Southeast Queensland’s big weekend has kicked off, here’s everything you need to know about Blues on Broadbeach

Southeast Queensland is in for a big weekend, here’s everything you need to watch out for at Blues on Broadbeach. See the details.

It’s a huge weekend for south-east Queensland - Brisbane hosting NRL’s Magic Round and the Gold Coast’s Blues on Broadbeach.

While the two major drawcard events coincide, Experience Gold Coast’s visitor economy head Rachel Hancock said the clash wouldn’t effect attendee numbers.

“The Magic Round is a massive event for Queensland but the Blues on Broadbeach is a really different market and we’re just so excited about this,” she said.

Rachel Hancock and John Warn at the Italian Renaissance Alive Australian exhibition premiere at HOTA for Gold Coast at Large. Picture, Portia Large.

Blues legends and fans have been streaming into Gold Coast Airport after it kicked off on Thursday.

Queensland Airports Limited chief operating officer Marion Charlton said they aimed to get the party started as soon as travellers start arriving.

“We have the Blues Brothers providing free entertainment here every day as well at the airport, so it’s a lot going on.

“We’re expecting about 40,000 passengers to use the travel in and out over the weekend. And we know a lot of those will be coming to the festival.” she said.

Blues on Broadbeach - mostly free - is hosting its first ticketed event stage, headlined by Fat Freddy’s Drop performing their only Australian show for 2024.

Ms Charlton: “If people want to go to a ticket event they will but they don’t need to, there’s still so much to do at this festival that you can just do for no charge”

New Zealand's Fat Freddy's Drop will take a break from working on their new album to headline St Kilda's Pleasure Garden festival on December 9.

Ms Hancock said the festival held a “great interstate market” but continued to expand every year.

“We seeing really strong international market now too, particularly from New Zealand, Singapore and the US, so it just grows in stature every year,

“The international market is coming back a little bit slowly so we’re really looking to target events that bring those international travellers and Blues on Broadbeach is a great example of that,” she said.

“Last year’s event had about 140,000 attend. We’re expecting about 160,000 and that’s a $20 million injection into the economy,

“Accommodation is really strong this weekend sitting at around 77 per cent. But we know we’ll get that last-minute traffic as always, so hoping to see that increase,” she said.

GUIDE Blues on Broadbeach 2024

Friday: First act 8am, The Loose Moose stage

Final act 12.45am on The Broadbeach stage.

Friday highlights: Cass Eager on Victoria Park stage at 4.45pm

Eric Bibb on Victoria Park stage at 6.30pm

Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton on the Kurrawa Park main stage at 8.45pm

Also to look out for is the member exclusive Twelve Bar Society ‘In conversation with Eric Bibb’ in the Sofitel Ballroom at 2.30pm.

Saturday: First act 8am, The Loose Moose stage.

Final act 12.45am, The Broadbeach stage.

Highlights: Cass Eager 11.15am, Kurrawa Park main stage, Eric Bibb 12.45pm, Kurrawa Park main stage, Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton 5pm, Victoria Park stage, Ana Popvic 6.45pm Victoria Park stage, Melissa Etheridge 7.45pm, Kurrawa Park main stage.

Twelve Bar Society ‘Take me to the River Screening and Q+A’ at 10am and the ‘In conversation with Ana Popovic’ at 2.30pm both in the Sofitel Ballroom.

Sunday’s first act begins at 8am on The Loose Moose stage and the final act will finish at 11.30am on The Broadbeach stage.

Acts to look out for on Sunday include:

BOOMCHILD on the Kurrawa Park main stage at 3.30pm

Tijuana Cartel on the Kurrawa Park main stage at 5pm

Fat Freddy’s Drop ticketed event) on the Kurrawa Park main stage at 6.45pm

Cass Eager on The Broadbeach stage at 10pm

Also to look out for is Triple M’s Gold Artist Chats at 10am on the Surf Parade Roundabout