The 7 Best Things To Do In Perth This November
Perth’s officially thawed, and things are heating up with record speed. With a crop of cool new bars and an insane number of festivals, it’s clear we’re all ready for a collective party. All you need to do is choose your props and setting: fine dining in the south west, beers and burgers at the Urban Orchard, or epic live acts in the heart of Northbridge? You decide.
#1 Have a drink on the beach at new venue The Shorehouse
Here on the west coast, we love cozying up to the ocean while we dine – and will sacrifice service and quality to do so. But at new venue The Shorehouse, sitting right on the Swanbourne shore – and, uh, nudie beach – there’s no reason to compromise. The new restaurant and bar sits in place of the old Naked Fig and comes from damn fine hospo pedigree (Enrique’s School for to Bullfighting, The Trustee, The Beaufort Street Merchant, etc.) Accordingly, the seafood-heavy menu is fresh and inventive, and the fruity cocktails are delicious. Better yet, they come in on the right side of $15. It’s a Perth miracle! Look out for the “love seat” – it’s the best in the house to soak up the sun.
#2 Celebrate local music at WAM Festival
Fact: Perth produces great music. So it’s an absolute no-brainer that WAM Festival, with a 166-strong lineup of local acts, will be awesome. Strewn around various locations in Perth, there’s plenty of chances to see some of our best homegrown up-and-comers – like triple j faves Tired Lion, Laneway headliner Methyl Ethyl, and Laura Lane Lowther’s electro-pop project Kucka, that saw her work with A$AP Rocky. The DJ-fuelled Block Party is back, as are the free concerts at venues like The Bird, Ezra Pound, and Universal Bar – plus new spots The Boston and Jimmy’s Den. Last year saw over 10,000 people cramming to get in on the collective action, so be prepared to wait in line.
#3 Party down at new bar The Blue Flamingo
Ah Leedy. For all your fabulous breakfast options, your nightlife has always left something to be desired. Case in point: The Leederville Hotel aka Seedy Leedy, where drunken turbos would dance in cages before spilling out onto the street. Good news then that The Blue Flamingo, a palm tree-festooned joint that promises tropical cocktails and good times, has just opened in the outdoor space of the Leedy, which closed for renovations last year. It’s inspired by California, Cuba and the Caribbean, so expect street–style food like grilled corn or Cuban pork sandwich, upbeat tropic tunes, and a rum and pisco-focused drinks list. Just like an island holiday.
#4 Head to the Beaufort Street Festival
To describe the Beaufort Street Festival as just a street festival seems like kind of a disservice. It’s an all-out extravaganza – last year saw 160,000 attendees rock up – and one of the biggest events on the WA calendar. If you’re prepared to shove your way through the crowds, here’s what you need to see: the stART-up gallery, where local artists sell their wares in an open market; symPOPsium, a pop-up activation featuring illuminated beat-dice; and BLOOM, an interactive recycled sculpture that also went to the London Olympics. Or, if you’re a bit bedraggled, you could get a fresh snip by Short, Back & Sidewalks in exchange for a donation. Well, why not? After all that crowd pushing, have a fruity cocktail at the chilled El Publico Shady Shack, or head to Beaufort Street fave Clarence’s to unwind.
#5 Swill some afternoon brews at Bar Pop Beer Fest
What’s better than beer? Beer with burgers! And both will be in ample supply at this pop-up beer festival, with ciders and brews from all over the world to taste, and sliders doled out by the truckful (literally – a bunch of food trucks and some of Perth’s most popular restaurants will be stationed there).
#6 Head to Margaret River for the Gourmet Escape
The Gourmet Escape is one of the best food events of the year bar none, with famous chefs and foodies flocking from all around the globe. Buy an entry to the Gourmet Village (think the Royal Show for grownups) or up the ante with ticketed events. There’s too many to list but highlights are Sunset, Beats & Bites, with canapés and wine tastings with tunes by Surahn from Empire of the Sun; Battle of the Breweries, where Cheeky Monkey Brewery and Colonial Brewing Co go head-to-head in a blind taste test; and Brunch with the Best, where top chefs wax lyrical while you hoe into your gourmet hamper. Bring your fat pants.
#7 Have a reggae Sunday sesh at the Rosemount
Proof of the Sunshine Brothers’ longevity: their November residency at The Rosemount this year marks exactly a decade since their first. The chilled-out reggae band have seen them produce three albums and travel the world, and now the Perth band is back home to spin us their beachy dub. With free entry, a sun-soaked outside courtyard, and brews from Feral Brewery, this Sunday sesh is the best precursor to summer we can think of.
(Lead image: Bar Pop)
