Melbourne's best blockbuster events

Luminous trees, winding paths aglow with twinkling lights and towering large-scale installations. This garden takeover will be a night out of epic proportions. Book ahead and see this iconic outdoor space reimagined for winter.

Like a phoenix from the ashes, RISING returns in June. For nearly two weeks, see the city transformed by rooftop projection parties, immersive theatre, and moonlight ice-skating adventures. Can't wait? Book your spot behind the curtain of the Flinders Station Ballroom, where Patricia Piccinini's mystifying exhibit is on now.

Get a dose of retail therapy at Shop the City: Winter Weekend. There'll be winter pop-ups at all the city's iconic malls, centres and laneways. Pick up warming freebies like a hot chocolate or churros to fuel your shopping. Then discover live music, a wintery laneway market, prizes and happy hour deals. And did we mention epic discounts of up to 50 per cent off your favourite shops?

Roaring fire pits, roving performers and free entertainment. Enjoy all this and more when the Winter Night Market returns in June for an epic 14-week season. Grab a dish of your favourite winter comfort food. Think dumplings, cheese-loaded pasta and indulgent desserts. And warm up with steaming cups of mulled wine, spiced cider and hot toddies.

Be swept up in the romance and glamour of this beloved fairy tale at the Regent Theatre. The Tony Award-winning musical puts a contemporary twist on the classic tale for 2022. Revisit the songs from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella musical. And see all the iconic moments on stage, from the pumpkin transformation to the glass slippers and masquerade ball.

Melbourne's pop-up igloo wonderland returns to the banks of the Yarra. Cosy up beneath a sky of twinkling fairy lights in your own private igloo. Warm up at The Wharf Hotel with mulled wine, luxe grazing boards, chocolate fondue and boozy hot chocolate. The igloos fit up to eight people, so you can bring your pals or have a cute date night for two.

See the masterpieces that tipped the art world on its head at the NGV's world premiere of The Picasso Century. Follow Pablo Picasso's career through all its eras, including his iconic cubism period. The exhibition features over 70 works by the avant-garde artist. Alongside more than 100 works by his contemporaries including Salvador Dalí and Henri Matisse.

It’s truffle season! Follow your nose and sniff out this gourmet festival happening at Queen Victoria Market. The market is dishing up indulgent dishes topped with fresh shavings of truffles. Order Euro-inspired cheesy raclette, crepes, creamy pasta and big bowls of hot soup. Be sure to visit the adorable truffle hunting pups.

Get ready to van Gogh-off Melbourne: this 3,000 square metre projection art gallery is finally open! Explore endless rooms swirling with floor-to-ceiling digital displays based on iconic artworks by Vincent van Gogh. Then snap the ultimate selfie in a mirrored sunflower wonderland.

The world's most complete triceratops fossil has arrived in Melbourne. Clocking in at 85% complete and a whopping 1,000 kilos, 'Horridus' is the most in tact real dinosaur fossil in any Australasian Museum. Marvel at this historic wonder, then book your little mates in for an augmented reality school holidays workshop.

These award-winning productions are set to take over the city with iconic songs, dazzling set design and world-class performances. Catch the revitalised one-night production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, see history like never before at Hamilton and lose yourself in a stunning season from the Australian Ballet - including a romantic night out with an American in Paris.

An illuminating collection of art will arrive at ACMI this winter, curated by the Tate and drawn from their prestigious collection. Historical paintings by artistic heavyweights are set to be transformed by ground-breaking light works. Think Claude Monet, Yayoi Kusama, Wassily Kandinsky and more.

From Tuesday 29 March, you'll be able to score 25 per cent back on eligible entertainment experiences, when you spend $40 or more. Think cinema sessions, exhibitions, museums, galleries, zoos, live performance, comedy, theatre and heaps more. Get in quick – it’s only available while funds last. Some terms and conditions apply, visit the Victorian Government website for more information and a full list of what you can claim.