A scoop of summer, with sprinkles on top

6th January 2021 | Eativity editors

You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy ice cream, which is pretty much the same thing. This means that the Gold Coast is set for a very happy new year indeed: HOTA, Home of the Arts – a vibrant cultural precinct situated in the heart of the Gold Coast – will next weekend host SCOOP!, a celebration of summer that promises plenty of ice cream along with a sprinkle of circus, a spoonful of sunshine and the occasional dollop of surprise.

Featuring world-class entertainment and sweet treats across eight sessions from Friday, January 15 to Sunday (or should that be Sundae?), January 17, SCOOP! will see Australia’s best circus, cabaret and acrobatic performers provide the backdrop to a multi-sensory playground of ice cream delights, pop-up beer gardens with live music and DJs, sideshow rides and refreshing dips in the HOTA lake (BYO flotation devices and sun-safe gear).

Flipside Circus’ SPF (Summer Play Factor) is a family show that celebrates Australian summer traditions.

Live performances at SCOOP! will include the world premiere of site-specific works by renowned contemporary circus companies including Circa, Circus Company 2, Hoopla Clique, Flipside Circus and the Gold Coast Mermaids Synchronised Swimming Club.

“Theatre companies like Circa and Company 2 usually spend summer touring their amazing performances across the globe,” says HOTA CEO Criena Gehrke. “We’re proud to have commissioned some of the world’s best physical theatre companies to create new works for HOTA. Ice cream, circus, sandy feet and family time, SCOOP! is literally everything you love about summer in one very sweet weekend.”

What’s your flavour: exotic ice cream creations will be on offer to tempt every tastebud.

On Friday, January 15 and Saturday, January 16, the 6pm to 9:30 pm evening sessions will see the site transform into CLUB SCOOP!, featuring after-dark tunes, plenty of cold brews, boozy ice cream combos and dedicated evening entertainment.

CLUB SCOOP!‘s program will include a SCOOP! Saloon hosted by drag glam squad the Thicc Shake Crew, Collider by Circa – which takes place inside an inflatable installation on the lake – and Voodoo Revue hosted by Guinness World Record-holder The Space Cowboy.

La Macelleria comes from Bologna, the Italian capital of gelato.

SCOOP!‘s Ice Cream Alley will see more 30 vendors set up shop for the weekend, including Ungermann Brothers ice cream, authentic Bologna export La Macelleria Gelateria, plant-based Cocowhip and an ice cream-filled doughnut from Doughluxe.

For those seeking an even more decadent foodie experience, the adults-only Ultimate Ice Cream Experience ticket will see guests sit down to a five-course degustation of sweet and savoury ice cream paired with a selection of beverages. 

To find out more, or to book tickets, head to hota.com.au/scoop