Major events

Featured

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

The NGV and Arts Centre lit up on a winter night.

What's on this weekend in Melbourne

Discover things to do in Melbourne this weekend, from free events to exhibitions.

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Melbourne's best blockbuster events

The best major events on in Melbourne this year.

Festivals and events

A lighting display that shows a red design with a square and a light above and below.
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Now or Never

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

A group of six actors and actresses standing in a line in front of a purple branding board with MIFF printed on it.
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Melbourne International Film Festival

Experience eye-opening cinema at the Melbourne International Film Festival.

Inside a bustling market hall

Things you can only see in the city

Uncover secret rooms, historic architecture and iconic landmarks found only in the city.

Illuminated panels with shades of red on a black background.
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Melbourne International Jazz Festival

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

An aerial shot of Melbourne city with the MCG in the foreground on a sunny day.
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What's on in September

Things to do in Melbourne in September, from free events to exhibitions and places to visit.

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.

A view over Melbourne by night, with buildings lit up.

New Year's Eve in Melbourne

From fireworks to fancy dinners and family fun, Melbourne is the perfect place to celebrate NYE.

Red fireworks over the city viewed from a floating bar with umbrellas and lanterns.

The best restaurants to book for New Year's Eve

Book a restaurant, find fireworks near you and plan the best New Year's Eve in Melbourne.

Two friends are seating outside a small cafe kiosk there is a sign saying mork chocolate

The best Easter offers, high teas and events in Melbourne

Find Easter high teas, dining deals, events and more

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.

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.

Markets

Smiling vendor selling a range of pastries, dips and spreads at Queen Victoria Market.

Queen Victoria Market

This beloved Melbourne landmark is the largest open air market in the southern hemisphere.

Crowds milling around the Vic Market sheds at sunset.

The ultimate guide to Melbourne's best markets

Explore Melbourne's iconic markets.

Long line of tables covered in books.

Melbourne Book Market

Melbourne Book Market is a curated collection of more than 5,000 new and pre-loved titles.

People walking towards a red illuminated archway that reads Winter Night Market.
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Winter Night Market

The Winter Night Market returns to the iconic Queen Victoria Market sheds.

Performers on stage in Queen Vic Market sheds, with children seated on the ground and onlookers standing.
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Cachivaches Latin Market

A vibrant cultural event celebrating the best of Latin American traditions in Melbourne.

View of Melbourne from across the Yarra River
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St Paul's Cathedral Winterfest

The Winterfest market returns, with funds raised supporting Monash Children’s Hospital.

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.

Aerial view of an interior market with stalls selling clothing and raft, and many people walking around and shopping in the space.

Boho Luxe Market: Christmas Edition

A design market full of handmade, ethically sourced products.

Shoppers flicking through crates of vinyl records at a Record Fair.

Melbourne Record Fair

Over 20,000 records from Melbourne’s best vinyl dealers are waiting for you at Queen Vic Market.

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 person learning the art of Japanese water colour painting.

Japanese Culture Experience Day

Learn Japanese arts and crafts in a day of fun workshops run by professional artists.

Market stallholder with her puppet toys, beside the Yarra River in the CBD.
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The Sunday Market at Southgate

Explore the Sunday Market at Southgate and meet the makers.

Family events

Girl looking out at mini village display in the garden.

The best free and cheap family activities

Find family-friendly fun and free events in Melbourne.

A family looking at a circular tank filled with jellyfish in an aquarium.

Melbourne's best rainy day activities for kids

Find the best indoor family activities during the school holidays.

A young boy and girl pointing to triceratops bones in the Museum.

Free things to do with kids in Melbourne

Get the kids out and explore these free events and adventures for an awesome day of fun.

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School holidays

Entertain the whole family over the school holidays with these kid-friendly events and activities.

A small playground on a sunny day

The best playgrounds in Melbourne

We've rounded up the best adventure parks and playgrounds.

A magician holding a crystal ball against a purple background.
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Melbourne Magic Festival

Casting its spell with performances and workshops for all ages this winter.

Bluey stage show human and puppet cast with tree background.
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Bluey's Big Play

This is Bluey brought to real life as you’ve never seen it before.

Young kid sitting on the shoulders of an adult in a large crowd of people watching a show.

