- Until 21 May, the 2025 HSBC German Film Festival presented by Palace, in association with German Films, will showcase the best contemporary German cinema direct from major festivals in Europe plus a selection from its German-speaking neighbours, Austria and Switzerland.
- Join Associate Provost Professor Marcia Langton AO and Senior Curator Judith Ryan AM as they discuss their new book 65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art at Ivanhoe Library on 22 May.
- The Big Design Market ‘Almost Winter’ returns 23-25 May at the iconic Royal Exhibition Building, bringing together more than 250 vendors.
- The Long Walk Naarm on 23 May will transform Birrarung Marr Hilltop into a First Nations festival and an afternoon of family-fun. There’ll be live music performed by some of Australia’s leading Indigenous artists, plus free sport and art activations. The festival ends with the walk to the ‘G for the Dreamtime match.
- Foodpreneurs Festival at Abbotsford Convent on 23 May isn’t just a foodie event or trade show – it’s a powerhouse festival designed specifically for makers, bakers, brewers and creators who are turning their passion into profit.
- Prepare for a magical fusion of classical music and cutting-edge technology as the globally acclaimed DroneArt Show arrives in Melbourne for two nights only. Following a sold-out US premiere, this breathtaking open-air experience will transform Caulfield Racecourse into a canvas of light and sound on 23-24 May blending the elegance of live classical music with the wonder of synchronized drone artistry.
- Moonee Valley will come alive after dark this winter with the return of Valley Sounds, a free micro-music festival running from 23 May to 1 June as part of the Live and Local program. Showcasing an impressive lineup of Australian talent across bars, restaurants, and unexpected venues, the festival promises to bring warmth to the cooler months with electrifying performances.
- Celebrate cats at the inaugural Oz Feline Fair & CATstravaganza, the ultimate convention for everything cat! At MCEC on 24-25 May
- The Footscray/Seddon Urban Wine Walk on Saturday 24 May.
- Korea Festival is coming to Federation Square for a two-day celebration of Korean culture, traditions, and delicious food on 24-25 May.
- The Schoolhouse Studios Kids Market is on in Coburg on 24 May.
- The Murrindindi Beanie and Fibre Festival in Alexandra on 24-25 May is a community event, a feast of fibre art, fabulous beanies, winter warmers and more
- The City of Greater Geelong is celebrating 100 years of Ford in Geelong and will host two free events at the National Wool Museum on Saturday 24 May and Sunday 25 May called ‘100 Years of Ford in Geelong: The Cars, The People & The Local Legacy.’
- Be at Ballarat’s Kryal Castle on Saturday 24 to Sunday 25 May to witness the grandeur and glory of medieval warfare at the Legends of Steel Medieval Combat Tournament!
- The Warrnambool Bridal Expo is on 25 May
- Run the Gap on Sunday 25 May is a family friendly event with a 21km trail run, 12km part trail run, 6km fun run / walk, in the heart of the Gariwerd Grampians National Park – Halls Gap.
- The annual Japan Festival is on at the Box Hill Town Hall on 25 May
- The Melbourne Record Fair is on at the Queen Victoria Market on 25 May.
- The Scottish Heritage Day on 25 May is run by the Dandenong Agricultural and Pastoral Society Inc. This annual event celebrates and showcases the Scottish and native horse breeds.
- The RSPCA’s last ever Million Paws Walk is on Sunday 25 May at Albert Park Lake and other locations around Victoria.
- Enjoy live music and local musicians in venues around Banyule at Chillin’ in Banyule until 25 May.
- Featuring a dazzling showcase of 100 elegant and avant-garde contemporary lights, furniture designed for neurodivergent audiences and leading designers and brands from across the country, Australia’s premier design festival Melbourne Design Week returns until 25 May 2025 offering a vital platform for creatives to showcase boundary-pushing work and test new ideas.
- The Melbourne Art Book Fair until 25 May brings together local and international publishers, artists, and designers, fostering an exchange of ideas and collaboration between industry professionals and printed matter enthusiasts alike.
