15th June 2010

Surfers Paradise Festival

The Great Aussie BBQ to end the first ever Surfers Paradise Festival

The massively successful Surfers Paradise Festival will end this weekend with the ultimate beachside bash, the great aussie bbq.

Throughout the past 2 months over a 100,000 people have flocked to the precinct to take in a program of events that showcased and supported the incredible grassroots cultural scene found on the Gold Coast, with arts, food, film and music all sharing the limelight; showcasing the area’s resurgence.

Ending the festival on a high, the great aussie bbq will be hosted by the masters of the sausage sizzle, the gurus of the grill, 2 Chefs TV (Luke Cowden and Josh McAuley) (from the Foxtel & Austar Networks), who have elevated the act of having a simple BBQ to an art form.

An incredible selection of food will be available on the day including delicious steaks, succulent fresh seafood and incredible multi-cultural cuisine that will stimulate the senses- provided by some of the Gold Coast’s top restaurants.

Surfers Paradise Alliance CEO Rowena Howe is looking forward to closing the Festival with the great aussie bbq feeling that it will be the perfect, light hearted and fun family orientated event to finish on a high what has been an incredible 2 months for the area.

“For the finale we felt that we wanted to do something very light hearted and fun to finish with and the great aussie bbq fits that bill perfectly,” said Ms Howe.

“2 Chefs TV will be cooking up a storm with live demonstrations incorporating prime meats, seafood, veggies & other quality local produce, with the spotlight put on barbecued delicacies from around the globe such as Japanese, Jamaican and Greek for the crowds to sample.”

“Get your fill of true-blue tucker and global barbecue treats at the Cav's Steakhouse stall, where mini wagyu burgers and barbecued corn on the cob with chilli butter await, while the German Sausage Hut will be selling delicious, thick barbecued sausages.”

“It’s an event with food at its heart and a goal of providing fresh produce, simply prepared ,in a lighthearted, fun environment- a philosophy that we feel has been part of the soul of the Surfers Paradise Festival.”

“It is the ultimate celebration of what can be considered a cornerstone of Australian cultural identity, the humble old barbie.”

The day will feature Aussie tribute bands including idol contestant Casey Barnes and other musicians performing on stage, market stalls e scattered throughout the par as well as an Aussie Bar set up under the beachside trees making for what will be the perfect day out.

With World Cup Fever gripping the nation our very own Gold Coast United Football Club will be attending the great aussie bbq.

Although Gold Coast United players Jason Culina who is playing for Australia and Shane Smeltz who is part of the New Zealand squad, will not be there it will still be a chance for the community to interact with their homegrown team, while the world’s largest sporting tournament is taking place.

Events such as this allow RACQ Careflight Rescue to raise the money needed for the 24/7 lifesaving assistance it gives according to spokesperson Brooke Chapman and she is proud to be involved with the Surfers Paradise Festival and great aussie bbq to conduct the vital fundraising activity the organisation needs to continue its crucial missions.

“Events such as this allow us to continue to provide southern Queensland access to treatment that can often be the difference between life and death,” said Ms Chapman.

“The opportunity to be involved with the great aussie bbq and to raise money for the vital service that RACQ Careflight provides is something we are proud of and we look forward to seeing everyone there on Sunday.”

It will finish with a massive beachside fireworks display marking the end to what has been an incredible Festival that has transformed the area into a cultural hub over the past nine weeks, a transformation that has also shown to attendees of events such as oneway project and launch it the flourishing arts and cultural scene developing on the Gold Coast.

“The Festival has been a massive success both in terms of attendance and forging links with the Gold Coast’s arts community and we are already planning for next year to be bigger and better, said Ms Howe.

“One of the main focuses for next year will remain the goal of providing a showcase for the cities diverse cultural scene.”

“The aim of Surfers Paradise Alliance is to make the Surfers Paradise Festival a mainstay on the Australian events scene and to elevate it to the national stage.”

Produced by Surfers Paradise Alliance, in conjunction with the Gold Coast City Council and the Queensland Government, the inaugural Surfers Paradise Festival has seen the beach, streets, parks, venues & eateries of Surfers filled with energetic live performances, engaging art displays, vibrant outdoor festivals and foodie events over May and June.

The Surfers Paradise Festival has been unique due to its strong arts focus and its goal of creating a cultural enclave within the area.

What: the great aussie bbq

cost FREE entry, food and drink prices will be shown on the day

2 Chefs Bio:

Luke Cowden and Josh McAuley are 2 Chefs TV - a cooking show that listens to the people who watch it & then makes an episode based entirely on that feedback...about time! 2 Chefs TV brings a touch of gourmet to you, but keeps it simple enough for everyone to follow. The ingredients are what you mostly know, but 2 Chefs TV kindly & gently introduce you to new flavours & ingredients at a pace you feel comfortable with. On top of all this, they’re real, they’re approachable, & they’re here to help. They love getting questions & requests for how to cook anything & everything & that’s the whole premise of 2 Chefs TV. It is the first truly interactive cooking show of its kind. Check out 2 Chefs TV on the Foxtel & Austar Networks & visit 2chefstv.com.au for more info.

For more information please go to surfersparadise.com