Melbourne for free

Discover free things to do in Melbourne, including galleries, museums, events and festivals.

Large lettering saying FIRELIGHT above a stage at the Firelight Festival with two large flames shooting into the air at either end.
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Firelight Festival

Melbourne’s epic winter festival returns to Docklands for three fiery nights.

A dark interior space, with smoky purple rounds of light, silhouettes of people's arms pushing into these open spaces.
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Imaginator

An immersive experience that celebrates imagination, technology and play.

Characters from the PAW Patrol TV series performing live on a theatre stage, with streamers in the air above them and a large audience watching them.
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PAW Patrol Live: Race to the Rescue

The beloved pups of PAW Patrol hit the stage in this interactive live show.

A Collingwood AFL football player with his fist clenched and pumped during a match, a blurred stadium crowd in the background.

AFL Round 19: Collingwood v Carlton

Don’t miss Collingwood and Carlton in a Saturday night blockbuster at the MCG.

Theatre & musicals

The exterior of a city theatre lit up pink at night.

The ultimate theatre guide to Melbourne

What's on in Melbourne's theatres, clubs, cabaret bars and comedy spots.

A train station lit up in rainbow lights

Melbourne's best drag shows and queer-friendly venues

Find burlesque life drawing, cabaret and the best queer-friendly venues in Melbourne.

Visitors enjoying an evening event at the National Gallery of Victoria, seated on stools under shadowy lighting.
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NGV Friday Nights: Cartier

NGV Friday Nights shine with Cartier, featuring live music, flims, food and drinks.

The full cast of the musical Book of Mormon on stage singing and dancing, with a painted sky coloured background and other theatre props.
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The Book of Mormon

Australia’s biggest ever musical comedy returns this February.

Female cast members from the musical Pride & Prejudice performing in Regency style costumes on a stage, all wearing yellow rubber gloves and singing into microphones they are holding.
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Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of)

The musical comedy sensation, Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of), premieres in Melbourne.

A silhouette of a person dancing on a stage with a pink floor, in front of screens displaying the words "ONE LAST PASS"
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Heartbreak Hotel

The sold-out RISING hit Heartbreak Hotel returns to steal your heart again.

A performer dressed in a dramatic ruffled grey gown leaning back on the top edge of a couch in a stylised pose, one arm raised in the air.

Playing Second Fiddle

Celebrating the show-stopping tunes of your favourite musical theatre songs.

A seated group of improv comedians, all looking seriously at the camera.
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Improvised Comedy: The Remix

Improvised comedy from true stories, sampled and remixed to create comedy gold.

Performer Magical Katrina, seated on the ground wearing a blue dress surrounded by decks of playing cards and other magic props.
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Magical Katrina The Whimsical Witch

Starring Magical Katrina, direct from Hollywood

Magician Duck Cameron, a man seated on a small black couch with his hands held up in front of his face, with fingertips touching.
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Duck Cameron: Conjurer

See Duck Cameron, one of the most booked entertainers throughout Asia.

A fluffy dog on top of a building with a fake skyline in the background of skyscrapers and a large moon.
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New Owner

Using puppetry and live action animation, New Owner takes us on an adventure through a dog’s eyes.

Ensemble cast of performers on stage, all wearing white t-shirts, blue trousers and braces, with their arms raised in the air, improvising in front of an audience.
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Defrost Festival

Showcasing over 50 unique events dedicated to improv and sketch comedy.

Music and gigs

A museum visitor in an exhibition space using a screen, surrounded by display objects.

Australian Music Vault

A celebration of Australian contemporary music – past, present and future.

A busker performing in a street with a guitar around his neck and arms outstretched while singing.
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Bourke Street Mall Busking

Meet Melbourne's marvellous musicians and more in the iconic Bourke Street Mall busking program.

A stage with a grand facade to look like a building, with crowds waiting for a band to come on stage.

The ultimate Melbourne live gig guide

Concert halls and music venues hosting live music this week

Exhibitions and Expos

People walking around the outdoor balcony area in front of the Royal Exhibition Dome.

Royal Exhibition Building Dome Promenade

The Royal Exhibition Building opens its doors to a unique view unseen for 100 years.

