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

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

• This spring, Fed Square invites you to pause, take a deep breath and press RESET. From 1 September to 6 October 2025, the free, family-friendly RESET Festival is back, blending sustainability, creativity and community in a month-long celebration of living lightly on the planet.
• The Stonnington Young Creatives Fest is taking place from 1-15 September in Prahran.
• Spacetember, IMAX Melbourne’s intergalactic film festival returns from 1-30 September. Gear up for a cinematic voyage through the galaxy with a range of exclusive IMAX expanded aspect ratio content and epic 3D features on the biggest screen in the Southern Hemisphere
• Elmo’s Circus Dream presented by Circus Royale is at Werribee Racecourse from 5-14 September
• The Birrarung Riverfest is back from 6–28 September 2025 with more than 60 free events will stretch from the Yarra’s headwaters to its mouth, all aimed at restoring habitats, tackling stormwater impacts, and getting hands-on with caring for the river we call Birrarung.
• The Emerging Writers Festival returns from 11-18 September.
• Geelong Wonder Children’s Festival is back from 12-25 September with a program that’s bursting with enchantment, imagination and unforgettable fun.
• The annual display of blooms is back at the Tesselaar Tulip Festival in Silvan from 13 September – 12 October.
• The City of Darebin and Darebin Arts are gearing up for the return of their iconic FUSE Festival, running until 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.
• International cricketers from four nations will descend on Mildura for the 2025 Spirit of Cricket Festivale tournament from 17-30 September.
• Melbourne’s love affair with gaming is set to reach new heights as ACMI prepares to launch Game Worlds – a massive interactive exhibition that plunges visitors into 30 iconic videogame universes, with 20 fully playable experiences. Opening 18 September 2025 and running until 3 July 2026, this deep dive into gaming culture promises to be a must-see for casual players and hardcore fans alike.
• The Italian Film Festival is on 19 September to 16 October.
• Discover Bendigo’s Tulip Display after dark! Running nightly from Friday 19 September – Sunday 5 October, this free, family friendly activation is sure to impress the entire family.
• The Greater Dandenong’s Children’s Festival will be back again to celebrate children aged 0-12 years old from Saturday 20 September to Saturday 11 October.
• Cherryhill Orchard’s annual Blossom Festival returns from 24 September to 5 October in Wandin East
• 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.
• 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, until 19 October 2025.
• The Archibald Prize, Australia’s most prestigious portraiture award, will make a much-anticipated return to the Geelong Gallery until 9 November 2025.
• The 2025 AFLW season is here, spanning 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.
• 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.
• A thousand years of mystery, craftsmanship, and cultural connection come to life this winter as Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard  at Melbourne Museum until 26 January.
• 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.
• 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,  running until 31 May 2026.
• Marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, Eucalypts of Hodogaya at the Shrine 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. It runs until August 2026.

What’s on in and around Melbourne 1-7 September 2025

• Immerse yourself in the beauty of Australia’s iconic wattles in stunning blooms of gold, cream, and even red on a free guided walk at the Royal Botanic Gardens on 1 September to mark National Wattle
• The Wyndham Learning Festival is on 1-7 September.
• The Choose Tourism Careers Expo, Victoria’s largest tourism jobs event, is returning to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Tuesday 2 September 2025, bringing together employers, educators, and job seekers to explore the opportunities in Victoria’s booming visitor economy.
• Celebrate the 30th anniversary of Batman Forever at a watch party in Fed Square on 3 September with two back-to-back Batman classics on the Big Screen.
• The Community Open Day at the Victorian Tunnelling Centre in Chadstone on 4 September is the opportunity to explore one of Victoria’s most exciting infrastructure training and education hubs!Get a behind-the-scenes look at cutting-edge tunnelling technology and learn about the vital projects shaping our city.
• Le Grape Escape – A Tour de France of wines showcasing over 110 wines from 13 wine regions of France – is on at the St Kilda Town Hall on 5-6 September.
• Metro Comic Con will be coming to the Melbourne Showgrounds from 6-7 September
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls and music at Street Feast Newport on 6 September.
• Craft Markets Australia’s 50th birthday market is on at the Mornington Racecourse on 6 September.
• The Zero Waste Festival at Fed Square on 6 September promises a  jam-packed day of zero waste inspiration and action, with hands-on activities, discussions, info displays, a clothes swap and a vibrant market with sustainable food trucks.
• If you’re looking for a Father’s Day outing with a twist, the Makers & Shakers Market has you covered. Returning to the Royal Exhibition Building on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 September, the spring edition is shaping up as the biggest yet, with more than 180 stallholders, fresh food, workshops and family-friendly entertainment.
• Melbourne’s South East Asian community comes together to celebrate as one, showcasing culture and tradition at Queen Victoria Market’s South East Asia Festival on 6-7 September.
• The Celebrating Superheroes pre-Fathers Day car show is on in Croydon on 6 September.
• This Father’s Day, 7 September, Acland Street in St Kilda transforms into a motor lover’s dream – think dazzling rows of classic cars, hot rods, street machines, drag machines and bikes – from Shakespeare Grove through O’Donnell Gardens right to Luna Park’s forecourt.
• Celebrate Father’s Day with your furry family members at Rippon Lea Estate on 7 September – the only day of the year the grounds are open to dogs.
• Organised by young people in Moonee Valley, Youth Fest is a huge free music festival for young people at Queens Park in Moonee Ponds on 7 September.
• The Evelyn Hotel on Brunswick Street Fitzroy is holding a record fair on 7 September.
• The Vibe and Tribe Market is on in Kilsyth on 7 September.
• Celebrate Fathers Day at the Caulfield Food and Craft Market on 7 September.
• On Sunday 7 September 2025, Gumbuya World is teaming up with the Garfield Car Club to bring you a jaw-dropping, hair-raising & eye-popping display of classic and custom cars for Father’s Day.

