I subscribe to all the things so you don’t have to. This is a curated list of what’s been announced over the past week so you can save the date, or swoop on tickets, and also a list of what’s coming up soon if you’re looking to make last-minute plans.
What’s new?
Aussie comedy Jim Jefferies announces tour
Rock star comedian, TV show host, podcaster and writer Jim Jefferies is bringing his Give ‘Em What They Want Tour to Australia this August. He’ll be at Margaret Court Arena on Friday 9 August. Tickets go on sale this Friday 3 May,
Juicyfest 2025 lineup dropped
International rapper and movie star Ludacris is headlining Juicy Fest 2025 and he’ll be joined by some of R&B and hip-hop’s most influential stars.Coming along for the ride are Akon, Tyga, Keyshia Cole, Omarion, Fat Joe, SWV, Blackstreet and Jacquees, all together on one line-up – Juicy Fest 2025 has the area codes covered this summer. The Melbourne edition of Juicyfest will be at the Melbourne Showgrounds on 17 January 2025.
aespa is coming to Australia for the first time ever
K-Pop superstars, aespa, are bringing their 2024 aespa LIVE TOUR – SYNK : PARALLEL LINE to Australia and will be at Rod Laver Arena on 2 September.
Norwegian alt-pop artist Girl in Red headed Down Under
After selling out her run of headline dates last year, Norwegian alt-pop artist and songwriter Girl in Red is heading back down under and is set to play some of her biggest shows yet. She’ll be at Margaret Court Arena on Wednesday 17 July.
Masterchef Australia alumni are taking over Crown
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.
Swan Hill to shine bright this winter
River Lights will illuminate the sky in Swan Hill over ten nights from Friday 28 June to Sunday 7 July and offer a range of session times so families with young children can attend early in the evening.
50th anniversary of Tubular Bells concert
Following its successful sold-out 50th Anniversary run in the UK and Europe, Tubular Bells in Concert heads to Australia in August 2024. The Gold Anniversary of Mike Oldfield’s trailblazing magnum-opus will be performed by an expansive live group, featuring and arranged by Mike Oldfield’s long-term collaborator, Robin A Smith.
David Helfgott farewell performance
Acclaimed pianist David Helfgott returns to the Melbourne Recital Centre in July to bid a fond farewell to his long-performing career which has been closely associated with the iconic Melbourne venue.
Stephen K Amos brings new show to Victoria
Stephen K Amos is back with a brand new show – Oxymoron – after treading the boards of London’s West End in the smash hit musical My Fair Lady and he’s bringing it to several venues around Victoria in May and June.
Save the date for these
Also just announced:
- Reggae Royalty, Jamaica’s The Original Wailers are coming to the Northcote Theatre on 22 November with their trademark sound and feel, bringing the much loved hits of Bob Marley and the Wailers to life
- The Great Ocean Road Running Festival returns Saturday 18 until Sunday 19 May with nine distances from 1.5km to 60km, including an ultra marathon and scenic trail runs, across one of Australia’s most iconic regions.
- 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.
- The Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Great Ocean Road chocolateries are gearing up to showcase 31 different varieties of rocky road for their Rocky Road Festival running from 1-31 May.
- Check out the incredible Acland Street St Kilda Mother’s Day Trail event that’s on offer – Coffee, cake, entertainment and prizes all for only $5!
- Catch comedian Troy Kinne live at the Altona Sports Club on Wednesday 8 May and at Lido Cinemas in Hawthorn on Thursday 30 May.
- The Conscious Closet is holding its next designer sale event for a great cause in Bridge Road Richmond on 3 May.
- Explore LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Melbourne in Chadstone for May the Fourth and take part in Space themed Adult Night activities.
- 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.
- Bendigo’s Hargreaves Mall is set to be transformed into a winter wonderland for the June/July school holidays. At the same time, Rosalind Park will also host what has become a winter tradition of a light show throughout the park.
- The Reclink Community Cup is set to kick off on 16 June at Victoria Park in Abbotsford bringing together the vibrant Melbourne music scene and the spirited community radio industry for a day of grassroots football and live music.
- ReSound Music Festival in Geelong and The Bellarine is set to ignite excitement in music fans and boost the profile of local and Australian artists. The free microfestivals will champion homegrown talent across two dates and locations, set against the picturesque backdrop of Ocean Grove on Saturday 1 June and the bustling cityscape of central Geelong on Saturday 22 June.
