Ten Brisbane venues celebrating Australia Day
From pie-eating contests to 50m slip and slides, here are ten Brisbane pubs, clubs and restaurants making the most of the Australia Day long weekend.
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With Australia Day just days away, you might be frantically figuring out how to spend your long weekend.
Fortunately we have found a bunch of pubs and restaurants ready to celebrate in true Aussie fashion.
From pie-eating contests, Hottest 100 listening parties, to vegemite parmies and mega slip and slides, there are so many ways to make the most of your long weekend.
It comes after revelations a major pub group forced to apologise about a controversial Australia Day celebration ban is still refusing to acknowledge the national holiday, instead encouraging Aussies to simply celebrate the “long weekend”.
Despite blatantly omitting January 26 as a public holiday in any promotional material, ‘venues owned by hospitality giant Australian Venue Co are choosing to celebrate National Lasagna Day, Valentines Day and the Super Bowl.
The foreign-owned company has more than 90 venues across Queensland.
Here are ten venues celebrating the Australia Day weekend around Brisbane:
The Story Bridge Hotel
Place your bets on the speediest cockroaches around for the Story Bridge Hotel’s 42nd Annual Cockroach Races. But the fun doesn’t end there, live bands, DJs and all day dining will be on throughout the long weekend at this iconic Brisbane venue.
What: 2025 Annual Cockroach Races + Long weekend celebrations
When: January 25
Where: Kangaroo Point
The Plough Inn
Couldn’t get enough of the cricket this summer? Have a crack at The Plough Inn’s cricket simulator in the beer garden this weekend. The South Bank venue will be serving up frozen cocktails to ward off the heat and live music across three huge days.
What: Backyard Bash Long Weekend
When: January 24 to January 26
Where: South Bank
The Charming Squire
Turn up the heat because The Charming Squire will be serving up mouth-watering meals with their radar hill smoker. Choose from three delicious options including smoked sausage hot dog, jerk spiced chicken wings, or the smoker platter.
What: Australia Day celebrations
When: January 26
Where: South Brisbane
The Bracken Ridge Tavern
A huge day of Aussie activities is happening at the Bracken Ridge Tavern on Sunday with a lamington eating competition and The Great Aussie Thong Toss on the cards.
Don your finest clothes for the fancy dress competition with prizes up for grabs. If that isn’t enough, why not take a bite out of the tavern’s vegemite parmy.
What: Australia Day party
When: January 26
Where: Bracken Ridge
Sandstone Point Hotel
Relive your childhood memories and have a go at the 50m slip and slide on Sunday. The Sandstone Point Hotel will also be holding kangaroo relay races, lamington-eating contests and an adorable wildlife show to keep everyone entertained.
What: Aussie Day Celebrations
When: January 26
Where: Sandstone Point
Caxton Hotel
$18 parmies await at the Caxton Hotel from 4 pm on Australia Day. Settle in at the fan-favourite venue for an afternoon listening to live music from Eddie Waldon.
What: Australia Day Party
When: January 26
Where: Milton
Pineapple Hotel
Celebrate Australia Day in style at the classic Pineapple Hotel. Head to Raymond Park for a thong-throwing competition before relaxing in the pub for drinks, food specials and live music. Prizes are up for grabs for the best dressed guests on the day.
What: Australia Day at the Pineapple Hotel
When: January 26
Where: Woolloongabba
The Paddo
What better way to celebrate Australia Day than with a pie-eating contest at The Paddo this Sunday. Once you have had your fill of pastries jump into the thong-throwing competition before listening to The Gents play all the classic Aussie tunes.
What: Australia Day at The Paddo
When: January 26
Where: Paddington
The Normanby
Four days of celebrations await at this Northside pub, with drink specials, giveaways and live music to complete the weekend. The Normanby will also be showing the Aus Open and the Big Bash finals live and loud throughout the hotel.
What: Aus Day Festival
When: January 24 to January 27
Where: Kelvin Grove
Breakfast Creek Hotel
Grab your mates and crack open a beer to settle in for the Aus Open and Big Bash League finals at this iconic venue. Across the long weekend, the inner-city hotel will be showing all the best sport on the big screens.
What: Aus Day Celebrations
When: January 25 to January 27
Where: Hamilton
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