s a great day for families - bring a picnic rug, and find your spot on the grassy knolls to kick back. Kids can visit the animal nursery, go crazy on the jumping castle or have their face painted. Kids under 14 are FREE. Bookings required. 2pm-8:30pm, Beenleigh Town Square.

Sat 5-Sun 6 Dec Brisbane Eco Living Christmas Market 2020 | Bowen Hills The Brisbane Eco Living Festival is an outdoor marketplace buzzing with the perfect gifts for Christmas and the latest in the eco industry. Head along to enjoy food trucks (all sustainable + vegan options), Eco market stallholders, live music from locals & schools, workshops and seminars plus tiny homes on display. Tickets are $6.36 per person and children under 14 are free with a paying adult.

Sat 5 Dec Community Christmas Carols | Underwood This FREE family event will include carol singing, market stalls, and fun family activities. Bring your family, bring your friends and come enjoy a night of community Christmas fun! 4pm-8pm, Underwood Park, Underwood.

Sat 5 Dec Christmas Lights Boat Parade | Bribie Island Get into the Christmas spirit with this very different type of festive family fun. The Christmas Lights Boat Parade winds its way through the canals of Pacific Harbour, Bribie Island. Vessels of all shapes and sizes are invited to dress up their boats and join in the fun for the chance to win some great prizes. Entry is free.

Sat 5 Dec Sensory Cinema Day | North Ipswich Ipswich City Council is hosting a FREE Sensory Cinema Day in celebration of International Day of People with Disability 2020. Polar Express will screen over two sessions plus kids can enjoy face painting, arts and crafts and complimentary popcorn and drink. Bookings required. 8:30am-1pm, Limelight Cinemas.

Sun 6 Dec North Lakes Christmas Carols | North Lakes With lots of family-friendly entertainment on offer, everyone can get into the spirit of the season while enjoying performances by local community groups and schools. The North Lakes Christmas Carols will feature plenty of free activities and workshops, roving performers and FUN! You can even do some last-minute Christmas gift shopping at the twilight markets. 3pm-8pm, Kinsellas Park, North Lakes.

Sun 6 Dec Centenary Community Carols | Middle Park The Centenary Christmas Carols is a family-friendly evening with food vans, jumping castle, Santa’s sleigh, carols, live nativity scene, and fireworks. Plus, this year you can test your skills on the mobile ninja warrior obstacle course. 4pm-8pm, Peter Lightfoot Oval, Middle Park.

Sun 6 Dec Victoria Point Christmas Market | Thornlands The Victoria Point Christmas Market will include boutique stalls selling arts & crafts, handmade items, vintage & pre-loved clothes, toys, and household goods. These markets are the perfect place to pick up a beautiful unique gift or shop for a new Christmas party outfit! 8am-1pm, Faith Lutheran College, Thornlands.

Sun 6 Dec Christmas Twilight Markets | Tanah Merah This isn’t your ordinary Christmas market! It’s a Christmas Twilight Market Spectacular! Kicking off at 5pm, the markets will include stalls selling fresh produce, handcrafted gifts, boutique clothing and mouthwatering food. Plus, the lighting of a 5ft Christmas tree, Christmas Carols by renowned Opera Singer Lisa Lockland-Bell and a special guest appearance by Santa himself! 5pm-7pm, Dunamis Church, Tanah Merah.

Sat 12 Dec – Wed 13 Jan Bushtime at Woodfordia |Moreton Bay From the team who delivers The Woodford Folk Festival comes Bushtime, an inspired camping holiday held on a 500-acre parkland located in the Moreton Bay Region Hinterland, on Jinibara Country. Enjoy evening concerts at The Pond, citizen science talks and demonstrations and options to book all ages workshops including yoga, music, visual arts, circus, humanities, and youth activities throughout the day. At Bushtime there will be heaps of time to immerse in nature with swims in Lake Gkula, bush walking, biking, picnics in secluded spots, relaxing at camp and experiencing evenings under the stars. Book your stay now!

Sat 12 Dec Community Christmas Carols | Beenleigh Join Santa, his helpers and all the wonderful people that make up the Beenleigh/Logan community as they sing along to the old favourites from time gone by… White Christmas; Ave Maria; Silver Bells and more…Bring a picnic blanket and stay and watch the Christmas movie after. 5:30pm-9pm, Beenleigh Historical Village.

