What's on in December

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Christmas tree and decorations at Fed Square at night.

Discover things to do in Melbourne in December, from a wonderland of free Christmas events to exhibitions, attractions and places to visit.

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 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.

Lasers reflecting over water

What's free in Melbourne this month

Everything to see, do and enjoy in Melbourne for free this month.

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 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

Novelty wind-up chattering teeth against a yellow background.
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Basement Comedy Club: Weekend Showcase

Bringing you the biggest names and best comedians in the country, and beyond.

Parents and child seated in cinema seats, parents holding large striped containers of popcorn, the child in the middle smiling up at the screen.
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Library Cinema at narrm ngarrgu

Each month, watch a movie on the big screen, including contemporary, classic and documentary films.

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.

Four rows of people sitting smiling and laughing.
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Kings of Comedy: Underground, Uncensored, Unrivalled

Enjoy stand-up comedy from future stars and celebrity guest headliners.

A group of smiling participants in a studio workshop setting, holding glass-domed terrariums.
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Serene Terrarium: Workshop for Beginners

Create your mini plant world while enjoying a soothing cuppa and a calming environment.

Four women standing and holding up small mosaic lamps in front of a circular neon sign.
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Mosaic Art Classes Melbourne: Turkish Lamp Workshop

Make beautiful mosaic lamps at this Turkish lamp workshop

Smiling photography teacher and participants standing in a graffitied laneway in Melbourne.
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DJB Photography Class: Full Manual Mode

Bring along your DSLR or mirrorless camera on this highly rated beginner photography course.

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.

Four cabaret performers surrounded by pink and yellow feather fans.
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Cabaret Ridiculous

An hour of variety entertainment that’s as unpredictable as it is unforgettable.

A person spooning food from a large salad bowl onto a plate they hold in their hands.
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Local Lunch Club

Live well, eat well, together at Kathleen Syme Library.

Three entertainers in formal attire in front images of the Melbourne skyline and fireworks.
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Australian Pops Orchestra New Year's Eve Gala Concerts

With Caroline O'Connor and Mark Vincent, plus John Foreman and the Australian Pops Orchestra.

A group of friends playing the board game dungeons and dragons at Fortress Tavern Melbourne, with a Dungeon Master dressed in a witch's costume leading the game.
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Dungeons and Flagons

Forge friendships through adventure at Dungeons and Flagons at Fortress.

A woman with two red plaits and a white cap holds up a picture book in a kids library area.
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Stompers

Bring your child to Library at The Dock on Tuesdays for a lifelong love of books.

Two people on a stage giving each other a high five, one also holding a microphone.
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Comedy at the Coopers Inn

A comedy club featuring the best local, interstate and international stand-up comedians.

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.

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.

Three people seated around a wooden table, each reading a paperback novel.
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English Learners' Book Club

A place where English learners connect to discuss books and share ideas.

Fish-eye lens view of a mall venue with musicians on a small stage surrounded by audience.
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Mellowdias Thump

An improvised soul and rap music event featuring live bands, producers and DJs.

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.

Egg yolk pouring out of a long sub sandwich with cheese and salad.
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Gourmet Sandwich Hunt

Elevate your sandwich style with celebrity chef Darren Purchese.

Musicians performing on stage with guitar and double bass.

Ramble Tamble: Xmas Show

The four-piece band set Bird's alight with their tribute to Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Art photograph of a female floating on water viewed from above.
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Physis: Elemental Bodies

An exhibition of works by photographic artist Lilli Waters.

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.

Violinists playing as part of a seated orchestra.

Meet @ the Market: Session 3

A concert of profound feeling: from grief to hope and joy, paired with custom cocktails.

Still from a film showing a man with a mustache and a brown jacket looking through a shop window.
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Matinees at ACMI Cinemas

Celebrate cinema at a sensible hour with ACMI's thoughtfully curated line-up of films.

Still from Love Actually, Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon waving awkwardly while snow falls.

Love Actually In Concert

The ultimate romantic comedy, with a live symphony orchestra.

Byzantine icons of Jesus, Mary and John the Baptist, their heads haloed in gold.
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Divine Thresholds: Icons and the Orthodox Christian World

Discover centuries of craftsmanship, devotion and momentous history in this new landmark exhibition.

Cruise boat on Yarra River with buildings and bridge.
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Ports and Docklands Cruise

Experience Melbourne's best scenery in Docklands on a sightseeing cruise.

Store mannequins displaying layered winter fashion and handbags.
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Shop and the City Walking Tour

Experience the magical boutiques of Melbourne.

