There’s Finally A New Home For The Gold Coast’s Iconic Fair Day Celebrations
Image: GC Pride Collective / Facebook
The biggest Pride celebration on the Gold Coast is getting a new home — and, by the sounds of it, a fresh start.
Gold Coast Pride Collective has announced its flagship Fair Day will return in 2026 at HOTA: Home of the Arts. This marks a significant new chapter, after last year’s Fair Day was unceremoniously cancelled, leaving the local LGBTQIA+ community without an official event.
Set to take place on Saturday June 27 from 11am to 5pm, the free, family-friendly event will bring a full day of colour and connection back to the coast. Expect live entertainment, music, a drag pageant, a pet parade, kids’ activities, food vendors and community stalls — all kicking off with the annual Pride march, with further details still to come.
Gold Coast Pride Collective President Michael James said the move to HOTA signals both growth and renewal for the event.
“We are so incredibly thrilled to announce that we are bringing the Gold Coast Pride Collective Fair Day to HOTA,” he said. “This amazing location is the perfect backdrop for our fantastic community to come together and celebrate. The team at HOTA have been amazing at helping co-ordinate this day, it would not have been possible without their support and we hope it will be the first of many years here at this iconic location.”
James also extended an open invitation to the wider community, promising more announcements in the lead-up to Pride Month.
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The announcement comes as the Gold Coast Pride Collective continues to build momentum after formally establishing itself last year as a registered charity focused on visibility and connection for Gold Coast queer folks.
Gold Coast community refuses to let Pride disappear
The return of Fair Day follows a rocky period for queer celebrations the Gold Coast. In 2025, the previous organising body ceased operations, meaning no official Fair Day or Pride March went ahead.
Rather than let the moment pass quietly, a group of local organisers and community members stepped in. They rallied to deliver a series of grassroots Pride Month events, keeping visibility alive and carving out space for connection at a time when it could have easily slipped away.
That same community energy has carried through into the formation of the GC Pride Collective — and now, into the revival of Fair Day itself.
Applications for stallholders, performers and volunteers are already open, with strong interest expected as the event returns in a refreshed format.
EDITOR NOTE: Please note Gold Coast Pride Collective President also works part-time as a Star Observer journalist – this story has not been paid for.
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