Coffs Harbour Paint and Sip Soirée: 50+ Elephants, Cocktails, and a Sunny Sunday That Tried to Cook Us

Coffs Harbour turned it on again. Our latest Paint and Sip Soirée was a full house, not a spare seat left, and a whole balcony full of brand new mates painting elephants while the sun did its absolute best to turn everyone into crispy chips.

It was one of those proper Sunday sessions where you show up thinking, “I’ll just have one drink and do a nice calm painting”… and then suddenly you’re three songs deep, the table’s covered in paint water, and you’re emotionally attached to your elephant’s eyelashes.

The vibe: hot outside, party inside (well, balcony)

It was properly warm. Not “oh it’s a bit sunny” warm. It was “why is the air hugging me” warm.

But the drinks were flowing, the laughs were loud, and the balcony energy was exactly what Coffs does best. People were chatting across tables, swapping colours, giving unsolicited (and wildly confident) artistic opinions, and somehow still producing absolute banger canvases.

The artwork: elephants, but make it Paint

We painted elephants, but not the sad-grey-zoo kind. These were bold, punchy, personality elephants.

What came out on the day was unreal:

• Electric blues and deep navies with bright, sunny halos

• Orange and golden “outback sunset” backgrounds

• Tusks going full dramatic (as they should)

• A few rogue colour choices that had no right working, but worked anyway

• Some genuinely stunning brushwork from people who swear they “can’t paint”

Every table had a different vibe happening. Some went clean and graphic, some went textured and wild, and a couple of you chose chaos… which I respect.

Lotti Rem on the mic: the secret sauce

If you’ve been to one of our sessions with Lotti Rem, you already know the deal. The painting is the activity, but the live vocals are the thing that flips it from “nice class” to “actual event”.

Lotti had the room hooked. Singalongs kicked off, people were dancing in their seats, and the whole place had that feel where strangers become mates in about 10 minutes flat. Exactly how it should be.

The best part: the people (and the accidental comedy)

Coffs crowds always bring it. You lot came ready to have a good time, and it showed.

There’s something hilarious about watching a group of grown adults take an elephant painting extremely seriously, like the canvas is headed straight to the Louvre. And then five minutes later you’re all laughing because someone’s elephant looks slightly judgemental. Iconic.

Also, shout out to everyone who:

• kept painting even after a drink or two made the brush feel “mysteriously heavier”

• helped their neighbour mix the perfect colour like you were on MasterChef

• committed to the bit and gave their elephant a whole personality

Venue perks: drinks nearby, sunshine vibes, zero fuss

One of the best things about this session was how easy it all felt. Drinks and cocktails close by, plenty of space to spread out, and a bright, open setup that just suited the afternoon perfectly.

Quick note for anyone new: drinks and food can be purchased from the venue, and you’re welcome to grab them during the session. No drinks or food are included in your ticket.

Final verdict

Sold out. 50+ painters. A balcony full of colour. Live music. Plenty of laughs. And a gallery of elephants that honestly deserve their own little touring exhibition.

Coffs Harbour, you were a bloody delight. If you want to come to our Coffs Harbour Paint and Sip sessions, check out the website!