What’s on in and around Melbourne 8-14 September 2025

• The Chadstone Careers Expo is on 10 September.
• The Northside Vegan Vegout returns to Welcome to Thornbury on 10 September.
• Join  the Sorrento Writers Festival at Blairgowrie Yacht Club on Thursday 11 September for Don’t You Dare – a day-long series of panel discussions designed to spark ideas and to help guests imagine (or re-imagine) their businesses and working lives.
• The Sydney Road record fair is on at Welcome to Brunswick on 13 September.
• The Wine and Vine Festival returns to the Abbotsford Convent on 13-14 September
• The Puffing Billy Running Festival is an event like no other. Race against an iconic 100+ year-old steam locomotive on 13 and 14 September 2025.
• The Casey Pet Expo returns to Wilson Botanic Park on 13 September
• The Victorian History Showcase in Prahran on 13 September promises to be a captivating one-day showcase exhibition, bringing together various areas of historical research.
• The Accordion Society of Australia’s Accordion Festival is on at the Kensington Town Hall on 13-14 September.
• The Diamond Creek Rotary Town Fair is back on 13 September.
• The Viva Mexico Festa is on in Fitzroy North on 13-14 September.
• A weekend of fun STEM for kids and adults alike awaits you at Scienceworks when the Science is a Superpower Festival returns on 13-14 September.
• Celebrate the beauty of the Moon Festival with lanterns, mooncakes, and moments that shine bright with tradition and togetherness in Box Hill on 13 September.
• The Korean Film Festival in Melbourne is back at ACMI on 13-14 September.
• I Wore It Once market is a curated, high quality pre-loved fashion market at the Peninsula Community Theatre,  91 Wilsons Road Mornington on 14 September.
• The Urban Forest Celebration on 14 September at the Warringal Parlklands in Heidelberg will be an afternoon of activities, inspiring workshops and opportunities to connect with nature, neighbours and the City of Banyule’s Parks and Natural Environment Team.
• Whitehorse Historical Society invites you to enjoy a fun filled day of free activities including picnic races and old-fashioned games for kids at the Schwerkolt Cottage Heritage Family Day in Mitcham on 14 September.
• Fiesta Latina is back and bringing the bold flavours, vibrant culture, and infectious rhythms of Latin America to Dandenong Market for one exciting day — Sunday, 14 September 2025.
• Join in  a celebration of alternative wedding vendors at the Lovecats Wedding Expo at the Thornbury Bowls Club on 14 September.
• The Narre Warren Wedding Expo is on at Bunjil Place on 14 September.
• The Toybricks used LEGO Brick Market is on in Wantirna on 14 September.

What’s on in and around Melbourne 15-21 September 2025

• The New Caledonia Film Festival is on 18 September.
• CherryHill’s evening event, Blossom by Light,  runs from 19-22 September where illuminated cherry blossom trees turn its Wandin East orchard into a mesmerising display of light and colour, a truly unique way to experience the beauty of the cherry blossoms.
• The Tidal Seafood Festival returns to San Remo on 19-12 September. The festival highlights the local culinary scene and celebrates the community’s traditions and fishing industry.
• The OzNational trading card show is taking place at Marvel Stadium on 20-21 September
• Firefly Night Market will return to Tarneit’s Penrose Place on 20 September with market stalls, live music, cultural performances and more.
• Groove and Graze returns to Ormond on 20 September promising an afternoon of live performances, delicious eats, and plenty of dancing. 
• Held over two days on 20-21 September at Labassa Mansion in Caulfield North, the Ikebana International Melbourne Annual Exhibition is an opportunity to learn more about Japanese traditional floral art. 
• The Chinese Traditional Cultural Festival is making its grand return to Melbourne on the 20-21 September at Fed Square!
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast Altona  on 21 September
• The Doveton Show is on 21 September.
• The Eltham Psychic and Wellbeing Expo is on 21 September
• Banyule YouthFest is back with a free festival for young people in Macleod on 21 September.
• Puckle Street, Moonee Ponds is shutting down for Silent Sight Foundation’s Street Classica 2025 on 21 September  with massive display of prestige European classic and modern vehicles, kids rides and entertainment, 

