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    Massive list of what’s on in Melbourne and regional Victoria in May 2024 (170+ events)

    MelbourningBy Updated:No Comments33 Mins Read

    Mother’s Day is on the way, and so are lots of spectacular autumn days around Melbourne and regional Victoria. There’s plenty to do and see as well -this is our massive list of things to do this month across the state.

    This list will be updated as more May events are announced so check back regularly.

    Events running throughout May 2024

    • The Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Great Ocean Road chocolateries will showcase 31 different varieties of rocky road during their Rocky Road Festival running from 1-31 May.
    • Catch the South African Film Festival running at Classic Cinemas in Elsternwick from 2-30 May.
    • Cinema Nova in Carlton is celebrating the films of the acclaimed American independent film studio A24 from 2-29 May.
    • ICON – an exhibition of photos by acclaimed photographer Steve McCurry is on at Seaworks in Williamstown until 19 May.
    • Cirque du Soleil is celebrating its 25th anniversary in Australia with its critically acclaimed and jaw-dropping production Luzia under the Big Top at Melbourne Showgrounds until 19 May.
    • Following a successful tour in the USA and UK, it’s Melbourne’s turn get ready for the Harry Potter: Forbidden Forest adventure on the Mornington Peninsula until 19 May when The Briars Community Forest in Mount Martha will turn into a legit dark and magical forest.
    • Murder, greed, corruption, exploitation, adultery, treachery… and All That Jazz… so begins the international multi-award-winning musical, Chicago.   Catch it at Her Majesty’s Theatre until 26 May.
    • The Science Gallery at the University of Melbourne’s exhibition – NOT NATURAL – explores our increasing ability to control nature and the plethora of possibilities and ethical dilemmas that come with that power. Running until 29 June.
    • The Broadway sensation Wicked  looks at what happened in the Land of Oz… but from a different angle. See it at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre until 30 June.
    • Victoria’s zoos are being transformed into prehistoric playgrounds with Zoos Victoria’s new Dinos at the Zoo immersive experience providing an unforgettable journey back in time until 14 July.
    • Melbourne Museum will showcase some of Victoria’s most outstanding VCE and VCE VET design and technology students when Top Designs returns for 2024. The showcase runs until 14 July.
    • Take a trip down memory lane, with the iconic celebrity handprints from a former Bourke Street hardware store, McEwans, making their triumphant return to the CBD at the City Gallery at Melbourne Town Hall in an exhibition until 16 August.
    • Celebrating culture, nostalgia, and the pursuit of happiness, the Immigration Museum’s expansive exhibition Joy features seven Victorian-based artists showcasing their interpretations of joy through immersive installations, until 29 August.
    • Visited by more than 10 million people around the world and earning a spot on CNN’s “must-see” list, The Art of the Brick  is running until 31 August at the Melbourne Showgrounds. This brand new, immersive version of Nathan Sawaya’s iconic LEGO art exhibit features original collections, over 100 sculptures made from more than 1 million bricks, a LEGO safari, moving installations, 360 degree projections, and much more.
    • To mark the bicentenary of the death of Lord Byron, Melbourne’s Hellenic Museum has premiered The Spirit of Byron: Philhellenism and the Greek War of Independence, an original exhibition exploring Greece’s fight for freedom and Lord Byron’s legacy through a curated selection of works on paper from The Robertson Collection. Showing daily until January 2025.

    What’s on in and around Melbourne 1-5 May 2024:

    What’s on in and around Melbourne 6-12 May 2024:

