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.

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.

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 contemporary Indigenous artwork featuring a black cockatoo against a vibrant pink and marbled background.
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Future Dreaming

Explore 217 original small artworks by First Nations artists in Victoria’s prisons.

Sculptural detail on a street pole.

Crackscape: Attending to the In-Between

An artist-led walk exploring Carlton's streets through ceramics, cracks and everyday details.

Two models stand smiling outdoors in vibrant, unconventional fashion ensembles.
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Melbourne Fashion Week

M/FW takes over the city from 19–25 October.

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.

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.

A social chess gathering where people are playing chess matches in an indoor setting of a bar.

Social Chess Meetup

Drop in for a friendly Saturday-afternoon game of social chess.

A person's hands holding up a timber-framed oil painting of a farmland landscape with blue skies.
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Maria Radun: In the Moment

Oil paintings inspired by the diverse landscapes of Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.

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

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.

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 dark image showing an empty theatre with rows of empty seats in front of a microphone on a stand.

Hindi Standup Comedy Show

Come along and have a laugh at the best Hindi comedy night in Melbourne.

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.

Close-up view of a hand-woven wall covering featuring a textured beige background with minimalist geometric designs.
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Camille Laddawan & Kokoro Kimura (JP): Aura

An exhibition of new works by Camille Laddawan and Kokoro Kimura (JP).

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.

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.

View of Melbourne from across the Yarra River
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Special Features: Improvised Movie and Documentary

Special Features is a hilarious, completely unscripted cinematic experience developed for the stage.

A realist artwork of mandarins nestled in white fabric.
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Genevieve Gadd-Carolan: Always A Student

A reflection of the commitment to the lifelong pursuit of learning and artistic discovery.

Warmly lit bouquets of hanging flowers, against a dark background.

Bloom After Dark

Welcome the longer evening and arrival of summer with a night of music and a touch of Halloween.

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.

A tour guide with his hand in the air working in Melbourne's City Square.
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Building Creative Melbourne

A walking tour exploring how architecture, art and big ideas shaped Melbourne.

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.

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.

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.

Singer Anthony Gerace performing on stage in front of a spotlight.

The Sounds of Broadway

Anthony Gerace is back performing hits from some of the greatest musicals.

An oil painting depicting two women standing side-by-side wearing the same clothes, in a room with potted plants hanging on the wall behind them.
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Listening Practice

Join for an hour of calm inspired by Japan’s listening café tradition.

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.

Children at a counter wearing aprons all learning to make pretzels with a woman wearing a headscarf.

Pretzel Baking Workshop for Families

Roll, twist and bake German pretzels in a hands-on family workshop for kids aged 2–5.

A young girl stands on stage with fallen ballerinas all around her in a production of The Nutcracker.
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The Australian Ballet: The Nutcracker

Rediscover the childlike joys of the holiday season with the magic of The Nutcracker ballet.

A comedian on a small stage in front of a blue curtain making a face into a microphone.
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Sunday Laughternoons

End your weekend on a high note with a secret lineup of very good comedians.

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.