Inclusive Events and Activities on the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast offers a growing range of inclusive events and activities designed to help people of all abilities feel welcome, connected, and involved in the community. These events provide opportunities to socialise, learn new skills, access support services, and enjoy shared experiences in safe and accessible environments.
Disability Expos and Community Information Days
Disability expos and community information events are a fantastic way for individuals, families, carers, and support coordinators to connect with local services and supports available across the Gold Coast and surrounding regions. (Check out our previous blog where we attended the Gold Coast Disabilty Expo in Coomera)
These events often include:
Information stalls from NDIS providers and community organisations
Workshops and presentations about navigating the NDIS
Assistive technology demonstrations
Networking opportunities with allied health professionals and support services
Entertainment, giveaways, and family-friendly activities
Expos can also help participants build confidence in accessing supports independently and discovering new opportunities within their community. Many events are designed with accessibility in mind, including wheelchair access, quiet spaces, accessible bathrooms, and sensory considerations.
Popular local events may include disability expos, community wellbeing days, multicultural festivals, and local council events focused on inclusion and accessibility.
Sensory-Friendly Movie Screenings
For some individuals, traditional cinema environments can feel overwhelming due to loud sound, dark lighting, or crowded spaces. Sensory-friendly movie sessions create a more comfortable and inclusive experience for people with sensory sensitivities, autism, anxiety, or other support needs.
These screenings may include:
Lower volume levels
Dimmed lighting instead of complete darkness
Freedom to move around during the movie
Reduced audience numbers
Relaxed expectations around noise and movement
Sensory-friendly screenings provide an opportunity for individuals and families to enjoy entertainment in a supportive environment without fear of judgement. At the moment Hoyts Tweed city & Event Cinemas Robina and Coomera offer sensory friendly screenings along with, Audio descriptive, Closed captioning with text and sound descriptions , along with open captioning where the text descriptions are displayed on the screen.
AD: Multiple people sitting in red cinema chairs watching a movie, their faces illuminated by the screen.
Local Markets & Family-Friendly Community Events
The Gold Coast is home to many welcoming community markets and family events that offer accessible pathways, open spaces, seating areas, food vendors, live entertainment, and inclusive environments for people of all abilities.
Markets
Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets – A popular evening market with wide beachfront walkways, live entertainment, and accessible public facilities nearby.
Carrara Markets – One of the Gold Coast’s largest markets featuring food stalls, shopping, family entertainment, and accessible parking areas.
Broadbeach-Art and Craft on the Coast Beachfront Markets (1st and 3rd Sundays) – Located at Kurrawa Park with open pathways, beachfront access, and artisan stalls.
Palm Beach Farmers Market – A relaxed community market with fresh produce, local businesses, and family-friendly spaces.
The Helensvale Farmers Market – A smaller accessible market ideal for quieter community outings.
Burleigh Market – A community-focused market with local produce, food vendors, and outdoor accessible areas.
Many Gold Coast markets now include:
Accessible parking and amenities
Open-air layouts for easier mobility access
Seating and shaded rest areas
Family-friendly activities and entertainment
Companion card-friendly nearby venues and attractions
Art, Music & Cultural Festivals
Inclusive arts and cultural festivals help create opportunities for connection, creativity, and celebrating diversity within the community.
Recommended Festivals & Cultural Events
SWELL Sculpture Festival – A large outdoor arts festival at Currumbin featuring accessible beachfront pathways, sculptures, workshops, and community activities.
Groundwater Country Music Festival – A free live music festival in Broadbeach with accessible public spaces and family-friendly entertainment.
Cooly Rocks On – A major community festival in Coolangatta celebrating music, culture, classic cars, and community connection.
Sand Safari Arts Festival – A unique public art festival in Surfers Paradise showcasing large-scale sand sculptures and interactive displays.
Surface Festival – A community arts festival celebrating local creativity, live performances, and public art experiences.
HOTA, Home of the Arts – Hosts inclusive performances, exhibitions, workshops, outdoor cinema events, and accessible arts programming throughout the year.
Community cultural festivals also regularly take place at Broadwater Parklands and other accessible public venues across the Gold Coast. These often include:
Accessible viewing areas
Quiet zones and open spaces
Family activities
Food stalls and live entertainment
Inclusive community participation opportunities
Inclusive Sports & Recreation Programs
Inclusive recreation programs help people of all abilities participate in physical activity, social connection, skill development, and confidence-building.
Inclusive Recreation & Activity Providers
Gold Coast Recreation & Sport – Supports inclusive recreation opportunities, community sport participation, and accessible wellbeing programs.
Gold Coast Inclusive Sports – Focuses on creating sporting opportunities for people of all abilities in supportive community environments.
Zero Latency Gold Coast – Offers interactive virtual reality experiences that can be adapted for a range of abilities and group participation.
iFLY Gold Coast – Indoor skydiving experiences with accessibility supports and inclusive participation opportunities.
ArtVo Gold Coast – An interactive visual art experience that encourages creativity, movement, and community engagement in an accessible indoor setting.
Inclusive Community Events
Pizzey Park Skatepark – Hosts the “Just Roll With It” inclusive skate festival designed to make skateboarding accessible for people with mobility challenges and disabilities.
AD: Yellow weatherboard background with concrete floor tiles. Brightly coloured skateboard leaning up against the yellow weatherboard
Final Thoughts
Everyone deserves access to welcoming, inclusive spaces where they feel safe, respected, and supported. As communities continue to improve accessibility and inclusion, more people are able to participate fully in everyday life.
The Gold Coast offers a growing number of accessible community spaces, activities, and events that help foster connection and belonging for people of all abilities. When communities are inclusive, everyone benefits.