Sat 12 Dec Flagstone Christmas Markets & Carols | Flagstone Browse the boutique and handmade market stallholders to find great gift ideas just in time for Christmas. Delicious food trucks will be cooking up a storm and Santa will be making a visit too! Enjoy the magical Christmas spirit as you listen and sing-a-long to your favourite Christmas carols. 5pm-8:30pm, Flagstone State School.

Sat 12 Dec – Sun 20 Dec Christmas Lights Trail | Berrinba Berrinba Wetlands will be transformed into a magical Christmas lights experience with displays and music over nine nights. There will also be delicious food trucks and fun Christmas activities, ideal for all ages. Bookings are required for this FREE event. 7pm-9pm, Berrinba Wetlands.

Sun 13 Dec Redcliffe Christmas Carols | Redcliffe Celebrate the festive season at Dolphins Stadium with twilight markets, food stalls, Christmas Carols and more! 3pm-8pm, Dolphins Stadium, Redcliffe.

Sun 13 Dec Gold Coast Multicultural Festival | Gold Coast Head along to the Broadwater Parklands for this FREE community event with multicultural performances, international food, art, craft, information and children’s activities. Guaranteed to be an educational and fun day for the whole family! 10am-4pm, Broadwater Parklands.

Tues 15 Dec Make a Magical Dream Catcher | Everton Park During this workshop kids will learn how to up-cycle lace doilies into creative and interesting dream catchers. Using decorative items such as feathers, ribbons, leather and beads the humble doily will be transformed into a unique piece of art ready to hang in a bedroom window or on a wall. This workshop is suitable for children 10 years and over. 1pm-4pm, The Nest Community Inc.

Wed 16 Dec – Thurs 17 Dec Flipside Circus | Cleveland Roll Up! Roll Up! Enrol your child in a circus workshop for kids 4-16 years of age this school holiday and watch them have fun, test themselves, and learn a lot of new skills. Whether it’s tackling the trapeze or harnessing the hula-hoop, Flipside Circus’ workshops make school holidays even more fun. Redlands Performing Arts Centre Auditorium.

Fri 18 Dec Christmas Twilight Market | Sandgate Get your cringe-worthy Christmas earrings on and bring your family down to the markets for groovy music, great community catch-ups, and a specialty menu from Capulet! Curating the best vintage sellers, rack stalls & local makers in the one place. 5pm-9pm, Capulet & Co, Sandgate.

Fri 18 Dec Summer Solstice | Windsor This boutique cabaret at Northey St City Farm will offer a special evening of soul filled entertainment. Derek Sandy will provide a welcome and solo Didgeridoo performance to call respect and acknowledgement to First Nations Communities and sacred land. There will be free permaculture workshops, free earth arts for the kids, and some delicious organic food and iced cool beverages for you to enjoy a relaxed evening under the fig trees with your family. Bookings required. 6:30pm-10pm, Northey St City Farm.

Fri 18 Dec – Sun 20 Dec The Nutcracker | New Farm Brisbane City Youth Ballet (BCYB) is bringing their exquisite Christmas holiday production The Nutcracker to Brisbane Powerhouse. This incredible theatrical feast will serve up helpings of magical fantasy all within a one-hour family-friendly presentation. The Nutcracker is the story of a young girl, Clara, who receives a magical nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve and enters a dream world. See why audiences have made The Nutcracker the most performed ballet in the world, and a treasured holiday tradition for the entire family. Bookings required.

Fri 18 Dec – Sat 16 Jan School Holiday Workshops | Bowen Hills Nurture your child’s creative side with these fun workshops hosted by Laughing Goats Productions, covering LEGO stopmotion, heroes and villains filmmaking, introduction to stage combat and SFX cuts and bruises. Workshops run for 3 hours and are $75 per person or two workshops for $100 when you book for multiple children. Bookings required. Twelfth Night Theatre.

Sat 19 Dec Bracken Ridge Christmas Carols | Online 2020 has been a year like no other! With everything that has happened, Christmas is still a time of joy and celebration for the world. Rather than everyone coming to the one place, organisers are inviting families to celebrate by coming together in smaller groups with family & friends to watch their live production from the comfort of your home. Book in 19th December for a night of celebration & joy with the Bracken Ridge Baptist Church. 7pm-9:30pm.

