Better Cities delivered the stakeholder engagement for TEG’s Out 2 Lunch festival at Coolangatta Beach by applying a high‑capacity, event‑scale engagement model tailored to a major beachfront activation.

Given the size and visibility of the festival, the team focused on early, proactive engagement with residents, traders, tourism operators, and event‑adjacent stakeholders to identify opportunities, mitigate impacts and build community support.

Engagement methods were fast, targeted and practical - drop‑ins, precinct walk‑arounds, direct business engagement and clear, accessible communication materials ensuring people understood event logistics, bump‑in/bump‑out activity, traffic changes and the economic benefits.

The success of Out 2 Lunch, which drew 30,000 people and generated strong local and visitor participation, reflected this groundwork: issues were anticipated and resolved early, stakeholders felt informed and respected, and the festival proceeded smoothly with a high level of community buy‑in, reinforcing the Gold Coast’s reputation as a premier event destination.