- The Melbourne Design Week Film Festival until 25 May will explore the impact of architecture and design through the moving image and its power to innovate, inspire and affect change.
- The Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery is holding its annual Rocky Road Festival until 31 May.
- Back for its 7th year the South African Film Festival runs until 31 May with a bold mix of features documentaries and Oscar-recognised shorts.
- After leaving an indelible mark on Melbourne’s memory, Vincent van Gogh’s vibrant works will return to THE LUME Melbourne until 1 June 2025. Back by popular demand, Van Gogh is an enchanting experience that immerses you in a powerful multisensory symphony of light, colour, sound and aroma.
- The Bald Archy is an Australian art prize, which parodies the prestigious portraiture award, the Archibald Prize is back May 2025. The first chance to see it in Victoria this year is in Mansfield until 1 June.
- Harry Potter: The Exhibition is on at the Fever Exhibition and Experience Centre until 9 June. This immersive showcase brings the beloved Wizarding World to life, featuring authentic props, costumes, and interactive experiences designed to transport visitors straight into the Harry Potter universe.
- Uncover the untold stories of a global icon, Dame Nellie Melba. A Toast to Melbashares rarely seen objects, photographs, and personal treasures from Coombe Yarra Valley, Arts Centre Melbourne and Yarra Ranges Regional Museum—brought together for the first time in this dynamic new exhibition until 29 June.
- Step back in time and experience the grandeur, opulence, and tragic fate of the RMS Titanic like never before. Titanic: A Voyage Through Time, an extraordinary virtual reality (VR) experience opens in Melbourne until 29 June, offering an unparalleled journey aboard the world’s most famous ship.
- Aftershocks – a new exhibition of works by Australian artist Sidney Nolan is at at the Melbourne Holocaust Museum until 29 June.The collection includes 56 works of Nolan’s 1961 paintings of Auschwitz victims and exhibited for the first time his later works depicting the Ravensbruck women’s Holocaust camp.
- Get ready to be mesmerised by the breathtaking beauty of our blue planet at the Ocean Photographer of the Year Exhibition, hosted at Seaworks Williamstown until 6 July.
- An international-exclusive exhibition Frida Kahlo: In her own image is at the Bendigo Art Gallery featuring objects and artworks that have never been seen before in Australia direct from Mexico’s Museo Frida Kahlo until 13 July.
- Blak In-Justice: Incarceration and Resilience highlights Indigenous incarceration in Australia through powerful artworks. Curated by Barkindji artist Kent Morris with Heide Museum of Modern Art until 20 July featuring First Nations artists connecting with culture and country.
- From cattle dogs to lap dogs, divine felines to the black cats of superstition a new exhibition coming to the National Gallery of Victoria called Cats & Dogs, will explore humanity’s deep connection to the beloved companion animals through more than 250 works of art and design. Its on display from until 20 July 2025 at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square.
- Floribunda is an intoxicating larger-than-life mashup of floral imagery, design and motif drawn exclusively from the NGV Collection, as curated by David Sequeira. You can see it at Bunjil Place in Narre Warren until 20 July.
- Step into the shadows of Melbourne’s history with Bones & Burial Boxes, a gripping exhibition that uncovers the hidden stories of the city’s most infamous prison burial sites at Pentridge Prison from until 31 August.
- From the runways of Paris to the NGV … Australian fashion legend Martin Grant returns home to Melbourne with the biggest exhibition of his career. Studded with his signature silhouettes and timeless tailoring, this glittering retrospective is not to be missed. Catch it until 26 January 2025 at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square.
- LEGO Star Wars: The Exhibition is making its galaxy-first debut at Melbourne Museum until 26 January 2026. This world-first exhibition brings two of the world’s most beloved brands together with renowned LEGO Certified Professional Ryan ‘Brickman’ McNaught at the controls.
- Get ready to tinker, build, and innovate! Scienceworks is launching its newest hands-on exhibition, Tinkertown, until 7 February 2026, promising to inspire the next generation of engineers, designers, and creators.
What’s on in Melbourne and regional Victoria this week: 19-25 May
By Melbourning