Exterior of Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre at dusk with people crossing the road in front.

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

Big ideas, bold experiences...this is where Melbourne’s most exciting events come to life.

Two individuals talking to each other inside Melbourne Museum at night, with blue lighting.
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Nocturnal: Museum After Dark

Experience Melbourne Museum after hours, when the doors stay open and the night belongs to adults.

Installation view of the Spartans & Anzacs exhibition at the Shrine of Remembrance, with people walking around the space, reading panels and looking at displays.
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Spartans & Anzacs

This exhibition invites reflection on the enduring values forged in conflict.

Black and white photograph of a busy Melbourne city intersection with trams, cars, people crossing the road, and buildings, dating from around the 1950s or 1960s.
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Making Modern Melbourne

This free exhibition examines the tumultuous twentieth century in Melbourne.

An illustration of a large white tiered cake, with a cherry on top, framed by red curtains, against a pale pink background.
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Children's Play: Ragnar Kjartansson

A new children's exhibition by Ragnar Kjartansson, inspired by the idea of a theatrical feast.

Red laser beams dance across the water’s surface,
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Multimmersion: Upside Down V2

A contemplative exploration of light, space and reflection transforms the Yarra River – Birrarung.

A painting on black showing the back of a green man, kneeling near a fantasy garden of illuminated plants and vines.
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Fledge Radiance: Tré Turner and E Salmon

A curated exhibition showcasing queer Blakfulla artists in celebration of NAIDOC week

An ancient Roman marble bust with its nose chipped off, displayed on a small square plinth.
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Rome: Empire, Power, People

This Melbourne-exclusive exhibition is a vibrant exploration of Ancient Rome.

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 black mannequin displaying the gold hot pants and halter top worn by Kylie Minogue in her famous music video, Spinning Around.
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Encore!

50 Objects. 50 Years. One Collection. Treasures from the Australian Museum of Performing Arts.

An exquisite Cartier diamond tiara, suspended against a black background.
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Melbourne Winter Masterpieces: CARTIER

Featuring nearly 400 extraordinary jewellery objects, alongside rare archival materials.

Sport

A Carlton AFL football player with his fists clenched and pumped up during a match.

AFL Round 18: Carlton v Hawthorn

Two powerhouse clubs and the Saturday night atmosphere of the MCG under lights!

A large group of people in active wear all running on a path in park.
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Run the Tan: Run Club

Start the weekend off on the right foot with a run around the Tan.

A Melbourne AFL football player on the ground during a match, the goal posts and a blurred crowd of fans in the background.

AFL Round 18: Melbourne v Richmond

Come along to watch Melbourne take on Richmond at the MCG.

An Essendon AFL football player with his leg raised high in the air, having just kicked the football

AFL Round 17: Essendon v St Kilda

Marvel Stadium is set for a huge Sunday AFL clash when Essendon and St Kilda meet.

Where to watch the FIFA World Cup in Melbourne

Where to watch the FIFA World Cup in Melbourne

Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 live and loud at pubs, cafes, special events and iconic Carlton spots.

A giant blow up Sherrin football in a park.

AFL fan's guide to the footy in Melbourne

Find the best spots to watch the footy and grab a feed before the game.

An Essendon AFL football player running while holding the ball during a match, the blurred stadium crowd in the background.

AFL Round 19: Essendon v GWS Giants

Watch Essendon and the GWS Giants face off at Marvel Stadium.

An ice hockey player in blue, skating on an ice hockey rink.
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Melbourne Ice: Australian Ice Hockey League

The Melbourne Ice are gearing up to face off against the best in the nation's premier league.

Discover more

Christmas tree and decorations at Fed Square at night.
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What's on in December

Things to do in Melbourne in December, from free events to exhibitions and places to visit.

Large crowd of people watching a concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.
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What's on in January

Things to do in Melbourne in January, from free events to exhibitions and places to visit.

Crowd of people seated on the grass watching the Moonlight Cinema in the Royal Botanic Gardens.
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What's on in February

Things to do in Melbourne in February, from free events to exhibitions and places to visit.

A Ferris wheel lit up with LED lights at night.
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What's on in March

Things to do in Melbourne in March, from free events to exhibitions and places to visit.