Sat 19 Dec Christmas Carnival | Sandstone Point Brace your elves! The annual Christmas Carnival is returning to Sandstone Point Hotel! From 12 noon enjoy markets, food stalls, kids rides, entertainment, Christmas carols, fireworks, and of course a visit from Santa! Bookings required. Sandstone Point Hotel.

Sat 19 Dec Christmas in the Paddock | Redland Bay Bring your camp chairs or picnic blanket and a smile for a family friendly afternoon of Christmas carols, food trucks, face painting, a visit from Santa, petting zoo, and jumping castle. Entry to Christmas in the Paddock is FREE but you will need to pay for food and face painting. 3pm-7pm, C3 Church, Redland Bay.

Sun 20 Dec Pine Rivers Park Christmas Carols | Strathpine Sit back, relax, and join in the caroling fun from 3pm. There will be lots of family-friendly entertainment on offer, so bring your best vocals and a blanket to spread out, relax and enjoy a magical evening. You can even do some last-minute Christmas gift shopping at the twilight markets or participate in the many free activities and workshops! 3pm-8pm, Pine Rivers Park, Strathpine.

Sun 27 Dec- Tues 26 Jan Day out with Thomas | Ipswich Thomas the Tank Engine is steaming into The Workshops Rail Museum this summer for Day Out With Thomas. Meet The Fat Controller, as well as some of Thomas’ favourite friends. Enjoy hands-on Thomas activities in the Thomas Play Pit and take a happy snap with Thomas and his friends around the museum. There’s also Thomas craft to take home and mini Thomas’ to find hidden on the huge model railway layout. Kids can let off some steam in the indoor playground, Nippers Railway. Museum entry includes the event as well as all exhibits.

Thurs 31 Dec New Year’s Eve Twilight Markets | Redcliffe Celebrate the arrival of the much-anticipated new year at this exciting event organised by the Redcliffe Markets team. Enjoy gourmet street eats while browsing the many unique artisan goods on sale. An impressive line-up of live entertainment and roving fire dancers will set the tone for a fun night, and sideshow alley complete with amusement games and rides will keep the kids happy. Grab your picnic rug and head down to the Redcliffe shoreline to enjoy this FREE event which includes 2 epic firework shows! 5pm-10pm, Redcliffe Parade, Redcliffe.

Thurs 31 Dec New Years Eve Party | Everton Park This New Year’s Eve, Everton Park Hotel are hosting an end of year celebration the whole family can enjoy! FREE kids entertainment from 6pm and a family count down from 9pm complete with indoor fireworks?! Sounds good to us! For foodies there will be an a la carte menu available on the night for a special NYE family dinner. 5pm-11:30pm, Everton Park Hotel.

Thurs 31 Dec New Years Eve Pizza Party | Browns Plains My Pizza Pizza Diner is hosting a family fun event with live music, a full light show, jumping castles, rides, face painting, clowns plus plenty of food and drinks. Take a step back in time at this quaint little diner complete with booths and retro menu. From 6pm, Browns Plains.

Thurs 31 Dec NYE Reggaetta Party | Southport It’s Reggae Night at Southport Yacht Club’s New Year’s Eve Bash for 2020! Dust off your tie-dyed shirts, crochet beanies, red/yellow/green ensemble or even simple boho look... as long as it is comfortable to dance to the reggae sounds of Kulaz! Grab a pre-dinner Pina Colada, Mojito or a Caribbean Breeze while you enjoy an amazing 4-course plated Caribbean style dinner. 6:30pm-late, Southport Yacht Club.

Throughout Jan Dodgebow Games | Beenleigh Dodgebow is a combat archery sport combining the fun of dodgeball with the speed and strategy of Paintball! They use safe foam-tipped arrows with low poundage bows and host a wide variety of games throughout the night including capture the flag, hidden king, and many more. Dodgebow games are held every Friday night. Book online for family and group discounts. 6:40pm-9pm, Dodgebow Beenleigh.

