Massive list of what’s on in Melbourne and regional Victoria in August 2025 (140+ activities and events)

This list is updated regularly, so be sure to check back.

Events running throughout August:

• Ballarat is once again rolling out the pastry mat for a full month of flaky indulgence. Back for its third year, Ballarat’s Best Pie is fast becoming a winter pilgrimage for pastry lovers, and 2025 is set to be the tastiest yet. Running all through August, the competition sees 36 wildly creative pies, both sweet and savoury, vying for top honours, from classic beef renditions to duck, limoncello and even lion’s mane mushroom.
• From 1-17 August 2025, the globally acclaimed interactive artwork IWAGUMI AIR SCAPE by Melbourne’s own ENESS will make its long-awaited Australian debut, transforming the heart of the Chapel Street Precinct into an inflatable, light-filled dreamscape.
• Grampians in a Glass is a three-week tasting takeover of North Melbourne’s Bobbie Peels, reimagining the cellar door experience with interactive sessions, exclusive back vintages, and a chance to meet the winemakers behind some of Victoria’s most distinctive drops. The event runs across three Wednesday nights – August 6, 13 and 27.
• Elmo’s Circus Dream presented by Circus Royale is at Watergardens from 8-31 August.
• You’re invited to Spice Fest! A celebration of bold flavours, fiery eats, and epic free Saturday night entertainment at Burwood Brickworks from 9-30 August.
• Until 10 August, experience REVERB – an immersive sound and light installation showcasing electro-ambient works paired with site-specific lighting design, resulting in a unique sensory playground that celebrates the quiet magic of Abbotsford Convent after dark. 
• This winter, Melbourne’s award-winning immersive light experience – Lightscape – returns and transforms Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne into a mesmerising display of more than 20 brand-new illuminations until 10 August.
• Brett Whiteley Inside the Studio at the Shepparton Art Museum until 10 August is a fascinating insight into the studio practice of one of Australia’s most gifted and revered artists. Drawn from the collections of the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Brett Whiteley Studio, this exhibition presents a selection of Brett Whiteley’s works across various media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, collage and ceramics.
• The Langham, Melbourne has partnered with iconic British brand Laura Ashley to launch an exclusive afternoon tea experience at Aria Bar & Lounge, running until 14 August 2025.
• Kicking off on Thursday, 14 August, the 2025 AFLW season will span 12 rounds over 12 weeks for the first time, followed by four weeks of finals and culminating with the NAB AFLW Grand Final on Saturday, 29 November.
• The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne is on 14-24 August.
• Opening August 15 at the Shrine to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, Eucalypts of Hodogaya explores the remarkable collaboration that created the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama where more than 1,500 Commonwealth soldiers, including Australians, are buried in a garden blending Western and Japanese traditions.
• Where does creativity come from? It’s a question as elusive as it is compelling – and one that State Library Victoria explores with profound insight in its captivating new exhibition, Creative Acts: Artists and their inspirations, opening 15 August and running until 31 May 2026.
• Eroni’s Circus will be at Tarneit from 15-31 August.
• Auto-Photo: A Life in Portraits introduces us to Alan Adler (1932 – 2024), who while little known, was the oldest and longest serving photobooth technician in the world, right here in Melbourne. See an exhibition of his test photos at RMIT Gallery until 16 August.
• Melbourne will become a living laboratory of avant-garde creativity as the Now or Never festival takes over the city from 21–31 August. The 11-day program features over 140 events across iconic venues, with more than 285 local and international artists pushing boundaries in music, installation art, and futuristic discourse – including 30 world-premiere commissions.
• Melbourne’s much-loved Winter Night Market is returning to Queen Victoria Market in 2025, lighting up Wednesday nights until 27 August 5pm–10pm.
• Behind the Lines is an annual exhibition of political cartooning on tour from the Museum of Australian Democracy that celebrates the year’s best political cartoons.See it at the Old Treasury Building in Melbourne until 28 August.
• 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.
• Melbourne’s most elegant after-dark experience returns this winter as NGV Friday Nights transforms the gallery into a vibrant hub of art, music, and indulgence. Until 3 October 2025, visitors can explore the blockbuster French Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston exhibition after hours, surrounded by an eclectic soundtrack and luxurious pop-up bars.
• Step into a world of exquisite craftsmanship and timeless elegance with Kimono, a brand-new, NGV-curated exhibition celebrating the enduring allure of Japan’s most iconic garment. Running until 5 October at NGV International, this breathtaking showcase explores the kimono’s profound influence on global art, fashion, and design—from the Edo period to today.
• Works from Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, Mary Cassatt, Berthe Morisot and more are headed to Melbourne for the NGV’s international-exclusive presentation of the major Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition, French Impressionism, until 5 October 2025.
• A groundbreaking international exhibition that explores the connection between society, art, and design through the lens of play is coming to the Incinerator Gallery in Melbourne’s west. The Playground Project is making its much-anticipated southern hemisphere debut until 12 October 2025, bringing a bold new vision of playground design to Australian audiences.
• 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.
• Camouflage is an exhibition running at The Shrine until March 2026. See how nature has inspired military disguise—from animal patterns to clever tricks of deception. Explore real camouflage uniforms, historical objects, and rotating artworks by well-known artists. Follow the evolution of camouflage from the First World War to today and learn how it reflects changing military strategies, culture, and creativity.