    • The heritage-listed See Yup Temple in Raglan Street, South Melbourne, is rising from the ashes of a fire in February. Historian and curator Dr Sophie Couchman will explore the historical, spiritual and cultural heritage embodied by the temple and its contents at a free heritage talk on Monday 6 May at Emerald Hill Library at 6.30 pm.
    • The Whittlesea Bringing Up Kids Expo is on in Mill Park on 7-8 May
    • Enjoy live music, meet the makers and browse unique handmade gifts for mum at Rialto’s Mother’s Day Market that’s on 8-9 May at 525 Collins Street.
    • The Trades Fit Expo at MCEC on 8-9 May demonstrates the exciting world of trade and tech industries and the rewarding, well-paid career opportunities they can provide to young women.
    • Well-known radio host and comic performer Lehmo will be the master of ceremonies at the Ageing Well Expo at Cardinia Cultural Centre Pakenham on Wednesday 8 May.
    • Shop for beautifully made art, jewellery, accessories, clothing and more right in the heart of the city at the Mother’s Day Market in St James Arcade on Wednesday 8 May where you’ll find a great mix of makers with products just perfect for last minute gifts.
    • The 11th Annual Setting Sun Short Film Festival is at Yarraville’s Sun Theatre from 9-20 May.
    • The 2024 Melbourne Writers Festival is taking place on 9-12 May.
    • The Monster – a massive inflatable fun park that’s been touring the east coast of Australia – is set to land in Dandenong South from 9-12  May.
    • The Bourne Local Markets are returning to Collins Square in the city on Thursday 9 May with a Mother’s Day Artisan Market.
    • Explore cosmic alignments and unexpected impossibilities with a full program of talks, tours and chance encounters at Nocturnal, your adults-only-invite to explore Melbourne Museum after-hours on 9 May. Star gaze from the Royal Exhibition Building’s iconic Dome Promenade, with late night access to this unparalleled view included with your ticket for one night only!
    • The South Side Festival comes to life in Frankston from 10-19 May with exciting performances, raucous comedy, dazzling installations, striking visual arts and fun for the whole family.
    • The 2024 German Film Festival is coming to Melbourne from 10-29 May at various venues.
    • Korea Festival 2024, the biggest Korean cultural event in Melbourne is returning to Fed Square for two days on 10-11 May.
    • Following their awe-inspiring 2023 national tour, get set for an electrifying experience as the massive fleet of machines of Monster Truck Mania returns to Rod Laver Arena on 11-12 May 2024.
    • To Palestine, With Love is a poetry, spoken word, and music event, bringing people together in love and solidarity for the Palestinian supporting community at the Wheeler Centre on 11 May.
    • The Wyndham Volunteer Expo is on in Hoppers Crossing on 11 May.
    • The Heathcote Winegrowers Association are bringing a little taste of their famous Heathcote wine region to the city at the Abbotsford Convent on Saturday 11 May with Heathcote in the City, featuring more than 100 wines to try.
    • 32 baristas will battle to be crowned the 2024 Australian Espresso Champion and to represent Australia at the 2025 World Espresso Championship at Aunty Peg’s Collingwood on 11-14 May.
    • Welcome to Brunswick presents Dimmy & Dumpling fest on Saturday 11 May – from 12pm in the beer garden.
    • There’s a pop-up Mother’s Day Market in Greensborough from 11am – 3pm on Saturday 11 May.
    • The Burwood One Mother’s Day Market  presented by Cheeky Monkey Market is happening on 11 May.
    • Join the Terminus Hotel in Fitzroy North on 11 May for One Night Keg Stand where the Termi will become a beer festival featuring independent Melbourne brewers North of the Yarra, each vying for a 3-month tap residency.
    • The Victorian United Nations Day of Vesak – a time to honour the birth, enlightenment, and passing of Buddha – is happening at the Melbourne Town Hall on 11 May.
    • Bayside City Council’s first Gardens for Wildlife planting bee is happening in Cheltenham on 11 May  to create a demonstration garden and nature strip planting to showcase key design elements in a wildlife friendly garden and indigenous plant species suitable for nature strip planting.
    • Join Merri-bek City Council on 11 May to celebrate the opening of Moomba Park Wetlands in Fawkner. Listen to Growling Grass Frogs, a threatened species that has made Moomba Park Wetlands its home. There will also be a Welcome to Country, smoking ceremony and more.
    • Gift a sustainable, chemical-free autumnal bunch of flowers to Mum this Mother’s Day, Available for $40 each from the Collingwood Children’s Farm’s farm gate on 11 May. They’ll also have fresh bags of lemon myrtle for $5, perfect for brewing mum a nice cup of tea.
    • Muji Food is launching in Australia, and to mark the occasion, the Chadstone store is hosting a pop-up food market featuring six of its favourite local independent food brand across the weekend of 11 and 12 May.
    • Watch the Grand Final of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest live from the Malmö Arena in Sweden on the big screen at Lido Cinemas in Hawthorn on Sunday 12 May at 5am.
    • Take your greyhounds out for beers, wines, snacks, pooch margaritas and socialising at the Greyhounds Pub Crawl in South Melbourne on 12 May. 
    • Join Vola Foods at the Astral African Mother’s Day Market in Brunswick on 12 May for a day filled with vibrant African culture and unique handmade goods.
    • Mums skate free at Sk8house on MOTHER’S DAY – Sunday 12 May 2024, 11AM to 1PM and 2PM to 5PM.

