Experience Gold Coast has announced its inaugural hosting gig as popular festival returns to Southport

Gold Coast’s top tourism body has announced the return of a festival which will attract 40,000 people to its CBD. Find out more.

The City’s powerful new tourism and marketing body has revealed one of its first big plays, reviving a popular arts and light festival for the CBD.

Experience Gold Coast will announce the return of popular Big City Lights festival for Southport next year.

The event, which was trialled on the Coast in 2022, will feature immersive audiovisual experiences, large-scale digital works and 3D-mapping and projection sites created by local and nationally recognised artists.

Experience Gold Coast is announcing the return of BIG CITY LIGHTS. IN Southport TAFE carpark overlooking the Southport CBD for the announcement are Councillor Brooke Patterson, John Warn and Rosie Dennis. Picture Glenn Hampson

There are hopes the festival can capture the vibe of Sydney’s Vivid and Adelaide’s Illuminate events and attract upwards of 40,000 people.

Bringing back Big City Lights is the first major announcement by Experience Gold Coast – which was formed from the amalgamation of Destination Gold Coast, Major Events Gold Coast, Study Gold Coast, Placemakers and HOTA Gold Coast. The merger was tipped to save ratepayers almost $7m.

Experience Gold Coast CEO John Warn said Big City Lights will only add to the repertoire of unique tourism experiences that the city delivers.

“The Gold Coast has a proud reputation for creating and delivering unforgettable visitor experiences – and Big City Lights is no exception,” said Mr Warn, who only started in his role this month.

Experience Gold Coast has announced the return of Big City Lights festival to Southport in the winter of 2024. Picture: Supplied

Big City Lights executive director Rosie Dennis said the event presents a unique opportunity for the Gold Coast.

“We don’t have anything like this in southeast Queensland, and we’re starting it on the Gold Coast,” she said.

“It’s a great thing for this city and if it continues to grow year on year, it just becomes a compelling reason to come to Southport.”

Experience Gold Coast has announced the return of Big City Lights festival to Southport in the winter of 2024. Picture: Supplied

The plans for the festival will see the city’s CBD transformed with hypnotic and technicolour creations from June 21 to July7.

The free event will also feature live music and performances in venues and outdoor sites across Southport.

Ms Dennis said that after the successful pilot project in 2022 they were expanding the event and planning to create a bigger footprint in years to come.

“We’re looking to bring in Broadwater Parklands, which we weren’t able to do last year, so we’re really excited to work down there with the two installations down there,” she said,

Experience Gold Coast has announced the return of Big City Lights festival to Southport in the winter of 2024. Picture: Supplied

Ms Dennis said that she believes people in attendance of the festival will exceed the “conservative” estimates.

“What we’re modelling is 30,000 people next year coming in, I think we’ll exceed that and it’d be closer to 40,000 or 45,000,” she said.

Councillor for Division 6 Brooke Patterson said the festival will shine a light on the Southport CBD in “the most creative way.”

“It is a festival for all ages, energising and enlivening our night-time economy,” she said.

The full program will be announced on 23 April 2024.