What’s on in and around Melbourne 1-3 August 2025

• The Big Vinyl Dig is on at the Preston City Hall on 2 August.
• Explore and wander through Melbourne’s Ultimate Indoor LEGO Playground kid-free at the LegoLand Discovery Centre’s Adult Night in Chadstone on 2 August.
• The Swiss Festival 2025 is on at Seaworks in Williamstown on 2 August.
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast Lilydale on 2 August.
• Monash University Open Day is on 2 August.
• Step into the fascinating world of model railways at Victoria’s biggest model train event – the 53rd Model Train Show at the Melbourne Showgrounds on 2-3 August.
• The Brunswick Community Flea Market is on 2 August.
• Melbourne Rare Book Week returns in 2025 with an extraordinary lineup of events, exhibitions, and lectures that celebrate the fascinating world of rare and collectible books. Running until 2 August, this year’s program features 43 free events hosted across Melbourne in collaboration with Victoria’s leading cultural institutions.
• This winter, Melbourne’s historic Abbotsford Convent transforms into a warm and whimsical pop-up cinema as the Cozy Cinema Club returns until 2 August, 2025. Running Wednesday to Saturday evenings, this immersive experience invites guests to sink into plush bean bags, wrap up in blankets, and enjoy a heartwarming lineup of films designed to bring all the cozy vibes.
• Celebrate the grand opening of Zambrero at Cranbourne North on Saturday 2 August with 1,000 free burritos and bowls.
• I Wore It Once Market is a curated, high quality pre-loved fashion market at the Peninsula Community Theatre,  91 Wilsons Road Mornington on 3 August.
• RMIT University’s Bundoora campus Open Day is on 3 August
• La Trobe University’s Bundoora campus Open Day is on 3 August
• The first Ukrainian-Australian Book Festival is happening on 3 August in Essendon.
• Skate, feast and play at Dandenong Market’s Winter Feast on 3 August – the ultimate winter destination for families and food lovers.
• The Vintage & Modern Toy Fair returns with its monster size event at the Melbourne Showgrounds on 3 August.
• MasterChef Australia’s casting team will be at the Dandenong Market on 3 August.
• The Circus Rio Carnival is at Rosebud Village Green until 3 August.
• Elmo’s Circus Dream is at Caulfield Racecourse until 3 August.
• Discover why the genre of Japanese horror has captivated popular culture for decades at ACMI’s Spotlight on Japanese Horror until 3 August.
• The 2025 Hurtigruten Scandinavian Film Festival, will show in Palace cinemas until 3 August.
• The world-renowned Melbourne Fair returns to Caulfield Racecourse until Sunday 3 August, commemorating a major milestone – 100 years since the birth of Art Deco. 

