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

Festivals

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.

Everything you need to do in Melbourne this Christmas

Everything you need to do in Melbourne this Christmas

Plan your festive adventures every week in the leadup to Christmas.

Spanish flamenco dancers swirling the skirts of their brightly coloured dresses.

Spanish Language Fiesta: 10 Years of Culture

A vibrant Spanish cultural festival with live music, dance, food and interactive experiences.

A lion dance performer surrounded by crowds.

Where to see traditional lion dance performances in Melbourne

Celebrating Lunar New Year in Melbourne? Here's where to see lion dances and dragon parades.

A seated audience in an auditorium, seen from above.
–

Melbourne Writers Festival

A four-day celebration of more than 150 visionary writers and storytellers that shape our world.

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

Guide to Diwali in Melbourne

Find where to celebrate Diwali in Melbourne at these blockbuster festivals and events.

A wide-angle photo taken from the top steps of the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, looking down a paved forecourt and across parkland towards the city skyline at dusk.
–

Open House Melbourne Weekend

Open House Melbourne Weekend connects you with good design – explore buildings, places and spaces.

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 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.

Melbourne Town Hall with a line out the front for Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Melbourne's best blockbuster events

The best major events on in Melbourne this year.

Festivalgoers holding tiger-themed items, flags and signs.

South Asian Festival

Experience South Asian culture with street food, music and dance, stalls, fireworks and more.

A neon light display of Santa's sleigh being pulled by kangaroos.

The ultimate guide to Melbourne's best Christmas lights and decorations

Where to see stunning Christmas trees, the best Christmas lights and more beautiful decorations.

Flinders Street Station lit up in blue at dusk during Melbourne's RISING festival, with city buildings in the background.
–

RISING: Melbourne

A festival of new art, music and performance in the heart of Naarm/Melbourne each winter.

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.

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 group of friends having a picnic at an outdoor event

Melbourne's best outdoor events

Take the good times out into the fresh air with alfresco dining, summer events and epic pop-ups.

See all festivals

Discover more

Two First Nations individuals sitting back to back on the ground outdoors, engaged in a traditional weaving activity near a body of water.
Until

FUTURE COUNTRY: Country Road + NGV First Nations Commissions

The second iteration of the Country Road and NGV First Nations Commission initiative.

A landscape painting capturing a sunset over a body of water, featuring a vibrant orange and pink sky.
–

Charli English: Portholes

An exhibition of a series of hybrid painting-sculpture works.

An artist standing, working at a desk with bookshelves and computers in the background.
Until

Rewind Forward: Creative in Residence Group Exhibition

Drawing from state archives, artists create works that reawaken Victoria’s historical narrative.

Graphic print of ice-covered hill with orange sky.
Until

Creative Antarctica

Featuring Australian artists and writers influenced by their experiences of the Far South.