Festivals

Packed crowd of people cheering, holding their hands up, and watching an event outside.

There's always a festival going on in Melbourne, whether it's film, comedy, arts, music, food or design. Check out the current events below.

A lighting display that shows a red design with a square and a light above and below.
Until

Now or Never

Twelve days of art, ideas, music and technology await - a festival of new dimensions.

Illuminated panels with shades of red on a black background.
–

Melbourne International Jazz Festival

A city-wide celebration of jazz, improvisation and boundary-pushing contemporary music.

Rainbow lights on water jets and a giant bauble on the river at night.

The ultimate guide to Melbourne’s best Christmas events

Seek out Christmas movies, festive pop-ups, glittering decorations and more.

A community book fair event, featuring tables lined with independent publications, with attendees browsing and interacting with stallholders.
–

Emerging Writers' Festival

The Emerging Writers' Festival boasts performances, panels and workshops for all aspiring writers.

A woman looking at a display of Formula 1 racing suits in an exhibition.

The best Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix events in Melbourne

Map out your perfect Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix weekend in Melbourne.

A laneway lit up with hanging fairy lights

The best hidden Christmas events and laneway pop-ups in Melbourne

Find the best laneway street parties, free workshops, pop-up events and gigs.

A shirtless man wearing a bright orange suit jumps enthusiastically inside a distorted, circular panoramic view of a city square under a sunset sky.
–

Melbourne Fringe Festival

Melbourne Fringe Festival returns with 500+ exciting, boundary-pushing arts events.

A woman walking through a Christmas shop filled with white decorations.

Where to enjoy a European-style winter in Melbourne

Embrace the chill with warming treats, pop-ups and events worthy of a Northern Hemisphere winter.

A glowing archway of red lights in a garden at night.

9 things in Melbourne you can only do in winter

Find the best festivals, markets and projections coming to Melbourne this winter.

Crowds looking at a festival stage in the city.

The best free festivals in Melbourne

The best free festivals you need to visit in Melbourne this year

Santa in front of a lit up Christmas tree in Fed Square.

Christmas in the city

See the city light up with dazzling displays, festive events and activities for the whole family.

A large building lit up purple in the city at night.

Melbourne's best blockbuster events

The best major events on in Melbourne this year.

Flinders street station lit up in blue lights at night

7 things Melburnians will do even if it's raining

From AFL games and night markets to winter festivals and theatre shows.

See all festivals

Discover more

A line of woman holding guitars in an identical pose on a stage in front of a green curtain.
Until

Ragnar Kjartansson: Mercy

NGV presents a major solo exhibition of Icelandic artist, Ragnar Kjartansson.

A colourful abstract painting hung on a wall above a concrete bench and next to an indoor olive tree.
–

Gregory Ladner: Garden of Eden

A new solo exhibition celebrating colour, movement and the abundance of nature.

Still from an immersive cinematic experience featuring surreal architecture and drawings of humans transformed into video.
Until

XYZZY REDUX

Experience projections on the façade of Hamer Hall.

A collection of strange but cute statuettes of small animals displayed on a green moss-covered multi-tier stand at a market stall.
–

Ugly Cutie Market

A two-day art market bringing together over 130 artists, makers and wonderfully unusual creations.