What's free in Melbourne this month

Gone a bit too hard on the wallet lately? These awesome festivals, exhibitions and family-friendly activities won't cost a cent.

A large blue LED Christmas tree in the city at night.

When is public transport half price in Melbourne?

Public transport is half price in Victoria until Friday 1 January 2027. This includes Melbourne trains, trams and buses as well as regional trains, coaches and buses. Check the full details.

Crowds at a market with lanterns, thatched roof huts and palm trees with the city behind.

Colours of Asia: Garden of Wonders

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This colourful street food market is back over two delicious weekends. Alexandra Gardens will be transformed into a hawker-style market with free entertainment and more than 35 food stalls. Grab a seat under the glowing lanterns and feast on food from around Asia.  

A plate of pierogi with dipping sauce.

Polish Festival

Did somebody say pierogi?! The iconic Polish Festival is back at Fed Square for a day of fun. On the food front you'll find all the classics. Feast on kielbasa (smoky sausage), try paczki (jam doughnuts) and heaps more. There’ll also be a bunch of free kid-friendly activities to keep everyone in the family entertained. Plus traditional folk dancing and live music.

Three African drummers wearing colourful clothing while drumming with their hands on stage.

African Music and Cultural Festival

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Transport yourself to Africa for Fed Square’s African Music and Cultural Festival. This three-day event kicks off with an outdoor cinema featuring short films, live jazz and spoken word. Continue the party all weekend long and boogie along to live music, learn a new skill at the drumming workshops and check out the market. And of course there’ll be heaps of tasty street food on offer.

People walking past Queen Vic Market sheds on a sunny day.

Cachivaches Latin Market

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Immerse yourself in the culture of Latin America at this two-day cultural festival. Queen Victoria Market will be drenched in colour with live dance performances and pop-up market stalls. Factor in some funds to shop for traditional crafts and try authentic street food. Think Brazilian barbecue, empanadas, alfajores and more. 

Lit Christmas tree in Fed Square with crowds of people around it and city buildings against a night sky in the background.

Christmas Tree Lighting

The lighting of Melbourne's dazzling Christmas tree officially marks the start of silly season. Bring the family to Fed Square to catch all the action from 6pm. Think free face painting, roving entertainment and Christmas singalongs. Then catch spectacular nightly light and sound shows.

Two young adults observing a sculpture in a gallery space with digital and scupltural displays.

EMERGENCE[Y]

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Science Gallery brings together artists, scientists and collaborators from around the world for its newest exhibition. Immerse yourself in artworks representing our future and our ever-changing world. Discover fashion made from fungus, coral soundscapes, a vertical city farm and First Nations knowledge of the Birrarung.

More of the best free events

A gallery space with paintings displayed on one white and one yellow wall, plus a series of totems or tree trunks displayed in a white stand in the middle.
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Ngarn Wa'ngal: Art of the Gum Tree

Discover how the iconic gum tree has inspired centuries of Australian art and culture.

A still from a videogame depicting a Chinese soldier fighting two warriors in front of an ancient Chinese temple.
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Feng Mengbo: Long March Restart

An free exhibition that playfully reimagines modern Chinese history as a videogame.

An egg-shaped figuring with a brown cowboy hat and a pistol.
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NEW26

The return of the much-loved NEW exhibition series at ACCA.

People attending a workshop in a small classroom setting with orange walls.
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Local Lunch Club

Live well, eat well, together at Kathleen Syme Library.

Seated audience watching a standup comedian perform with microphone in a small underground venue.
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Bar Humbug Comedy

Bar Humbug Comedy is a free weekly stand-up comedy night.

Nellie Noble, a burlesque performer and jazz singer posed in a chair in a club, wearing classic feather and fan burlesque garments, holding a cocktail in one hand.
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The Thursday Tease

The Thursday Tease is a weekly live burlesque show at Mill Place Merchants.

Portrait of a woman with her face painted blue and embellished with gold stars, wearing a colourful, fan-like headdress.
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Passage: The Art of Atong Atem

NGV presents the first-ever major solo exhibition of contemporary artist Atong Atem.

A man holding a piece of paper with a satchel on his shoulder, pointing his arm towards brightly lit shops on the other side of the road behind him.
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Being Human Festival

Bringing Australian humanities research to life in imaginative and engaging ways.