- Join the City of Stonnington for a morning of family fun on 4 May as they celebrate the opening of the Sir Zelman Cowen Park regional play space in Kooyong.
- The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) presents the 10th annual Melbourne Art Book Fair over 11 days, from 23 May to 2 June 2024. The Fair will enliven venues across Melbourne and Victoria with book launches, talks, exhibitions and more.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, South Africa based artist Christopher Rimmer was compelled back to Australia. Unable to leave, he set off on an intrepid adventure through the outback to create his new series, Remnant: The Tragedy of Lost Significance, launching internationally through Art & Collectors in Fitzroy on 20 May 2024.
- St Kilda Film Festival (SKFF) is celebrating 40 years of short films on the big screen from 6-16 June. SKFF is returning with another huge year featuring a stellar and diverse selection of Australian short films by both emerging and accomplished filmmakers across a vast range of sessions.
- Bourne Local Markets are returning to Collins Square in the city on Thursday 9 May with a Mother’s Day Artisan Market.
- Join Lido Cinema on 4 May for a screening of Housekeeping for Beginners, the breathtaking new film about chosen family, with prolific Australian director Goran Stolevski (Of An Age, You Won’t Be Alone) joining in for a post-film Q&A moderated by film critic Stephen A. Russell.
- Catch Madam Saigon, a dance performance celebrating women in the Vietnamese community and held the Saturday before Vietnamese Mother’s Day, known as Mua Vu Lan. At the Bowery Theatre St Albans on 4 May.
- CamberWELL-BEING returns to celebrate thehealth and wellness businesses in Camberwell Junction. Join the Wellness Trail on Saturday 25 May from 11am to 2pm to explore the health and wellness options available. Pre-register to get a free tote bag (while stocks last).
- Join Ryan ‘Brickman’ McNaught for an epic reveal at Westfield Doncaster on Wednesday 1 May from 8:30am! Rub shoulders with the LEGO® Certified Professional himself in an exclusive meet & greet as Brickman reveals his next out of this world project.
- Catch comedian Akmal at the Slovenian Club in Research on 21 June.
- 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.
- Comedians Dave O’Neil and Ray O’Leary will be at the Notting Hill Hotel on Tuesday 7 May.
- Metalcore giants The Amity Affliction will embark on a headline tour across the country this November for the 10th anniversary of their acclaimed album “Let the Ocean Take Me”. To celebrate their seminal fourth studio release, the band will be performing the album in its entirety each night.
What to do?
Never mind the naysayers, Melbourne is not dead! Here’s a round-up of things happening in and around Melbourne this weekend and over the next few weeks:
- See more than 200 artefacts from the Titanic at the Melbourne Museum’s Titanic: The Artefacts Exhibition, running until 30 April.
- The Vegan Vegout Northside edition will be at Welcome to Thornbury on 1 May with a lineup of vegan food trucks.
- Join Ryan ‘Brickman’ McNaught for an epic reveal at Westfield Doncaster onWednesday 1 May from 8:30am! Rub shoulders with the LEGO® Certified Professional himself in an exclusive meet & greet as Brickman reveals his next out of this world project.
- The VCE and Careers Expo is on at MCEC on 2-4 May.
- Join industry leaders, curators and designers for a full day of in-depth discussion and visual presentation of Australia’s fashion industry at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery on 2 May.
- Buddha’s Day and Multicultural Festival is on 3-5 May at Federation Square.
- The Melbourne Nocturnal Film Festival is on 3-5 May as part of Sleepless Footscray.
- The tilde: Melbourne Trans and Gender Diverse Film Festival is happening on 3-5 May
- Whisky Live, Melbourne’s premiere whisky sampling event, showcasing high-quality whiskies to discover and taste, is on at the St Kilda Town Hall 3-4 May.
- Meguiars Motorex the largest and most prestigious car show of its kind in Australia held over 40,000 square metres with 700 + cars is at the Melbourne Showgrounds3-5 May
- As part of the Australian Heritage Festival, join the National Trust for a walking tour of Rippon Lea’s Significant Trees on 3 and 10 May.
- Saddle up for the inaugural Melbourne Muster, located at Caribbean Park, Scoresby Victoria on 3-4 May 2024
- The fourth Newport Jazz Festival Australia will be held on 3-5 May 2024.
- The Conscious Closet is holding its next designer sale event for a great cause in Bridge Road Richmond on 3 May.
