- Replay Festival returns all of July at Comedy Republic with a handpicked program of standout shows from the 2025 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
- The Melbourne Magic Festival returns for 2025 from 7-19 July.
- The annual Flag Raising Ceremony marks the official beginning of NAIDOC Week at Fed Square on 7 July.
- There’s a NAIDOC Week flag-raising ceremony on the front lawn of St Kilda Town Hall on Monday 7 July from 11 am to 12 pm.
- Geelong’s annual NAIDOC Week flag raising event is on 7 July,
- The Rooola Boola Children’s Arts Festival returns from 8-18 July and presents an interactive and exciting program featuring highly skilled performances and workshops in magic, circus, dance, music, theatre, immersive art, craft and more
- Celebrate NAIDOC Week with Clothing The Gaps at their exclusive pop-up at Melbourne Central until 9 July.
- Monash University’s annual Family Fiesta will take you on journey to the southernmost continent without leaving Melbourne. From 9-12 July the Ian Potter Centre for Performing Arts will transform into an Antarctic wonderland for children aged 0-12 , celebrating the wonders of the world’s largest ice sheet.
- Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek will host Illumina – A Light and Sound Experience from July 10 to 13, 2025. Set against the backdrop of the estate’s historic gardens, Illumina offers a dreamlike journey through glowing gardens, flickering firelight, and immersive soundscapes that stir the soul.
- This winter school holidays, The Langham, Melbourne is bringing the beloved charm of Pingu to life with a whimsical themed afternoon tea, running from 10 to 13 July 2025 in the stunning Alto Room.
- The Frost Bites Food Festival is on in Bendigo on 11-12 July.
- This winter, prepare to be transported into a world of glowing wonder as Lost, the breathtaking art installation by celebrated Australian artist Amanda Parer, lights up Bunjil Place in Narre Warren. A free, family-friendly experience from 11-27 July, Lost transforms the familiar into the extraordinary with towering, illuminated sculptures of endangered and extinct botanical species from around the globe.
- The 2025 Hurtigruten Scandinavian Film Festival, will show in Palace cinemas from 11 July – 14 August.
- The Swan Hill night sky will come alive for River Lights from 11-20 July – 10 unforgettable nights of colour and creativity, offering an enchanting experience for all ages.
- The Circus Rio Carnival is at Moorabbin’s Sand Belt Hotel from 11-20 July.
- Koorie Heritage Trust will host a special NAIDOC Week Market on Friday 11 July from 1pm to 6pm, offering a day of free festivities in the heart of Narrm (Melbourne).
- The Finders Keepers Autumn Winter Design Market is on at the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton on 11-13 July.
- NAIDOC in the City returns to Fed Square on 11 July with a vibrant celebration of music, storytelling, art and community.
- The Island Whale Festival returns to Phillip Island from 11-13 July.
- Immerse yourself in a celebration of storytelling in all its forms at Glen Era’s 15th annual Storytelling Festival until 12 July.
- Discover why the genre of Japanese horror has captivated popular culture for decades at ACMI’s Spotlight on Japanese Horror from 12 July to 3 August.
- The Urban Markets Christmas in July market is on at Seaworks in Williamstown on 12 July.
- There’s a vinyl record pop-up market in Chelsea Heights on 12 July.
- The NGV’s NAIDOC Week Celebration is on 12 July.
- Join in the joie de vivre at the Bastille Day French Festival at Queen Vic Market on 12-14 July.
- Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls and music at Street Feast Ararat on 12 July
- The Metung WInter Market is on 12 July.
- Alpacafest is on at the Hamilton Showgrounds on 12-13 July.
- The Bacchus Marsh Witches Fair is on 13 July
- Join The Terminus Hotel in Richmond for Paws and Pints on 13 July, a celebration for both humans and hounds. There will be custom caricatures, live music, puppacinos, espresso pawtinis and more.
- The Albion Hotel in Collingwood is holding a record fair on 13 July.
- The All For Kids Market is on in Diamond Creek on 13 July.
- Join Melbourne’s largest winter running event – Run Melbourne – on 13 July, where over 25,000 runners will embrace the thrill of running through the city’s closed streets and iconic landmarks.