A still from the film, Loving Vincent, showing a painted portrait of Vincent Van Gogh in the style of Van Gogh and painted predominantly with blue.
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Library Cinema at narrm ngarrgu

Each month, watch a movie on the big screen, including contemporary, classic and documentary films.

A Persian-style image showing three windows overlaid on an image of Fed Square in Melbourne; the windows showing persian food, instruments and dancers.

Taste of Persia

Celebrate Persian food, art and music while supporting disadvantaged children's education.

Free kids activities

Young children and their parents listening to a story book being read aloud in a colourful environment with large dinosaur cutouts.
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Dino Days

Young dinosaur enthusiasts, aged 3-5 years, are invited to explore all things dinosaur.

A preschool aged child with curly hair wearing a red dress, holding open a book and looking at it.
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Preschool Storytime

Sing songs and read stories with your young child at North Melbourne Library.

Illustrations of two children with clipboards in (real) garden setting.
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Fitzroy Gardens Outdoor Adventure

A free fun outdoor seek and find adventure around the Fitzroy Gardens.

A smiling man holds a cheerful toddler in his arms as the child reaches toward a large, textured, teardrop-shaped gourd hanging from the ceiling; part of an interactive installation at ArtPlay.
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Exhibition: Obang 오방

Step into a Korean grandmother's home while she is away visiting her grandchildren overseas.

Free Melbourne markets

Selection of market goods including packets of teas and biscuits.
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Kensington Market

An eclectic mix of homewares, culinary treats, ceramics, sustainable goods and visual art.

A crowded scene within the Queen Victoria Market, featuring various banners for a craft fair and market called 'CRFT*WRK'
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CRFT*WRK Market

Enjoy a monthly craft fair at Queen Victoria Market.

Market stall tents with signage next to a heritage brick building, with greenery and families.
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Younghusband Market

With great music, curated stalls, hands-on workshops and delicious food, a vibrant scene awaits.

Aerial view of an outdoor market on Southbank promenade, showing the Yarra River with boats on the right, market umbrellas and stalls on the concourse and city buildings in the background.
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Southbank Makers Market

Explore the Southbank Makers Market every Sunday on the promenade at Southgate.

The William Angliss Institute Tram Café, and the courtyard decorated for a outdoor market with festive lanterns, bunting an a popcorn cart.

Sunset Market

Enjoy a nostalgia-inspired market with cheap eats, unique stalls, and live entertainment.

Two women at a secondhand staff with posters and graffiti on the wall behind them.

Southbank Secondhand Treasure Trail

Come along for a morning of pre-loved gems and vintage treasures at this secondhand market.

A crowded outdoor market on a sunny day, with numerous people walking down a path lined by market stalls and umbrellas under a blue sky.
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Docklands Waterfront Farmers' Market

Showcasing fresh produce, market eats and live entertainment along Harbour Esplanade.

Person's face hidden behind the pile of clothing they're holding, next to racks of clothing.

Stock Up Vintage Market

A curated, culture-led vintage market, with music from DJs playing records.

See all free events

Last updated on Thu 5 Nov 2026

Christmas

Christmas starts only in the city
Start here
A man and woman dancing next to a woman dressed in a Santa outfit who is using a DJ deck.

Christmas things to do

The city’s wrapped and ready with magical moments, twinkling lights and festive fun.

A man and woman sitting at a table full of food with a Christmas tree in the background.

Christmas eat and drink

Savour the city’s festive flavours with rooftop bars and menus made for merry moments.

Two women holding several shopping bags while they walk through a shopping arcade decorated for Christmas.

Christmas shopping

Start ticking off your list in the city’s iconic laneways, arcades and malls.

Start here

Discover more

A still from a futuristic looking film showing a woman in a green suit running down a green toned streer.
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NGV Triennial

NGV Triennial unfolds across all floors of NGV International, showcasing over 80 works.

Young people wandering through a gallery exhibition.
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MSDx Summer

Explore hundreds of student projects in one of Australia's largest design exhibitions.

Barbie dolls from an exhibition, specifically featuring a light-skinned doll with a 1959-inspired look and a dark-skinned doll with braided hair, against a pink background.
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Barbie: The Exhibition at Melbourne Museum

Barbie: The Exhibition makes its Australian debut at the Melbourne Museum.

A crowded luxury ballroom event with white floral decor trees and round table seating.
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Wedded World: Travel, Fashion & Wellness Edition

Experience a curated wedding event with runways, expert panels, tastings and more.