At a glance
- What
- The City of Gold Coast’s Movies Under the Stars program, free and family-friendly, from September 2026 to April 2027
- Next
- Hotel Transylvania at Runaway Bay Cricket Club, Friday 30 October, activities from 4:30pm and the film at 6:30pm
- Then
- Cats in the Museum 2 at Burleigh Beach on Friday 6 November, and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle at Jacobs Well on Saturday 7 November
- Typical night
- Kids’ activities, face painting and food trucks first, then the movie about two hours later
- Ratings
- 11 of the 13 listed films are PG, Sing is G, and The Polar Express listing gives no rating
- Who it’s for
- Families who want a free evening outdoors in their own part of the Gold Coast
- What to do now
- Pick the date nearest you from the table, pack a picnic, and check the event’s Facebook page on the day if the weather looks uncertain
- Last checked
- Monday 26 October 2026, against the City’s What’s On Gold Coast listings
- Not yet confirmed
- Start times and film details for the Surfers Paradise screening on 28 November, which the listing does not give; more dates may be added to the program
The City of Gold Coast is running free outdoor movie nights in local parks from September 2026 to April 2027, and 13 of them are listed from Friday 30 October 2026 to Saturday 17 April 2027. The next one is Hotel Transylvania at Runaway Bay Cricket Club this Friday.
This guide uses the City’s What’s On Gold Coast listings for each screening, read on 26 October 2026. The City may add dates, and an outdoor screening can change with the weather, so use the event page for the night you plan to go.
Where and when are the Movies Under the Stars nights?
| Date | Film (rating, length) | Park and suburb | Times the listing gives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 30 October 2026 | Hotel Transylvania (PG, 91 minutes) | Runaway Bay Cricket Club, Sports Drive, Runaway Bay | Activities from 4:30pm; film at 6:30pm |
| Friday 6 November 2026 | Cats in the Museum 2 (PG, 90 minutes) | Burleigh Beach in front of the surf club, Goodwin Terrace, Burleigh Heads | 4:30pm to 8:30pm; film at 6:30pm |
| Saturday 7 November 2026 | Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (PG, 119 minutes) | Riesenweber Park, 27 Bay Drive, Jacobs Well | Activities from 5pm; film at 7pm |
| Saturday 21 November 2026 | Minions & Monsters (PG, 90 minutes) | Palm Beach Parklands, 945 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach | 5pm to 9pm; film at 7pm |
| Saturday 28 November 2026 | The Polar Express | Lionel Perry Park, Peninsula Drive, Surfers Paradise | 7pm |
| Friday 18 December 2026 | Elf (PG, 97 minutes) | Kurrawa Park, Old Burleigh Road, Broadbeach | 7pm to 8:45pm; the listing says open from 6pm, film at 7pm |
| Saturday 9 January 2027 | The Spongebob Movie: Search for Squarepants (PG, 88 minutes) | Bim’Bimba Park, Gainsborough Drive, Pimpama | 5pm |
| Saturday 6 February 2027 | GOAT (PG, 100 minutes) | Brien Harris Oval, 1 Peachey Road, Ormeau | Activities from 5pm |
| Saturday 13 February 2027 | The Legend of Ochi (PG, 96 minutes) | Macintosh Island Park, Main Beach Parade, Main Beach | 7pm to 9pm; the listing says to join from 6pm, film at 7pm |
| Saturday 20 February 2027 | GOAT (PG, 100 minutes) | Paradise Point Parklands, The Esplanade, Paradise Point | Header says 4:30pm; the text says activities from 5pm and the film at 7pm |
| Saturday 20 March 2027 | Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (PG, 119 minutes) | Paradise Point Parklands, The Esplanade, Paradise Point | Activities from 4:30pm; film at 6:30pm |
| Saturday 27 March 2027 | Sing (G, 108 minutes) | Ashmore Village Park, Mualla Drive, Ashmore | Activities from 4:30pm |
| Saturday 17 April 2027 | The Spongebob Movie: Search for Squarepants (PG, 88 minutes) | Paradise Point Parklands, The Esplanade, Paradise Point | Activities from 4:30pm; film at 6:30pm |
Some listings give only a start time, so the film time for those nights follows the pattern on the other pages: activities first, then the movie about two hours later. Treat that as a guide and check the event page. The 20 February listing at Paradise Point gives 4:30pm in its header but 5pm and 7pm in its text, so confirm that night’s times with the City before you go.
Which night should I pick?