    What’s on in and around Melbourne 13-19 May 2024:

    • The Aviary Hotel in Abbotsford is celebrating World Cocktail Day for the entire week from 13-19 May with delicious $15 cocktails.
    • Go along to the City of Monash’s Community Planting Day on 15 May and help plant more than 30 species of indigenous plants to build a Tiny Forest at Fraser Street Reserve, Glen Waverley.
    • May’s wine tasting event at Gertrude Grocer Carlton on 16 May offers a journey through five European varietal red wines, enjoyed with complimentary nibbles and guided by an expert host.
    • Crown Resorts and MasterChef Australia will present a new pop-up restaurant and unique, dining experience called ALUMNI at Crown Melbourne – the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere from 16 May to 4 August. ALUMNI will see a rotating cast of MasterChef Australia alumni serving dishes from the cuisine they are best known for.
    • The Victorian Careers Show 2024 incorporating ADF Careers is on at the Showgrounds on 16-18 May providing resources and information for the VCE, tertiary courses, career options, study strategies, the gap year and much more.
    • The Watercolour Society of Victoria’s 50th anniversary exhibition Luminous is on 17-27 May.
    • The Art Show Pakenham is taking place at the Pink Hill Hotel, Beaconsfield, on 17-26 May.
    • Garden lovers can enjoy a tour of the Government House gardens on 17 May.
    • Continuum is Melbourne’s annual fan run speculative fiction and pop culture convention celebrating creativity across genres and media. Writers, artists, readers and film/TV buffs of all kinds can get together for a weekend of panel discussions, entertainment, and social fun from 17-19 May, at Jasper Hotel on Elizabeth Street, Melbourne.
    • The Melbourne Record Club is holding a Record Fair at Moon Dog World in Preston on the evening of 17 May featuring thousands of records.
    • Celebrate the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia on Friday 17 May with a How to Be An Ally Workshop at Melton Library, or free community lunch at Melton Botanic Garden.
    • Join members of Hume’s diverse community to celebrate IDAHOBIT: the International Day against LGBTIQA+ Discrimination in Cragieburn on 17 May.
    • The Blacksmiths Festival is on in Footscray on 18-19 May.
    • The Hills Ukulele Festival returns to beautiful Emerald, Victoria on 18 May
    • The Lynbrook Psychic and Holistic Market is on 18 May  
    • The Australian Craft and Food Market Expo is on at Carribean Park in Scoresby on 18 May
    • Bring along your treasures to show expert valuers and conservators at an Antiques Roadshow style event in Mornington on 18 May
    • On Saturday 18 May, the McLelland Gallery and Sculpture Park at Langwarrin will be transformed for the biennial family-friendly event Celebrating First Nations at McClelland which will feature performances by leading First Nations artists and musicians including Ganga Giri, Carissa Nyalu, Djarlo Dance Group and more, as well as market stalls in the sculpture park and gallery.
    • The Mojo Festival returns to the Trades Hall Ballroom in Carlton on Saturday 18 May with creativity and renegade fun in honour of World Schizophrenia Day. Immerse yourself in a world of art, music, and Lived Experience culture like never before.
    • Retro Star Vintage’s famous warehouse sale is making a comeback on 18 and 19 May in Brunswick East -everything is either $5 or $10.
    • IDAHOBIT Day is the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, and is observed on Friday 17 May. To celebrate and support the LGBTQIA+ community Bunjil Place is presenting a series of short family friendly films curated by the Melbourne Queer Film Festival on Saturday 18 May in the Bunjil Place Plaza.
    •  One of the most requested events at Collingwood Yards, Stay Soft’s iconic night market is returning on Saturday 18 May.
    • The Snow Travel Expo is on 19 May at MCEC.
    • The Box Hill Miniature Steam Railway’s May public running day is on 19 May.
    • The Lilydale Psychic and Wellbeing Expo is on at the York on Lilydale, Mount Evelyn, on 19 May.
    • I Wore It Once is a high quality, curated pre-loved fashion market that’s taking place in Mornington on 19 May.
    • Gather your botanica-loving friends and family: the Botanica Festival, the National Trust of Australia’s annual celebration of the natural environment, sustainability and gardening, is returning for its fifth year on Sunday 19 May at the iconic Rippon Lea Estate.
    • Experience the vibrancy of Southbank like never before on 19 May at Festival At Boyd (FAB) – an event organized by the Active Southbank Community Association Inc. With a mission to foster a sense of belonging and celebrate our multicultural community, FAB Southbank promises an inclusive experience filled with activities, music, dance, and delectable cuisine.
    • The annual Japan Festival is being held at the Box Hill Town Hall on Sunday 19 May.

    What’s on in and around Melbourne 20-31 May 2024:

    What’s on in regional Victoria in May 2024

    If you want to make a day or a weekend of it, why not head out to the regions? There’s a bounty of stuff to see and do and so much happening this month.

    If you have an event you’d like to include in this month’s list, or one in future months, please email hello at melbourning dot com dot au.

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