The best free festivals in Melbourne

Until 22 Mar

Open Air at the Square

As the weather warms up, enjoy accessible, all-ages live music and outdoor cinema at Fed Square.

Until 28 Feb

National Sustainability Festival

Showcasing sustainability and climate thought leaders.

8 – 9 Feb

Festival of the Photocopier Zine Fair

The Festival of the Photocopier is a two-day zine fair with over 100 stalls celebrating zines.

9 Feb

Lunar New Year at Fed Square

Celebrate Lunar New Year at Fed Square, with free activities and a dragon dance.

15 Feb

Afro-Caribbean Carnival

This summer, Melbourne comes alive with the vibrant energy of the Afro-Caribbean Carnival.

16 Feb

Costa's Picnic Extravaganza

Connect with nature and community in a vibrant, picnic-style celebration.

21 Feb

Asia TOPA x Fed Square Live

Enjoy a free, all-ages concert to celebrate the opening of the Asia TOPA festival.

22 – 23 Feb

Antipodes Festival

Enjoy a giant street party as Lonsdale St is transformed into a celebration of Greek culture.

23 Feb

Asia TOPA: Nongkrong – Sarapan

A free, all-day event of sarapan (breakfast) and performances presented by Nongkrong Festival.

24 Feb – 10 Mar

Home Bound

As the fibres intertwine, a tapestry enacts the social entanglement of life in Naarm–Melbourne.

25 – 27 Feb

Silent Cinema with Live Scores

See classic silent films from across the world, paired with live music scores.

27 – 28 Feb

The Female Pope

Witness Rakini Devi's powerful transformative durational performance as part of Asia TOPA.

27 Feb – 1 Mar

Sonik Ekologies

Step into Sonik Ekologies, an intimate listening room curated by Liquid Architecture.

9 Mar

Peach PRC with George Alice and Carla Wehbe

A massive, free, all-ages, high-energy pop party at Fed Square on the Labour Day long weekend.

15 Mar

Nepal Festival Melbourne

Celebrate Nepali culture at Federation Square.

6 – 10 Mar

Moomba

An annual free festival held along the banks of the Yarra River.

9 – 23 Feb

Nongkrong Festival: Roots and Routes

A two-week arts festival with multiple events celebrating Australian-Indonesian culture.

15 – 25 May

Melbourne Design Week

Celebrating Australia’s largest and leading annual design festival.

Until 9 Feb

Midsumma Festival

Showcasing a diverse celebration of distinguished queer arts and cultural festivities.

3 – 8 Mar

PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival: Fashion Forecourt

A fashion-centric social and hospitality destination.

8 – 9 Feb

Kamayan Festival

Celebrate the Filipino art of communal dining at Melbourne’s first-ever Kamayan Festival.