What’s on in and around Melbourne 4-10 August 2025

• Join Scienceworks for Little Kids’ Day In: Caring for Country on 4 August – a special day of fun and celebration for children aged 0-5 and their grown-ups. 
• Hawthorn’s much-loved Lido Cinemas is celebrating its 10th birthday with a nostalgic throwback: $5 tickets to all general sessions all week long. From 7–13 August, cinephiles can catch everything from recent releases to cult classics for just a fiver—on the big screen and in Dolby Atmos elegance.
• Hundreds of illuminated drones will light up the night sky with a stunning display of colour, movement and creativity at a free drone show at Birrarung Marr on 8 August.
• Step behind the scenes and explore science like never before – National Science Week is returning to Museums Victoria from 9-17 August.
• Experience the bold, the rare, the fortified and the unforgettable, as the wines of North East Victoria are poured within the walls of the historic and iconic Old Melbourne Gaol City Watch House at the inaugural North x North East Victorian Wine festival on 9 August.
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast San Remo on 10 August.
• The ACU Melbourne Campus Open Day is on 10 August.
• RMIT University’s Brunswick and City campuses will have their Open Days on 10 August
• Exchange your good quality pre-loved clothing items for the same amount of pre-loved items at the City of Monash’s Great Clothing Exchange in Glen Waverley on 10 August.
• The Vibe and Tribe Market is on in Kilsyth on 10 August.
• The Macleod Village Music on the Green and Winter Market is on 10 August.

What’s on in and around Melbourne 11-17 August 2025

• An amazing mix of 30 Aussie and international distillers will be showcasing a range of new and established liquor brands at the St Kilda Spirits Festival on 15-17 August.
• From 15-17 August Welcome to Thornbury is throwing a massive birthday carnival to celebrate a decade of cocktails, food trucks and community chaos.
• Care Expo Melbourne bring together a diverse range of community services, businesses, and organisations from the support, health and care industries at the Melbourne Showgrounds on 15-16 August.
• Join the Shrine of Remembrance to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific Day on 15 August.
• Celebrate Indian Independence Day at Fed Square on 16 August.
• The Sunbury Psychic Lifestyle Market is on 16 August.
• The Royal Botanic Gardens in Cranbourne is holding its Banksia Festival – an exciting series of lectures, workshops, art and craft exhibition, book and plant sales, guided walks, and more, from Saturday 16  to Sunday 24 August 2025,
• Prahran Market is hosting a Greek weekend on 16-17 August.
• The Berwick Half Marathon is on 17 August.
• Victoria University’s Footscray Park Campus Open Day is on 17 August.
• The University of Melbourne Open Day is on 17 August.
• The Elwood Bowls Club Record Fair is on 17 August.
• The Handmade Design Market is on at the Coburg Town Hall on 17 August.
• The New To You preloved clothing market is on at Williamstown Town Hall on 17 August.
• Whether you are a seasoned trail runner or are aiming to challenge yourself over a formidable natural course, the Devilbend Trail Run, on 17 August held at the Devilbend Natural Features Reserve, Tuerong, is for you!
• The Maling Road Auto Classico will transform Canterbury’s historic shopping village into a European-style motoring celebration on 17 August.
• A multicultural festival celebrating India’s Independence Day will be held in Knoxfield on 17 August.