What’s on in and around Melbourne 22-30 September 2025

• For 11 unforgettable days from Thursday, 25 September to Sunday, 5 October, the Melbourne Royal Show is back. The Melbourne Showgrounds will transform into a playground of joy, discovery and shared experience.
• The AFL Grand Final parade will be held on Friday 26 September.
• Don’t miss the Queen Victoria Market’s Grand Final Public Holiday Spectacular on 26 September. Meet two professional footy players (12pm–2pm) for handball coaching, Q&A time, photos and autographs. You can also enjoy live MC entertainment, skill challenges and more giveaways to keep the whole family involved.
• 13th Australian Tap Dance Festival is on in Prahran on 27 September to 4 October.
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast Dandenong  on 27 September.
• The most Melbourne of all Melbourne things to do has to be watching the AFL Grand Final – and the next best thing to being at the MCG has to be catching the game on Fed Square’s Big Screen, in the heart of the city on 27 September.
• The Dandenong and District Orchid Club’s Annual Orchid Show is on in Noble Park from 27-28 September.
• The Moon Festival is a vibrant celebration of Asian culture at the iconic Queen Victoria Market on 27-28 September featuring traditional performances, food stalls offering a variety of delicious Asian cuisines, children’s activities, and community engagement opportunities.
• The Vietnamese Museum Australia invites you to its Mid-Autumn Festival – also known as the Moon Festival, Lantern Festival or Children’s Festival – in Sunshine on 27 September.
• Mornington’s Big Dance Grand Final Day Festival is on 27 September.
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast Healesville  on 28 September.
• The Ferntree Gully Psychic and Wellbeing Expo is on 28 September.
• The Melbourne Fringe Festival returns from 30 September to 19 October.

What’s on in regional Victoria 1-30 September 2025

• The South Gippsland Dairy and Farming Expo is on in Korumburra 3-4 September.
• The Geelong Tiny Homes Expo is on 5-7 September 
• The Warburton Psychic Lifestyle Market is on 6 September.
• Spirit on the Murray in Echuca on 6 September is a craft spirits tasting festival showcasing Victorian producers of a wide range of spirits. 
• The Ballarat Preloved Fashion Event on 6 September is a quarterly fashion event that provides shoppers with an opportunity to browse an eclectic mix of quality preloved clothing ranging from current through to vintage styles.
• The Mildura Gem and Jewellery Show is on 6-7 September.
• The Dean Kite Festival returns on Sunday 7 September.
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast Bendigo  on 7 September.
• Mosaic Festival will light up Victoria Park Lake in Shepparton on Saturday 13 September, transforming the lake precinct into a hub of music, dance, food and activities inspired by cultures from around the world.
• Australia’s biggest inflatable obstacle course is coming to Bendigo on 13-14 September.
• The Makers Film Festival in Ballarat on 13 September is an international short film festival celebrating craft, its makers, making, and materials.
• The American Iron Echuca Truck Display is on 13-14 September.
• The 2025 All Seasons Wedding Expo hosted at Bendigo’s most prestigious wedding venue, the All Seasons Resort Hotel is on 14 September.
• The Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival returns on 14 September.
• The Ballarat Holistic and Psychic Expo is on 14 September.
• The Lardner Park Psychic and Wellbeing Expo is on 14 September.
• Join in a night of food trucks, dessert stalls, boutique retail stalls & music at Street Feast Kilmore  on 19 September
• The Weird and Wonderful Botanical Art Exhibition is on in Ballarat on 19-22 September.
• The Guildford Banjo Jamboree is on 19 September.
• The Apex Riverbeach Country Music Festival is being held in Mildura on 20 September 
• St Anne’s Winery in Myrniong is hosting an Oktoberfest on 20 September.
• The Warrnambool Running Festival is on 20-21 September.
• The Yea Garden Expo returns 20-21 September.
• Australia’s biggest inflatable obstacle course is coming to Ballarat on 20-24 September,
• The Bairnsdale Holistic and Psychic Expo is on 21 September.
• Wodonga CraftAlive is on 26-28 September
• The Bendigo Chinese Association is hosting its Annual Harvest Moon Festival at the Dai Gum San Chinese Precinct on Friday 26 September.
• Saddle up for an unforgettable afternoon of boot-stompin’ rhythms and smooth country vibes at the Two Types Festival at the Cape Horn Vineyard in Echuca on 26 September.
• The Mallee Root Festival is on at Ouyen Lake on 27 September with an epic day packed with fun, food, and entertainment for the whole family.
• The Goulburn Valley Orchid Club Spring Spectacular of Orchids is on at the Mechanics Hall in Mooroopna on 27-28 September.
• The Horsham Show is on 28 September.
• The Traralgon Holistic and Psychic Expo is on 28 September.