The program rotates through the coast, with several nights at Paradise Point in 2027 and single nights at Runaway Bay, Burleigh Heads, Jacobs Well, Palm Beach, Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Pimpama, Ormeau, Main Beach and Ashmore. Most listings are in the late afternoon or evening, and the latest screenings, such as Elf on 18 December and The Legend of Ochi on 13 February, are listed as 7pm starts.
Is it free, and what happens before the film?
The City describes the program as free, family-friendly fun in parks across the city. Its listings say to gather your family and friends, pack a picnic or use the food options in the local area. For most nights the listing says the event starts with kids’ activities, face painting and food trucks on site, and that the movie follows. The listings do not mention tickets or bookings, so there is nothing to buy; check the event page in case that changes.
What films are showing, and are they suitable for children?
Of the 13 listings, 11 are PG, Sing is G, and The Polar Express listing gives no rating. The listings for these films, in order:
- Hotel Transylvania (PG, 91 minutes): Dracula runs a high-end resort away from the human world and becomes overprotective when a boy discovers it and falls for his teenaged daughter.
- Cats in the Museum 2 (PG, 90 minutes): a mouse and two cats travel from St Petersburg to Egypt to search for a Genie.
- Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (PG, 119 minutes): four students are drawn into a video game and must finish it to return to the real world.
- Minions & Monsters (PG, 90 minutes): the Minions’ story of becoming movie stars, losing everything and unleashing monsters.
- Elf (PG, 97 minutes), GOAT (PG, 100 minutes), The Legend of Ochi (PG, 96 minutes), Sing (G, 108 minutes) and The Spongebob Movie: Search for Squarepants (PG, 88 minutes) are the later titles.
The City’s listing for The Polar Express gives no rating or length, so check its page for details.
What if the weather turns?
Each listing says that if the weather is uncertain, or for more information including updates, you should check the event’s Facebook page. The City’s listings do not describe a wet-weather venue or a reschedule date, so this guide cannot say what happens in rain.
How do I get there?
The City’s advice on every listing is to use public transport, walking or cycling if you can, and to plan the trip with Translink’s journey planner. If you drive, the City warns that parking may be limited, suggests the EasyPark app for metered parking and reminds drivers that parking regulations still apply during events. For how the meters work, see our guide to Gold Coast parking meters; for a fine, see our guide to paying or disputing one.
Who runs each night?
The listings name the City councillor whose division hosts each screening: Division 4’s Cr Shelley Curtis for Runaway Bay and Paradise Point, Division 13’s Cr Josh Martin for Burleigh Heads and Palm Beach, Division 1’s Cr Mark Hammel for Jacobs Well, Pimpama and Ormeau, Division 10’s Cr Darren Taylor for Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Main Beach, and Division 6’s Cr Brooke Patterson for Ashmore. Councillors present the events for their communities, and the same program can reach most of the coast.
Is there another outdoor movie series?
Yes. The City also runs Flicks & Fireworks on the beach at Surfers Paradise on the last Sunday of the month. The listing says the movie starts at 7pm, with fireworks over the ocean at 8pm and a short intermission before the film finishes. It lists Sunday 29 November and Sunday 27 December with the movie still to be announced, and the Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets join in on some nights. It suggests a picnic blanket or low-backed chair.
In December the City’s Surfers Paradise Christmas Flicks & Fireworks shows Elf on Sunday 6 December, The Grinch on Sunday 13 December and Home Alone 2 on Sunday 20 December, with Christmas Twilight Markets from 4pm, films from 7pm and fireworks at 8pm. The Coomera Christmas Flicks & Fireworks shows Arthur Christmas on Friday 18 December and Elf on Saturday 19 December, with food trucks and kids’ activities from 5:30pm, the film from 7pm and fireworks at 8:30pm. All three are described as free.
Our guide to Halloween events covers the other family events around this Friday’s Runaway Bay screening.
Sources
- What’s On Gold Coast — Movies Under the Stars: Hotel Transylvania
- What’s On Gold Coast — Movies Under the Stars: Cats in the Museum 2
- What’s On Gold Coast — Movies Under the Stars: Jumanji (Jacobs Well)
- What’s On Gold Coast — Movies Under the Stars: Minions and Monsters
- What’s On Gold Coast — Movies Under the Stars: The Polar Express
- What’s On Gold Coast — Movies Under the Stars: Elf
- What’s On Gold Coast — Movies Under the Stars: Elf and the other 2027 listings, found through all events
- What’s On Gold Coast — Flicks & Fireworks, Surfers Paradise Christmas Flicks & Fireworks and Coomera Christmas Flicks & Fireworks
Featured image: Lions Park at Ashmore, photographed in 2022, shown for orientation and not a screening site (photo: Shiftchange / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with the City of Gold Coast. Event details change; check each event page before you go.