What’s on in and around Melbourne 18-24 August 2025

• The FMP Job Expo is on at the Mornington Racecourse on 19 August.
• Melbourne’s iconic Rialto Tower is set to bloom once more as it hosts its annual breathtaking Daffodil Day floral display in support of Cancer Council Victoria. On 20 and 21 August, the Plaza will be transformed into a sea of 38,715 vibrant daffodils, each one representing a Victorian diagnosed with cancer every year.
• The National 4×4 Outdoors Show will be back at the Melbourne Showgrounds over three massive days from 22-24 August.
• The Melbourne Home Show is on at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 22-24 August.
• The Melbourne Cheese, Wine and Spirits Festival is on at Seaworks in Williamstown on 23 August.
• The Deakin University Burwood Open Day is on 24 August.
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast Broadmeadows on 23 August
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast Scoresby on 24 August
• Celebrate Indian culture at the West Melbourne Ganesh Festival at the Williamstown Town Hall on 24 August.
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast Werribee  on 24 August.
• The Enchanting Realms Market is at Welcome to Thornbury on 24 August.
• Victoria University’s City Tower campus Open Day is on 24 August
• The Caroline Springs Holistic and Psychic Expo is on 24 August.
• The annual Northcote Festival returns on 24 August.
  

What’s on in and around Melbourne 25-31 August 2025

• The 2025 Melbourne Home Entertainment Expo is on 29 August.
• The Armenian Film Festival returns to Melbourne from 29-31 August.
• A thousand years of mystery, craftsmanship, and cultural connection come to life as Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard opens at Melbourne Museum from 29 August 2025. Described as “one of the most significant European archaeological discoveries of the century,” the Galloway Hoard offers Australians a once-in-a-lifetime chance to view a dazzling collection of rare Viking Age artefacts – many never seen before outside the United Kingdom.
• The Home Entertainment Expo is on at the Pullman in Albert Park from 29-31 August.
• Veneto Club in Bulleen presents Salami Festa 2025 on 30-31 August.
• Get ready to ignite your passion for classic cars and custom builds because the Victorian Hot Rod and Street Machine Show is back and better than ever on 30-31 August at the Melbourne Showgrounds
• The Australian Women’s Weekly Health Summit is returning in 2025 at the Crowne Plaza Melbourne on 30 August  featuring leading voices in health, wellness and food for a morning of inspiration.
• Celebrate Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day at the Queen Victoria Market on 30-31 August.
• On Saturday 30 August, from 6pm to 9pm, Walking Thomastown invites residents to discover Thomastown in a brand-new glow. Organised by the City of Whittlesea and local partners, this free, family-friendly event transforms familiar streets, parks, and heritage sites into an illuminated open-air art gallery.
• The Victorian Hot Rod and Street Machine Show is on at the Melbourne Showgrounds on 30-31 August.
• Welcome to Thornbury’s Garlic Bread Festival is back for its sixth edition on 31 August.
• The Hurstbridge Wattle Festival is back in 2025 on 31 August
• Seeds Communal Garden in Brunswick is hosting its annual Soup Fest on 31 August with hearty seasonal soups are made from locally sourced and community grown produce.
• The Preston Market’s Italian Day Festival returns on 31 August
• The Vegan Winter Market and Vegan Bake Sale is on at Fed Square on 31 August.
• The City of Darebin and Darebin Arts will present their 2025 edition of the FUSE Festival, running from 31 August to 14 September 2025. Across two vibrant weeks, Darebin will come alive with a dynamic mix of live music, cultural celebrations, exhibitions, workshops, film screenings, and immersive art experiences, featuring both free and ticketed events.
• The Merri Community Shed Community Market is on in Coburg on 31 August.
• The Boho Luxe Winter Market is on at Fed Square on 31 August.
• The Berwick Springs Hotel is hosting a Family Fun Day on 31 August.
• There’s a native plant giveaway at Prahran Square on 31 August.
• Tantalise your tastebuds and head to Como House and Garden in South Yarra on 31 August, where the Country Women’s Association Ashburton Branch will be hosting a bake sale – selling a fabulous selection of baked goods, jams, and preserves.
  

