If you are looking for a pleasant place to take a special person on a first date, then the “Afterglow” in the Brisbane City Botanical Gardens is exactly what will work.
It is a light show, gently narrated by Nunukul and Yuggera man Shannon Ruska, who shares First Nations’ stories with us through the on-ground speakers as we move around the gardens in the gloam. Enjoy the “smoking” at the beginning. It is to cleanse you and open you to the spirit of the evening.
The lightshow melds with the dreaming story and the lights provide a perfect backdrop to a sensitive and respectful engagement with Australian First Nation’s culture and a safe place to guide your date.
Entrance is by ticket, which you select for entry in a 15-minute slot, so you’ll not be swamped by hordes of people. Go early, with the sunset, and enjoy the lights of the city as they emerge from the gloom against the backdrop of the flames, colours, and music of “Afterglow”.
“Afterglow” is a gentle installation. You are guided quietly through the gardens, along beautifully lit paths. You have time to sit and enjoy the colours and the music.
Festival Guides are located at key decision points throughout the Gardens, providing both guidance and safety to those enjoying the event.
There are no speeches, no gathering points, and no sense of being watched.
It’s a lovely experience, one almost designed for sensitive souls on a first date. So take the opportunity while it is there.
Go to: https://www.afterglowau.com/brisbane for tickets. It’s on until 27th September.
Kerry McGovern