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 seated around a crafts table in a studio, with pots of resin and other tools and equipment on the table.
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Resin Art Classes: Cheeseboards and Coasters

Make abstract art and discover the magic of working with resin.

Three toy robots in various stages of being built, on an orange surface.
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STEAM After School at narrm ngarrgu Library

Explore the fun of science, technology, engineering, art and maths with hands-on activities.

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.

People walking past stencil artwork of cats on a white wall in a Melbourne laneway.
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Art, History, Food and Wine Tour

The perfect introduction to Melbourne – street art, curious tales, wine tasting and tapas.

People gathered in front of the Shrine of Remembrance and a man playing bagpipes with his back to the camera.
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Last Post Service

Every Sunday, pause to remember those who have served and sacrificed.

A choral singer in black with other members of the choir behind her.
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Handel's Messiah

Join the MSO and an all-Australian cast for Handel’s Messiah – a Christmas tradition.

Portrait of a woman with her face painted blue and embellished with gold stars, wearing a colourful, fan-like headdress.
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Passage: The Art of Atong Atem

NGV presents the first-ever major solo exhibition of contemporary artist Atong Atem.

Comedian holding a microphone, standing under a spotlight in a bar with plants and bar stools.
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Laugh Lab

Come watch some of Melbourne's best comedians perform in the cosiest cocktail bar in town.

Two young adults observing a sculpture in a gallery space with digital and scupltural displays.
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EMERGENCE[Y]

An exhibition exploring how adaptation in a world of flux unfolds in every layer of life.

A woman smiling and holding up a copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar in a library setting.
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Stompers

Join in the Stompers fun with your toddler at North Melbourne Library every Thursday.

A library staff member holding a large owl puppet in one hand and a picture book in his other hand, standing in the children's section of a library.
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Stompers

Enjoy fun stories, songs, rhymes and activities at Kathleen Syme Library every Monday.

A blurred image of two people at a private table with a candle on the river with the city in the background.
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Spirit of Melbourne Dinner Cruise

Enjoy a relaxing three-hour Yarra River dinner cruise.

Looking over a blurred shoulder at a table with books displayed.
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World of the Book

Experience the rare, the sacred and the iconic in this one-of-a-kind exibition.

The retro interior of a 1950s home with red carpet and amber chairs.
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Walsh Street Guided Tour

Explore Robin Boyd’s iconic residence at 290 Walsh Street on a guided tour.

To tour leaders in front of Flinders St Station.
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Melbourne Uncovered: The Insider Tour

A 90-minute walking tour through the city's laneways, hidden arcades and most famous icons.

The feet of two people on a walking tour, standing on a tiled floor.
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East Melbourne Walking Tours

Take a guided walking tour of East Melbourne to discover secrets and hear untold stories.

A group of of brightly coloured dancers looking happy, led by man in bright green and yellow shiny outfit.

Silent Disco Tour: Eighties Theme with Disko Duk Duk

Dance your way through Melbourne to classic tunes from the 1980s.

A smiling library worker holding up three picture books with their front covers facing out, seated cross-legged on the floor in front of library display shelves.
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Songbirds

Come along to City Library on Fridays for songs, rhymes and stories.

A group of mostly men of varied ages, posing in their athletic wear, in front of a soccer goalie net at an outdoor oval.
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Social Soccer

Get active and play local community social soccer, hosted in Parkville.

A close up image of a brass instrument.

Academy End of Year Showcase

Young musicians celebrate the end of their Academy year, performing a program of chamber music.

Old black-and-white photo of people seated on a bus, two women chatting, a man looking straight ahead.
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The Green Bus

Exhibition tracing Andrew Chapman's 55-year photographic journey through the streets of Melbourne.

A child wearing a plastic coat, squirting paint with a paintgun at a pink canvas on a wall splattered with paint.
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Melbourne Paint Lab Art Workshop

At Melbourne Paint Lab you can splash, splatter and drip paint to unleash your inner artist.

A smiling adult holding a ukulele seated at a low table, with two picture books resting on the table, in a library setting.
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Preschool Storytime

Share the wonder of books with your children at narrm ngarrgu Library.

A crowd of people seated at tables inside Springrock Public Bar enjoying drinks and dining, taking part in a trivia quiz.
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Wednesday Trivia at Springrock

Enjoy Wednesday night trivia at Springrock Public Bar.

See all events in December

Discover more

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.

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 night tennis match at Rod Laver Arena.

Major events

From the Australian Open to the Melbourne Cup, major events take centre stage throughout the year.

Young child, in front of an artsy background, looking up at something.

Family and kids

Find things to do with the kids, from family-friendly events to fun attractions and workshops.