Major events

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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.

A crowd of people are walking through a garden at night with glowing purple and pink lights in the trees and small lanterns are scattered across a lawn

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.

A large group of people taking part in the Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival, running across Princess Bridge over the Yarra River, with tall city buildings and trees in the background, set against a blue sky.
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Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival

The Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival takes over the streets of Melbourne this October.

MCG football stadium lit up pink at night.

The best NFL events in Melbourne

Here's where to celebrate Australia's first NFL game, coming to Melbourne on 11 September.

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.

Market stallholder with her puppet toys, beside the Yarra River in the CBD.
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The Southbank Makers Market

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

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.

A selection of pearlescent pens presented on a white surface.
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Pen and Stationery Show

Over 70 local, national and international exhibitors showcasing the best in pens and stationery.

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.

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.

A girl and a boy reaching their hands out to touch a glass wall water feature.
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School holidays

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

Kids on the grass outside the Shrine of Memorial, holding kit bags and smiling.
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Shrine Kids

Embark on a family adventure with this engaging program designed for discovery at every turn.

A small playground on a sunny day

The best playgrounds in Melbourne

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

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.

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 Melbourne AFL player cheering himself and his team on the field with his mouth wide open, both his fists clenched and by his side as he runs.

AFL Round 22: Melbourne v Fremantle

The run to finals is heating up the MCG where Melbourne faces Fremantle on a Saturday afternoon.

A little girl looking at a colourful display of cushions in an art gallery.
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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.

A young child wearing a dressing gown, looking at an open picture book in her lap, blurred twinkling lights behind her.
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Bedtime Storytime

Hop into your pyjamas, grab your favourite teddy and enjoy bedtime stories.

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.

A woman with theatrical witch makeup and an elaborate, tall gray hairstyle intertwined with dark green foliage poses against a solid light green background.
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Pulse

Pulse is a love song to a bleeding ocean created by Susan Bamford Caleo and Elissa Goodrich.

A yellow vintage phone on a wooden table illuminated by a desk lamp, part of an interactive theatre installation at the Malthouse Theatre.
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The Nightline

A crafted theatrical audio-installation experience inspired by late-night anonymous voice messages.

Close-up portrait of a woman with short, curly brown hair. She is wearing heavy, dark eye makeup.

La Caduta: Live Play Reading

Live play reading, in both English and Italian.

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.

A person with long brown hair tied back, wearing a black blazer and sunglasses, leans forward to kiss a person wearing a rubber bald head face mask, in a grey pinstripe suit and sunglasses, set against a solid bright green background.
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Cold War 2.0

An experimental punk show from the twilight of a global crisis by Doppelgangster.

Historic Supreme Court Library interior with red carpet, arched mezzanine story, domed ceiling, stacks of library shelves and portraits.
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Shakespeare in the Supreme

Hear scenes from Shakespeare performed in the historic Supreme Court Library.

Two young people seated on stone steps.
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Saplings

Youth theatre celebrating the survival instincts of young people.

Portrait of Australian musical theatre star Silvie Paladino as she stands with her hands on her hips in a formal gown, in front of bright stage lighting.

Morning Melodies: Silvie Paladino – A Life on Stage

Australian musical theatre star Silvie Paladino reflects on her remarkable journey in the spotlight.

Two performers on a stage, a man dressed in a suit, looking at a man with his arms outstretched suspended by an aerial rope above a low pool of water.
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Watershed: The Death of Dr Duncan

A dazzling new operatic work by some of Australia’s most acclaimed creative talents.

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 the street playing an electric guitar with his head facing downwards looking at the instrument.
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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.

A delicately painted porcelain plate with a blue design depicting waves around the outside and a burning landscape in the centre.
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Margaret Ackland: Reflections

Margaret Ackland’s elegant still lifes serve up the uneasy truths of contemporary life.

An Australian landscape watercolour painting by Maxine Wade, of a large gum tree by a body of water, in muted shades of green, blue, tan and cream.
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Maxine Wade: Land For Sale

This exhibition features Australian landscapes painted in watercolour.

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.

People gathered in a gallery space installation that consists of found objects, photographs, and ephemera scattered across the floor, listening to a person hosting a talk.

Navigating Emotions Through Art + Drawing Club

A panel discussion exploring the relationship between art and emotion, plus a Drawing Club workshop.

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.

A black and white photograph of a family eating a meal at the family dining table circa 1950.
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You Have a New Memory

An exhibition that explores how and why we remember, through the lens of the Library's collections.

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.

Sport

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 person riding a bull in an arena - the bull with its back legs in the air.

PBR Melbourne Invitational

It’s man vs beast, where every second counts.

A huddle of Essendon AFL players celebrating on the field after having scored, with blurred fans in the stadium in the background.

AFL Round 21: Essendon v Adelaide Crows

See Essendon play the Adelaide Crows on a Sunday afternoon at Marvel Stadium.

Side profile of a Richmond AFL player with his leg raised very high in front of him, having just kicked a football.

AFL Round 21: Richmond v West Coast Eagles

Richmond play the West Coast Eagles in AFL's Round 21 at the MCG.

A Collingwood AFL player celebrating on the field with his arm raised high above his head, a blurred stadium crowd behind him.

AFL Round 21: Collingwood v Geelong Cats

A blockbuster Thursday night clash awaits at the MCG when Collingwood play Geelong.

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 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.

A St Kilda AFL player cheering on the field, his mouth open as if shouting, a clenched fist raised above his head, and a blurred stadium crowd behind him.

AFL Round 22: St Kilda v Carlton

St Kilda and Carlton play a game of Sunday night footy at Marvel Stadium.

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.