What's on this week in Melbourne

Discover things to do in Melbourne this week, from free events to exhibitions, attractions and places to visit.

The city reflecting colourful lights over the river at night.

Things to do this week

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.

People at an outdoor market interacting with stallholder wearing a blue hat.

Melbourne Makers' Market

A curated showcase of the city's finest contemporary art and design.

A botanical illustration of a red native plant with seed pods visible.
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The Art of Botanical Illustration

An exhibition that celebrates the beauty and scientific tradition of botanical art.

Oktoberfest-themed illustration with man wearing a Tyrolean hat holding steins of beer, pretzel and meat, with a Melbourne tram.
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Oktoberfest at Hofbrauhaus

Celebrate German bier, food and music as the Hofbräuhaus Oktoberfest turns 58.

A traditional beer keg-tapping ceremony at an Oktoberfest celebration, at a Bavarian-style beer hall.
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Oktoberfest at Munich Brauhaus

Enjoy Bavarian feasts, flowing German bier, live entertainment, and all the Oktoberfest festivities.

People walking past rows of outdoor market stalls with umbrellas and trees.
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Docklands Waterfront Farmers' Market

Showcasing fresh produce, market eats and live entertainment along Harbour Esplanade.

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.

Participants on the State Library Victoria Unlocked guided morning tour inside the iconic dome at State Library Victoria in Melbourne.
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State Library Victoria Unlocked

Join an exclusive guided tour and experience State Library Victoria before the doors open.

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.

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.

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.

Woman holding an acoustic guitar, seated on a ball amid clouds, her head back singing.

Amy Raw Raw ROAR

Psychedelic pop art folk funk blues songs, rapping, poetry, candid stories and more.

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.

The facade of Melbourne Town Hall illuminated in colours, with a blurred tram going past.
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Light Up Melbourne After-dark Projections

See immersive art projections light up some of the city's most iconic landmarks.

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.

An oil painting of a pink flamingo alongside a beautiful woman in a pink dress sitting on a rock.
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Yianni John and Sammi Edney: That Little Something Xtra

A father-daughter exhibition intertwining pseudo-symbolism and imaginative realism.

A collage featuring Picachu, a blueberry, capsule, megaphone and a rabbit, all on a pink background.
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Presenting: A Queer Comedy Showcase

A stellar standup showcase of the best LGBTQIA+ comedians in Melbourne.

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

Several rows of people painting on canvases in a room with large, wall murals.
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Drip Splash: Creative Night Out

Unleash your inner artist with a night of drinks, paint, music and friends.

The four members of the comedic Wham Bam Thank You Jam Band on a stage in front of a pressed metal wall.

The Wham, Bam, Thank You Jam

A one-of-a-kind improvised musical comedy jam where anything can happen, and often does.

A green linocut of a flower and foliage printed on paper and a fabric tote bag.
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Tote Bag Block Printing Workshop

Style your bag just the way you like it with block printing in this beginner's workshop.

Child adding details to artwork on the back of a skateboard deck.
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School Holiday Street Art Workshops

Learn spray-painting techniques from a renowned street artist these school holidays.

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.

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.

Drawing of Hellenic figures standing on an open book.
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Dryad Drop-In

Explore the natural world through the eyes of the ancient Greeks, with storytelling and activities.

Woman in blue dress sitting in a garden, with face upturned.
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Forest Therapy

Unwind with forest therapy (shinrin-yoku) and immerse your senses in nature.

Artwork showing two Punch puppet profiles, nose to nose, with coloured paint splashed over the top.
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The Very, Very, Very, Late Puppet Show

Curated by puppetry enthusiasts for puppetry enthusiasts.

People seated in a dark bar venue watching a stand-up comic performing on stage, holding a microphone.
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Underground Comedy

This comedy night offers raw, unfiltered stand-up every week.

Three smiling young girls lying on a mattress with sleeping bags, inside a museum, next to a dinosaur skeleton.
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Family Museum Sleepovers

Sleep among the dinosaurs in this unique overnight experience at Melbourne Museum.

A drawing of three dolls dressed in kimonos against a mint green background.
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Japanese Storytime

Visit City Library for immersive Japanese language storytime.

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.

Rooftop garden at Fed Square with people under market umbrellas.
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RESET: A Festival for Grounding and Growing

Slow down, find joy in the hands-on and discover creative ways to live more sustainably this spring.

Seated audience watching a standup comedian perform with microphone in a small underground venue.
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Bar Humbug Comedy

Bar Humbug Comedy is a free weekly stand-up comedy night.

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.

Georgian antiques decorating a dining table, including candlesticks and ornaments.
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Taste and Temptation

An exhibition exploring the taste and temptations of 18th-century drinking and dining.

Crowded, dimly lit beer with people crowded around the bar and dance floor.

Saturday Night Social Club

Come early for conversations and games; stay late for the music and dancing.

A man dressed as Elton John with a white suit and comically tall top hat and high-heeled boots, stretching in a flamboyant pose.
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Elton John: Your Song

Matthew Hadgraft presents the music of Elton John.

Discover more

People milling around Fed Square at sunset.

What's on today

Discover free events, epic festivals and shows on in Melbourne today.

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.

People on deck chairs watching a movie in Fed Square on a large screen.

What's free in Melbourne this month

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

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.