Thurs 7 Jan – Thurs 21 Jan Summer Holiday Playgroup | Chapel Hill Join Flourish Children’s Collective during the school holidays with three Summer playgroup sessions. Enjoy seasonal bush craft, earth arts and sensory play in the beautiful rainforest area of Chapel Hill Sate School. Best suited to children aged 15 months to 6 years of age. 9am-10:30am, Chapel Hill State School.

Tues 12 Jan – Fri 15 Jan Young Actors’ Shakespeare Intensive | St Lucia Young actors (grades 7 – 12) are invited to train as an ensemble in a collaborative environment. Over 4 days, participants will explore Shakespeare’s works through exercises and techniques utilised by the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble (QSE) with sessions focusing on areas including voice, text, monologues, scene work and music. Young actors will work with some of QSE’s most experienced actors, directors, and facilitators and finish their week with an evening showcase for friends and family.

Thurs 14 Jan The Magic Glen Show | Redcliffe Grab the kids and join the fun and laughter at Magic Glen’s magic show. The event is a rollercoaster ride of comedy, magic and excitement with lots of audience interaction and participation. Stay for the magic workshop after the show! No experience necessary. It’s fun, creative and hands on. This 40-minute show is best suited for children 4-7 years. 11am, Redcliffe Entertainment Centre.

Sun 17 Jan Love Me Again Pre-Loved Fashion Market | Paddington The Love Me Again Market provides the opportunity for fashion lovers to set up a stall, earn some cash and give their preloved outfits a new home. Nothing to sell? This boutique market is the perfect place to shop and get your next unique look at a fraction of the retail price. 8am-12pm, Paddington Hall.

Tues 26 Jan Australia Day at Spirit of the Red Sand | Beenleigh Enjoy a unique cultural and FREE fun day with fellow Australians seeking to celebrate this wonderful country we live in! Participate in an ancient Welcome to Country ceremony, walk through a cleansing smoking ceremony, and join in on a Corroboree while you learn more about the world’s oldest living culture. There will be plenty of entertainment including a live band, back-yard cricket comp and spear throwing challenge. Kids can try Aboriginal face painting, a pool party for 12 and under, jumping castle and prizes for best Aussie outfit! 8am-4pm, Beenleigh Historical Village.

Tues 26 Jan Aussie Arvo | Lawnton Celebrate Australia Day at Aussie Arvo, a free pool party for the community at the Lawnton Aquatic Centre. Enjoy live entertainment, competitions, games, amusement rides plus a poolside disco for the whole family! The pool kiosk will be serving up some yummy snacks plus local community groups will be cooking a sausage sizzle and selling popcorn and fairy floss for the bargain price of $1 each! 2pm-7pm, Lawnton Aquatic Centre.

Families Magazine has literally thousands of informative and entertaining articles on our website, and we bet you’ve only just scratched the surface of them! Go on a journey of discovery today and find out what’s under the tab!

There’s no denying “back to school” can be an expensive time of year. Find ideas to help prepare and save on back to school costs under the Health & Parenting – Families Finance tab.

It’s that time of year when your kids come home from school and tell you they want to hand out Christmas gifts for classmates. Find good affordable class Christmas gifts under the Holidays – Christmas tab.

Let your child’s imagination go on an adventure (and enjoy some quiet time for yourself!) with our librarian-recommended kid’s books for summer reading. Go to Things To Do – Books & Reading tab.

The best educational toys for toddlers and pre-schoolers make wonderful gifts, helping your child develop gross and fine motor skills, cognitive and social skills. Find great toys under the Health & Parenting –Toys & Learning Aides tab.

There is something intrinsically ‘summer’ about turning any kind of gathering into a test match. Find out how to play beach cricket under the Clubs & Classes – Sports & Exercise tab.

Beautiful, World Heritage listed, Fraser Island, roughly 300 kilometres north of Brisbane, is a great place for a short break. Find the best things to do on Fraser Island with kids under the Holidays – Beach Trips & Holidays tab.

Just because you are parents doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the New Years Eve fun. Find kid-friendly things to do on New Year’s Eve under the Holidays – New Years tab.

Long journeys in the car can be boring and stressful for babies and young children. Find our top tips to keep your child entertained on long car journeys under the Things To Do – Days Out tab.

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BRISBANE SCHOOLS & EDUCATION Advertising deadline: Friday 8 January 2021

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