Sessions Surf Festival Gold Coast — 2026 Recap and Where to Stay for 2027
Updated: Sep 18
Sessions Surf Festival ran on the Sessions Surf Festival Gold Coast calendar from 23 to 30 May 2026: Dope Lemon at Miami Marketta on the opening Saturday, surf films across three venues midweek, and Surf of Origin closing it out free at Burleigh Headland. Both bookend venues are a walk from Burleigh Gold Coast Motel.
G:link Stage 3 opened on 9 August 2026, extending the tram south from Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads. Miami and Burleigh Heads are on the line, and the Christine Avenue stop is on our corner. For the next edition you can reach the Gold Coast Sessions venues on a 50-cent Translink fare without moving the car — tram from our corner, or bus 700 from Miami One (~300m) for Currumbin.
2027 dates have not been announced. Rooms for the late-May window are open now, from $125 a night when you book direct.
What Sessions Surf Festival Gold Coast 2026 looked like
Founded and curated by surf filmmaker Taylor Steele, Sessions ran its second Australian edition in 2026 after debuting here as Solento Surf Festival in June 2025. The 2026 program spread across Miami, Burleigh Heads, Currumbin and Surfers Paradise, backed by Experience Gold Coast, the City of Gold Coast, Mondrian Gold Coast, Balter, Vissla, Sun Bum and Solento Tequila.
21 May — Sessions Masterclass Series
Taylor Steele hosted the masterclass on surf filmmaking, running through storyboarding, production, post and distribution.
23 May — Music Session, Miami Marketta
The opening night, and the biggest ticketed event of the week. Doors at 2pm, six acts, one stage.
2:30pm — Ella Fence (Gold Coast)
3:30pm — Laurel Hill (Gold Coast)
4:25pm — Makua Rothman (Hawaii)
5:30pm — Mt Warning (Northern Rivers)
6:45pm — Babe Rainbow (Byron Bay)
8:15pm — Dope Lemon (Angus Stone)
Two spots on the bill were reserved for Gold Coast artists and filled by open submission. Miami Marketta is a short walk from our door, or one stop north on the tram to Miami station.
25, 28 and 29 May — Film Sessions
Three venues carried the film program: Balter Taproom at Currumbin, HOTA at Surfers Paradise, and Mondrian Gold Coast on Goodwin Terrace at Burleigh Heads. New surf films, premieres, panel discussions with athletes and creatives, live music between screenings.
Mondrian sits beside the Burleigh Heads tram terminus. In 2027 that is two stops south from our corner.
26 May — SSF Art Session
6pm to 9pm. Multiple artists across multiple mediums, live music, food and drinks, built around the meeting point of surf culture and contemporary art. Otis Carey, Karlee Mackie, Paul McNeil and Jai Vasicek were among the names on the wall.
30 May — Surf of Origin, Burleigh Headland (free)
The closing event, and the one most people turned up for. A free community surf contest with multiple divisions, headlined by the Surf of Origin format that put professional surfers against NRL players. Pop-up beach bar, food vendors and a stage that ran into the evening.
About 10 minutes on foot from the motel. No ticket, no car, no parking problem.
Sessions Surf Festival 2027 — what we know
Dates are not out yet. What the pattern gives us:
2025 (as Solento Surf Festival) — 7 to 14 June
2026 (as Sessions Surf Festival) — 23 to 30 May
Both editions landed in the late-May to mid-June window, which is also when the southern Gold Coast points are working and the town is quieter. Expect an announcement through sessionssurffestival.com and @sessionssurffestival, usually a couple of months out from the festival.
When the 2027 dates drop, our rooms for that week go quickly. Opening-night Marketta gigs put pressure on every bed between Nobby Beach and Burleigh, and we only have 36 rooms.
Book flexible dates now and adjust later. Call (07) 5576 3211 and we will hold what we can once the program is confirmed.
The tram changes the maths for 2027
Before August 2026, getting between Sessions venues meant a car or a bus. G:link now runs Helensvale to Burleigh Heads on a flat 50-cent fare.
From the Christine Avenue stop on our corner:
From Miami One (~300m):
Miami Marketta is a short walk from our door — you do not need the tram for opening night. Free on-site parking at the motel, one permit per room, subject to availability. Most Sessions venues are walk or tram from here, so you may not need the car.