- The One Fine Baby Expo is on at the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton on 4-5 May.
- Hair Pieces at the Head Museum of Modern Art opens on 4 May and runs until ^6 October and explores the evocative and complex significance of hair in contemporary culture through a selection of recent Australian and international works of art.
- The Footscray Sleepless Festival runs from 4-16 May.
- Good Vibes Day – a mini wellness festival – is on at the Mornington Park Pavillion on 4 May.
- Join the City of Stonnington for a morning of family fun on 4 May as they celebrate the opening of the Sir Zelman Cowen Park regional play space in Kooyong.
- Join ACCA Education on 4 May for a free family art day drop-in program for children and their families to enjoy art-making in the galleries inspired by ACCA’s exhibition Laure Prouvost: Oui Move in You.
- Travel the world in a day at the World Cultural Festival in St Albans on 4 May
- The Big Morning tea and Magickal Wares Expo is on in Seaford on 4 May.
- The Peninsula Studio Trail’s Artists Open Studio Weekend is on 4-5 May.
- On Saturday 4 May, Free Comic Book Day is back at All Star Comics in Queen Street Melbourne. This a worldwide event designed to bring comics and comic book stores into the forefront of the public eye in the best way possible, by giving away thousands, upon thousands of free comics.
- Embark on an intergalactic journey like no other at iceHQ’s Star Wars themed Ice Skating Night in Reservoir on 4 May
- Vino voyage – a journey through Italian grapes at Torino Aperitivo on 4 May will showcase more tha 30 open bottles exclusively featuring Italian great varieties from top producers to sample and complimentary roaming canapés from the Torino kitchen.
- Port Melbourne’s Mother’s Day Artisan Market is on in Bay Street on Saturday 4 May.
- Explore LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Melbourne in Chadstone for May the Fourthand take part in Space themed Adult Night activities.
- Join Lido Cinema on 4 May for a screening of Housekeeping for Beginners, the breathtaking new film about chosen family, with prolific Australian director Goran Stolevski (Of An Age, You Won’t Be Alone) joining in for a post-film Q&A moderated by film critic Stephen A. Russell.
- Catch Madam Saigon, a dance performance celebrating women in the Vietnamese community and held the Saturday before Vietnamese Mother’s Day, known as Mua Vu Lan. At the Bowery Theatre St Albans on 4 May.
- Shop new and pre-loved designer clothing at Ready Set’s famous Luxe Sale in South Melbourne on 4 May.
- Choose from a wonderful array of creative items all handmade by the stallholders at the Ivanhoe Makers Market on 4 May.
- Celebrate Tamil New Year in Bacchus Marsh on 4 May.
- The Glenroy Festival on 5 May is a free outdoor community event that celebrates and showcases the vibrant and diverse community of Glenroy. The event includes performances, community stallholders, food vendors, children’s activities, and workshops. Sunday 5 May.
- The Melbourne International Animation Festival is on 5-12 May
- The Round She Goes preloved and vintage fashion market is on at the Coburg Town Hall on 5 May.
- Join the Emerald Museum for a one-hour guided walking tour of the lush Nobelius Heritage Park on 5 May as part of the Australian Heritage Festival.
- The Brunswick multicultural festival is on 5 May.
- Immerse yourself in the lives of those who lived, created, loved, and lost in Waller House at the Waller House Open Day in Ivanhoe on 5 May as part of the Australian Heritage Festival
- Melbourne’s biggest baby and childrens market, the All For Kids market, is on in Diamond Creek on 5 May.
- The Melbourne Collectors Market is on in Diamond Creek on 5 May.
- Hundreds of custom made gifts will be on offer from over 50 local artisans at the Hawthorn Makers Market on 5 May at the Hawthorn Arts Centre.
- The Kalorama Chestnut Festival on 5 May is a FREE community event welcoming locals and visitors to come together to celebrate the humble chestnut.
- The Hawker 88 Night Market will return to the iconic Queen Vic Market sheds for an exclusive five-week season until 8 May showcasing traditional Asian street eats, quirky general merchandise and specially themed weekly entertainment.
- A new installation BioRhythm – a unique ‘living’ activation, created by Buko Studio in collaboration with Public Street – has been supported by the City of Stonnington and will be able to be seen at Prahran until 14 May.
- The Australian Heritage Festival is on until 18 May with a range of events on around Victoria.
- 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 withTop Designs returns for 2024. The showcase runs until 14 July.
- 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.