- 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.
- New York-based Australian artist Cj Hendry, renowned for her hyper-realistic drawings and immersive large-scale exhibitions, is returning home to present Lost & Found at Chadstone until July 20.
- The AFL has announced the return of its successful Kids Go Free program for 2025, giving families the chance to enjoy live footy without breaking the bank. Children aged 14 and under can attend matches for free during Rounds 16-19 (26 June – 20 July), perfectly timed with school holidays across Australia.
- Embark on a thrilling journey into the world of dinosaurs with the ultimate outdoor pre-historic experience – DinoFest at Wantirna South until 20 July.
- The South East Winter Festival is Melbourne’s newest family-favourite winter event, transforming the iconic Caribbean Gardens into a non-stop indoor playground of fun, food, and adventure. Running until 20 July 2025, the festival offers an unforgettable school holiday experience.
- Until 20 July, the 2025 edition of the Children’s International Film Festival will explore the best new children’s films from around the globe, a hand-picked selection of stories about cats, monkeys, penguins, bats, goats, tooth fairies and mutant zombie zoo animals, plus a new retelling of the classic Bambi story.
- 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.
- The Casey Winter Arts Festival returns until 20 July
- The Tastes of Greater Geelong running until 20 July will take you on a culinary adventure with events and special menus featuring the best in food, drink and hospitality that the Greater Geelong region proudly has to offer.
- Experience winter in East Gippsland as the region comes alive in a month-long festival of light, food, music, art and culture at the East Gippsland Winter Festivaluntil 20 July.
- Circus Latino is at Sunshine Marketplace until 20 July.
- Eroni’s Circus is at Sunbury until 20 July.
- Wyndham City will bring the magic of ice skating to Wyndham for the first time this winter with a pop-up ice skating rink in Wyndham Cultural Centre Car Park until 13 July.
- Wilson Goes Wild until 15 July at Berwick’s Wilson Botanic Park is a playful safari experience perfect for families with children aged 1-10 years. Discover towering life-like animal sculptures set against the stunning backdrop of Basalt Lake’s extinct volcanic landscape.
- Silvers Circus is in Shepparton until 20 July.
- Get ready to step into a world of wonder as Electric Wonderland transforms Bendigo’s Rosalind Park into a glowing playground of light, colour, and imagination during the winter school holidays until July 20, 2025.
- Melbourne’s favorite winter food festival is back with more sizzle than ever! Grazeland’s Winter Wonderland transforms Spotswood into a glowing winter escape until 20 July, featuring neon-lit nights, falling snow, and a mouthwatering lineup of seasonal eats.
- These winter school holidays, Museums Victoria and partners present Playbound Festival, taking over Melbourne with 16 days of joyful performances until 20 July, including workshops, exhibitions, crafts, and hands-on activities for kids aged 0-12.
- Knights of Fire is lighting up Ballarat’s Kryal Castle these winter school holidays! Running until Sunday 20 July, the program offers an epic line-up of winter wonders and fiery action.
- There’s a pop-up inflatable playground in Colac until 20 July.
- One of Victoria’s most beloved winter events is set to sparkle once again as Sovereign Hill’s spectacular Winter Wonderlights returns until 27 July ,promising an even more magical experience with breathtaking new projections and enchanting installations.
- The Ballarat Winter Festival is set to bring even more warmth and excitement to Victoria’s coldest season when it returns until 27 July 2025, featuring an impressive new Spiegeltent and a delicious Hot Choc Showdown among its expanded offerings.
- 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.
- This winter, Elwood’s iconic Riviera Beach Club will undergo a spectacular transformation into Riviera Winter Wonderland – a frosty paradise complete with real ice skating, snow blizzards and private igloos until 3 August 2025.
- 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.
- Elmo’s Circus Dream is at Caulfield Racecourse until 3 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.
- 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’s much-loved Winter Night Market is returning to Queen Victoria Market in 2025, lighting up Wednesday nights until 27 August 5pm–10pm.
- 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 Melbourne and regional Victoria this week: 7-13 July 2025
By Melbourning