Why stay here for Sessions
Miami Marketta — short walk. Opening night without a designated driver.
Burleigh Headland — about 10 minutes on foot for the free closing event.
Burleigh Beach — 200m down Sixth Avenue, about two minutes.
Paddock Bakery — 150m, open from 6am. Fuel before the day events.
From $125 a night — no resort fees, no booking platform markup.
Outdoor pool — free for guests, open all year.
36 rooms, 4.7 stars on Google. Named best budget-friendly accommodation in Burleigh Heads by Virgin Australia's Where to Stay guide — an editorial pick, not a paid listing.
About Taylor Steele
Sessions Surf Festival was founded by Taylor Steele, one of the most influential surf filmmakers working. His credits include Momentum, Hit & Run (2000), This Time Tomorrow (2012), Missing (2013), Proximity (2016), and the series Save This Shark (2020) and Nature Is Speaking (2021–23).
The festival launched in Encinitas, California in 2021 and came to Australia in 2025. Steele lived on the Gold Coast, surfed here daily, and has said the region shaped him creatively — which is why the Australian edition reads less like a touring festival and more like a local one.
Booked out for Sessions? Here is what is on before then
The Gold Coast calendar does not go quiet between now and May. If you are looking for a reason to come sooner:
SWELL Sculpture Festival — 11 to 20 September, Currumbin Beach, free
Crafted Beer & Cider Festival — Saturday 12 September, Kurrawa Park, Broadbeach
BLEACH Festival — 1 to 11 October, HOTA precinct
Coolangatta Gold — 17 to 18 October, Coolangatta Beach
Groundwater Country Music Festival — 16 to 18 October, Broadbeach, free
Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 — 23 to 25 October, Surfers Paradise street circuit
See what is on this weekend in our Gold Coast weekend guide, or the full year in Budget Gold Coast Accommodation 2026.
Our rooms
36 rooms from $125/night. Every room has free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with free-to-air channels, microwave, bar fridge, kettle, private ensuite, linen and towels, and free parking subject to availability.
Double — sleeps 2 — from $125/night
Triple — sleeps 3 — from $165/night — ground-floor triples on request
Quad — sleeps 4 — from $185/night
Family — sleeps 5 — from $195/night
Interconnecting — sleeps 5–6 — from $295/night — two rooms, two bathrooms
Rates current as of June 2026. Confirm live availability when booking. There is no lift. Upper floors are stairs only.
Frequently asked questions
When is Sessions Surf Festival 2027?
Dates have not been announced. The 2026 edition ran 23–30 May and the 2025 edition (as Solento Surf Festival) ran 7–14 June, so the late-May to mid-June window is the one to plan around. Watch sessionssurffestival.com for the announcement, and book accommodation as soon as it lands.
Where does Sessions Surf Festival take place?
Across the Gold Coast. In 2026 the venues were Miami Marketta (opening music session), Balter Taproom at Currumbin, HOTA at Surfers Paradise and Mondrian Gold Coast at Burleigh Heads (film and art), and Burleigh Headland for the free closing event.
Is Sessions Surf Festival free?
Partly. The Burleigh Headland closing event is free and open to everyone. The Miami Marketta music session is ticketed, and some film and art sessions require an RSVP.
Can I get to the venues without a car?
Yes, and more easily than in 2026. G:link and bus 765 stop at the Christine Avenue stop on our corner. Miami Marketta is a short walk; Burleigh Headland is about 10 minutes on foot. For Balter Taproom at Currumbin, take route 700 from Miami One (~300m). 50-cent Translink fares with a go card or contactless. Route 777 at Miami One is Gold Coast Airport only.
How far is the motel from Miami Marketta and Burleigh Headland?
Miami Marketta is a short walk. Burleigh Headland is about 10 minutes on foot. Burleigh Beach is 200m down Sixth Avenue.
Book Direct — Best Rates
Phone: (07) 5576 3211 · Email: info@burleighmotel.com.au · Location: 1908–1910 Gold Coast Highway, Miami QLD 4220
Walk to opening night. Walk to the close. Sleep in Burleigh.
