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.

A group of friends picnicking at the Music Bowl.

Melbourne's best blockbuster events

The best major events on in Melbourne this year.

Festivals and events

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.

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.

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.

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.

The best NFL events in Melbourne

The best NFL events in Melbourne

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

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.

A scene from Mrs Doubtfire The Musical with the protagonist dancing with three children.
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Mrs Doubtfire

It's a feel-good musical, poppets.

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.

A busy market with lanterns in the city.

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.

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.

Drawing of a market stall with city buildings in the background.
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Moon Fest Market

A vibrant Mid-Autumn market with creative stalls, cultural workshops and family activities.

Red and green native correa flowers.
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Melbourne Friends Plant Sale

Melbourne Friends are hosting an autumn plant sale at Royal Botanic Gardens.

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.

The lower half of three people modelling upcycled patchwork trousers and skirts on a runway.

ReWear Runway

An upcycled and sustainable fashion show and part of the Zero Waste Festival.

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

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

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 child posing in an alcove in a rainbow mural.
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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.

Drawing of a child seated in a tree reading a book.
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Melbourne Kids Book Fest

Meet your favourite authors and illustrators at a book festival just for kids.

A smiling adult holding a scrunched-up bit of paper and interacting with a smiling infant lying on a cushioned surface, against a yellow background.
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Welcome The Little Stranger

A joyful theatre show for babies and their adults from Pocketfool.

Group dancing in a Melbourne laneway, led by a man in a bright green and yellow shiny outfit.

Silent Disco Tour: ABBA Theme with Disko Duk Duk

An ABBA themed silent disco tour of Melbourne, hosted by Disko Duk Duk.

A person dressed as a pirate in a red coat shaking hands with a child wearing a head scarf aboard an old sailing ship.

Pirate Day at Polly Woodside

Come along and experience the pirate life aboard Melbourne's tall ship.

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.

Dark image of a Dracula figure lit with red light on stage.
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Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest

A bold, cinematic reimagining of the gothic classic.

A young person with long blonde hair, wearing a green satin top and making an animated, expressive gesture with hands up near their face against a solid olive-green background.
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Tegan Higginbotham: Follow That Turtle!

Award-winning comedian Tegan Higginbotham is back with an unmissable hour of stand-up gold.

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.

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.

A man and a woman lean forward with wide, surprised facial expressions and open mouths, both extend their hands toward the camera with fingers spread wide in a playful, startled gesture.
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Cobble Creek Rangers

Nick and Jesi will teach you how to save the planet...sort of.

Artwork for RocKwiz's Very Merry Christmas show, with stylized single colour depictions of host Julia Zemiro and quizmaster Brian Nankervis standing next to a red Christmas tree; on a blue background.

RocKwiz's Very Merry Christmas

RocKwiz returns with the best Christmas present you could hope for in 2026!

A hand-painted illustration of a young swan holding a trumpet under its wing, musical notes playing from the trumpet.
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The Trumpet of the Swan

From the author of Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little comes a magical live concert experience.

Felt cut-out themed picture of a woman on a pizza with cut-out tomatoes and a cat on a stool.
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Happy Birthday Taylah Whelan

A Fringe show traversing milestone birthdays, trying to leave your hometown and missing your mum.

Music and gigs

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.

Man wearing traditional Italian dress - red hat, green waistcoat, holding an Italian flag in front of the Exhibition Building.
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Italian Festa and Expo

Celebrating all thing Italian at the Royal Exhibition Building and Museum Plaza.

An oil painting depicting a scene from a Moroccan courtyard in earthy warm tones.
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Susannah Bond and Melissa Fraser: Oceans Apart

Contemporary oil paintings capturing the recent travels of artists Melissa Fraser and Susannah Bond.

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 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 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.

Liza Minelli and Joel Grey performing wearing 1930s vaudeville costume in a still from the movie Cabaret.

Capitol Theatre Orchestra followed by Cabaret Screening

Enjoy a performance of 1920s jazz before entering the decadent world of 1930s Berlin.

Two people standing in front of a large pink spiky wall of speakers in an exhibition space.
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Reverb: A Journey into Sound

ACMI and RISING present Reverb: A Journey Into Sound, a major exhibition of vinyl culture and music.

Sport

A netball player in a green and gold uniform catches the ball while a defender in a black uniform lunges toward her on an indoor court, blurred players and seated fans in the background.

Constellation Cup

The Australian Diamonds take on the Silver Ferns in Game 4 of the Constellation Cup.

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.

Huge sports stadium filled with fans as fireworks explode over a huge screen.

49ers Gameday Watch Party

Join the faithful at Transport Bar to watch the 49ers take on the Los Angeles Rams.

NFL fans wearing red sports outfits including oversized red hat, in a bar setting with striped bar decor.

49ers Melbourne Takeover

Join the 49ers faithful at Transport Bar ahead of the historic 49ers vs Rams game at the MCG.

Wintry view of the Yarra River with city buildings and leafless trees against a grey sky.

Learn to Row

A full day of coached sessions on rowing machines at the club house and in crew boats on the river.

Person playing minigolf in an indoor venue.
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Putt and Sip Melbourne

A day of mini golf and secret bars in the heart of the city.

Players from the Melbourne Mustangs ice hockey team wearing their orange and black jerseys during an ice hockey league match on an ice rink.
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Ice Hockey Junior Showcase

Catch the final two junior showcase games for the year.

A large, energetic crowd of sports fans celebrating inside a crowded bar, taking part in a watch party for an NFL game.
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NFL Kickoff Festival

NFL takes over Melbourne Park this September with a football themed festival for fans.

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.