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.

People on deck chairs watching a movie in Fed Square on a large screen.

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.

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.

A transparent cube with ball gowns on mannequins displayed inside

Melbourne Fashion Week

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Melbourne Fashion Week returns with a bunch of free pop-ups, runways and more. Head to City Square for two must-see fashion shows and loads of inspiration for your new-season wardrobe. Discover a series of exhibitions around town at the Fashion Capsules and see rare Vivienne Westwood and Vera Wang bridal gowns. Explore the full list of M/FW events that won't cost you a cent.

Traditional Indonesian dancers at an Indonesian festival.

Festival Indonesia

An entire festival dedicated to Indonesian food and culture is coming to Melbourne. Load up on authentic street food like flaming skewers, nasi uduk and refreshing iced drinks. Then head to Fed Square’s main stage and experience cultural performances. Or learn all about traditional arts and crafts and join a hands-on batik patchwork workshop.

A crowd of people with umbrellas watching a purple-lit stage outdoors.

Guide to Diwali in Melbourne

Celebrate Diwali in Melbourne with city-wide festivals and parties. Marvel Stadium will play host to a huge free party in Stadium Square. Watch dazzling dance competitions and indulge in legit Indian snacks. Across the city, Fed Square will light up for Diwali with a free festival. Get immersed in a bustling bazaar, learn a Bollywood dance or catch a magic show. 

More of the best free events

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Oktoberfest-themed illustration with man wearing a Tyrolean hat holding steins of beer, pretzel and meat, with a Melbourne tram.
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Oktoberfest at Hofbrauhaus

Celebrate German bier, food and music as the Hofbräuhaus Oktoberfest turns 58.

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.

Free Melbourne markets

People at an outdoor market interacting with stallholder wearing a blue hat.

Melbourne Makers' Market

A curated showcase of the city's finest contemporary art and design.

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.

People walking past rows of outdoor market stalls with umbrellas and trees.
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Docklands Waterfront Farmers' Market

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

See all free events

Last updated on Tue 29 Sep 2026

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Inside a bustling market hall

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A family of four standing in a grand library with antique desks, large white walls and a dome ceiling.

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Multiple plates on a white table cloth.

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Two fashion models posing backstage in tailored neutral-toned blazers and chic dark sunglasses, with a third fashion model wearing a dark suit.

City Square Runway 2: After Hours

An ode to the fashion-forward trailblazers who give the city its unmistakable style after dark.

Four fashion models posing in Australian Open tennis-inspired clothing with a tennis stadium in the background, and distinctive Melbourne road signs in the foreground.

City Square Runway 3: AO Edit

Australian Open's on-court style will be on show at this free runway show, as part of M/FW.

A fashion model wearing a very pale blue, asymmetrical draped dress with a sculptural voluminous sleeve detail on a runway.

The Edit Runway

A celebration of modern femininity in all its forms.

A fashion model wearing a magenta patterned high-neck gown featuring an oversized structured front bow accent on a runway.

Student Collections Runway

Featuring collections by student designers.