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.

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.

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.

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 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

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.

People sitting on cushions on a vast lawn in front of a large outdoor movie screen.
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Moonlight Cinema

Kick back with a film under the stars at Melbourne’s most spectacular open-air cinema.

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.

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 crowd of people standing outside a large exhibition building on a sunny day.

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.

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.

Three different bao buns in a tray.

Dining events

Find the best food events in Melbourne, from food festivals to wine tastings and cooking classes.

Three cute Japanese-style cartoon animals, including a cat, bunny and dog, dressed in clothes and standing in the front yard of a cute cottage, behind a picket fence.
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PomPom Art Market: Sweet Cottage

A cute art and stationery market featuring 100+ talented local and international artists and makers.

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.

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.

People crowded into the Royal Exhibition Building for a market.
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The Makers and Shakers Market

Enjoy 185 top-tier makers of homewares, food and fashion, plus special activities just for the kids.

A person dressed in yellow, holding a small yellow bunny close to their face, the entire image drenched with a yellow filter.

Lygon Street Market

Celebrate your Easter Sunday at The Lygon Street Market.

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.

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.

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.

Two people seated below a neon sign.
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The Story of the Moving Image

A permanent exhibition that journeys through the past, present and future of the moving image.

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.

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.

Western Bulldogs fans in the crowd with arms out.

AFL Round 8: Western Bulldogs v Fremantle

The Western Bulldogs meet Fremantle at Marvel during Round 8.

An illustration of a tan coloured deer with antlers and a grey kola, with the human faces of Kirsty Webeck and Ivan Aristeguieta superimposed on the animal's heads.
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The Big Animal Quiz with Kirsty Webeck and Ivan Aristeguieta

A family-friendly live show is an hour of laughs, education and banter about animals.

Young children playing in a tunnel structure at the Children's Gallery at the Melbourne Museum.
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Autumn School Holidays at Melbourne Museum

Autumn adventures await at Melbourne Museum.

Theatre & musicals

Three women dressed formally arm in arm, laughing while walking into the theatre.

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.

The Town Hall at night with Melbourne International Comedy Festival banners, signage, and red and blue spotlights and people lined up in queues on the footpath.
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Melbourne International Comedy Festival

The festival that takes over the city celebrates 40 years of funny - come have a laugh.

Ballet dancer wearing 1920s fringed dress performing mid-air grand jete.
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The Great Gatsby: A Jazz Ballet Odyssey

Jazz, tap and ballet bring Gatsby to life in a dazzling theatrical spectacle.

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 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 musician holding a violinist under his arm, seated on a surreal natural setting featuring acacia wattle and gum leaves, as if floating in space against a pale background.
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Melbourne Chamber Orchestra: Overgrown Paths

Violinist Sophie Rowell and Helen Morse lead a luminous fusion of poetry and music.

A male magician in a top hat and suit on a smoky stage, holding a yellow and green fan and performing a trick.
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Illusionaire Family Magic Show

Sam Angelico is back in Melbourne performing his family-friendly show Illusionaire.

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.

A woman in Regency-period costume including a white bonnet, white neck ruff and a red checked dress with puffed sleeves; holding a tea cup and saucer.

Dining with Jane Austen with Lise Rodgers

Join Lise Rodgers for a presentation delivered in costume on dining in the time of Jane Austen.

An actor in a suit, shirt and tie, holding a pair of glasses under his chair, with curly brown hair, looking serious.
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Julius Caesar

A thrilling new production of Shakespeare’s political masterpiece.

Children's performer, Mr Snotbottom, posing with thumbs up in a suit and Mickey Mouse ears, holding a doctors bag filled with small creatures.
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Mr Snotbottom/Mark Trenwith: P.Gee!

Clean but chaotic, harmless but hectic, innocent but edgy physical comedy for all ages.

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.

A performer with a standing audience looking on in the NGV, stained glass visible and purple lighting.
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NGV Friday Nights

Experience the NGV as it comes alive after dark

An early watercolour painting of Melbourne's Yarra River.
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Yarra: Stories of Melbourne's River

Explores the chequered history of the stream we call the ‘city’s river’.

A colourful woven artwork with different textures and patterns representing a map.
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Hyperworlds: Unreal Cartography

An exhibition from Allanah Sarafian exploring maps as emotional and ideological objects.

A drypoint etching in monotones depicting an industrial scene.
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Louise Donovan: Common Ground

Nineteen everyday moments in intimate drypoint by Melbourne artist, Louise Donovan

An aerial shot of the Shrine of Remembrance on a sunny day with the city and parklands in the background.

What's open in Melbourne on the Anzac Day public holiday

Best things to do on the Anzac day public holiday.

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.

Elton John in the 1970s wearing large spectacles and satin suit with Cher wearing Bob Mackie midriff-revealing strappy gown and Diana Ross wearing feather and sequin gown.
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DIVA

From opera stars to pop icons, celebrate the power and creativity of the diva.

A mostly blue artwork with white, scribbled squares all over it, creating a textural pattern.
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Make Your Mark

A bold new exhibition from the mark-making artists of Bayley Arts.

A person holding paintbrushes stands in an art studio with a colorful abstract painting hanging on the wall.
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Anna Pelc: All the Places I’ve Been

A retrospective exhibition that brings together artworks created over the past decade.

Sport

Western Bulldogs AFL football player shaking a fist as he runs past fans in the stands during a game.

AFL Round 4: Western Bulldogs v Essendon

The Western Bulldogs and Essendon play each other on Easter Sunday.

A Carlton AFL football player catching a yellow ball during a match.

AFL Round 6: Carlton v Collingwood

Carlton meet Collingwood under the lights at the MCG for this Round 6 AFL match.

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.

An Essendon AFL player cheering himself and the crowd on with pumped fists, on the footy field.

AFL Round 7: Essendon v Collingwood

Essendon and Collingwood meet each other for their traditional ANZAC Day match.

Melbourne AFL football player kicking the ball on the field during a match.

AFL Round 10: Melbourne v Hawthorn

Come along to the 'G to get involved in this year’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round.

A Collingwood AFL player with his hands raised above him about to take a mark on the footy field, a blurred crowd of fans behind him.

AFL Round 8: Collingwood v Hawthorn

Collingwood play Hawthorn as part of AFL's Round 8.

Two AFL football players clapping hands during a match.

AFL Round 4: Melbourne v Gold Coast SUNS

Melbourne play the Gold Coast SUNS at the MCG over the Easter weekend.

Crowd of seated AFL fans wearing Big Freeze branded beanies.

AFL Round 13: Collingwood v Melbourne

The Big Freeze game between Collingwood and Melbourne is celebrating its 12th anniversary.

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.