What’s on in regional Victoria 1-31 August 2025

• The Geelong Winter Shiraz Festival is on 1-3 August.
• The Inverloch Jazz Festival is on 1-3 August.
• Run Echuca Moama on 3 August  is a 21.1-kilometre, 10-kilometre and 5-kilometre run, walk or wheel (mobility aids only) event. The unique and beautiful course weaves its way across the old bridge and new bridge covering both states Victoria and New South Wales.
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast Maryborough on 3 August.
• Deakin University’s Warrnambool campus Open Day is on 3 August.
• See Victoria’s largest lights display, with over 3.3 million dazzling lights and 1000+ light installations illuminating the night sky at Adventure Park Geelong’s Winter Glow Festival until 3 August.
• Silvers Circus is in Swan Hill until 3 August.
• The Hamilton Holistic and Psychic Expo is on 3 August.
• Silvers Circus is in Mildura from 7-17 August.
• The Wonthaggi Job and Careers Expo is on 7 August.
• The All For Kids Market in Ballarat is on 8 August
• The Circus Rio Carnival is in Morwell from 8-17 August
• The Australian Alpaca National Show is back to celebrate 35 years of alpaca excellence from 8-10 August at the Bendigo Showgrounds. 
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast Inverloch on 9 August
• There’s a Preloved Fashion Pop-Up Market at the Bendigo Exhibition Centre on 9 August.
• La Trobe University’s Shepparton campus Open Day is on 10 August.
• The Shepparton Holistic and Psychic Expo is on 10 August.
• La Trobe University’s Mildura campus Open Day is on 13 August.
• From the soaring St Peter’s Church to the grand town halls of Daylesford and Clunes, the villages of Glenlyon and Bullarto and aboard the Spa Country Rail, Winter Sounds 2025 is bringing some of Australia’s finest artists to extraordinary spaces across Dja Dja Wurrung country from 14-17 August   
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast in Warrnambool on 15 August.
• The Shepparton Outdoor Living and Caravan Expo is on 15-17 August.
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast Ballarat on 16 August.
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast in Colac on 17 August.
• La Trobe University’s Albury-Wodonga Campus Open Day is on `17 August
• The Deakin University Geelong Open Day is on 17 August.
• The Corio Holistic and Psychic Expo is on 17 August.
• The Beaufort Day Out is on 17 August.
• The Circus Rio Carnival is at the Bendigo Showgrounds from 22-31 August
• The Words in Winter Festival will return to Daylesford and Hepburn Springs over two weekends from 22-31 August.
• The Chiltern Antiques Fair is on 23-24 August.
• The Ballarat International Foto Biennale returns with a blend of curated exhibitions, city-wide pop-ups, workshops, talks, and more — all under the festival’s central theme, Lifeforce, from 23 August to 19 October 2025.
• The ACU Ballarat Campus Open Day is on 24 August
• La Trobe University’s Bendigo campus Open Day is on 24 August
• The Revive Pre-Loved Clothing Market is on in Barwon Heads on 24 August.
• The Leongatha Daffodil and Floral Show is on 28-31 August.
• Catered for music lovers, existing dancers and true beginners, the Snowy Mountain Tango Festival in Corryong is on 29-31 August.
• The Gippsland Caravan, Camping and Leisure Roadshow is on at Lardner Park on 29-31 August.
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast Wodonga on 29 August.
• The Archibald Prize, Australia’s most prestigious portraiture award, will make a much-anticipated return to the Geelong Gallery from 30 August to 9 November 2025.
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast Beechworth  on 30 August
• The Bendigo On The Hop beer festival returns on 30 August.
• The Wonthaggi Psychic and Wellbeing Expo is on 30 August.
• Experience Ballarat’s rich multicultural spirit at the Ganesh Festival on 30-31 August. Over two vibrant days, people of all backgrounds come together to honour Lord Ganesh, the symbol of wisdom and new beginnings.
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast Echuca  on 31 August
• The Bendigo Holistic and Psychic Expo on 31 August.
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast Shepparton  on 31 August