Public listings checked 25/10/2026. Dates use each event’s local time. Check organiser details before travelling.
Explore the region
Explore Melbourne and its surrounding neighbourhoods, from Carlton and Fitzroy to St Kilda, Footscray and Dandenong. Listings show their suburb so you can plan beyond the CBD.
Listings across Carlton, Collingwood, Dandenong, Docklands, East Melbourne, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Northcote, Richmond, Southbank, St Kilda, Williamstown.
Free things to do
48 matching events listed in the next 60 days. Admission prices are shown where supplied.
The Street Social is back on the Docklands waterfront, and you and the family are invited to come and celebrate Halloween by the water. Experience a weekend of waterfront entertainment, delicious food and Halloween festivities.
Enjoy Halloween-themed entertainment, family-friendly activities, food trucks, live music, and complimentary Halloween sweet treats. As Melbourne shakes off the winter chill and embraces the warmer months, there's no better place to make the most of the warm weather than The Street Social.
No tricks here, all treats. Free entry and all ages welcome.
Melbourne Diwali is Melbourne's Festival of Lights, and it is completely free to attend. Marvel Stadium Square will transform into one of the city's biggest and most spectacular free nights out, open to the whole family.
Register free to secure your spot and receive all the event-night details. Walk-ins are welcome, but registering helps the team make sure every guest gets the best possible experience.
The 2026 festival features 65+ live performances across the night, with more than 600 young performers from 40 plus Melbourne dance schools taking the stage alongside adult and professional acts. A dance competition runs across primary school, secondary school and adult categories. Food stalls and Diwali markets offer 35 plus traders from across the city, with street food, sweets and gifts running throughout the evening.
Melbourne Diwali takes its name and spirit from Diwali, the festival of lights celebrated across South Asia and around the world. In Melbourne, it has grown into one of the spring season's largest free public celebrations, drawing 10,000+ attendees in 2025 and targeting 20,000 in 2026.
Southbank Makers Market offers visitors the opportunity to discover a curated selection of local makers showcasing handmade jewellery, art, ceramics, homewares and unique gifts from talented Melbourne creatives.
Come and explore, meet the makers and artists face-to-face, and learn about their products and what inspires their work. All handmade and made in this great city; take home a piece of Melbourne.
Stallholders are positioned in marquees along the Yarra River Promenade between the Evan Walker and Princes bridges. The market is complemented by some of Melbourne's long-standing and much-loved cafes and restaurants in the Southgate complex.
St Kilda Esplanade Market – Melbourne's Makers' Market by the Sea.
A St Kilda Sunday tradition since the 1970s, the Esplanade Market is a vibrant open-air showcase of Melbourne's creative spirit. Set along the scenic Upper Esplanade with views of St Kilda Beach, it's just steps from Luna Park, Acland Street and Fitzroy Street.
Browse up to 131 unique stalls featuring handcrafted artwork, woodwork, jewellery, accessories, pet products, original designs, and artisan food products. Whether you're hunting for a unique gift or simply enjoying the atmosphere, there's something for everyone.
Take a break in the Foodie Zone, where global flavours and gourmet street food await.
The market is pet-friendly and perfect for a relaxed day out with family and friends. It's Melbourne's open-air gallery by the sea – a must-visit for locals and tourists alike.
Getting there is easy: hop on tram Route 16 or 96 for a quick 15-minute ride from the city. Parking is available nearby.
Auslan Storytime brings stories to life through visual language, expression and movement – delivered entirely in Australian Sign Language (Auslan). Come along every first and third Monday of each month at State Library Victoria as they welcome Deaf storytellers from Expression Australia for Auslan Storytime.
This is an inclusive early years program designed to be engaging and accessible for Deaf, hard-of-hearing and hearing children alike. Sessions are delivered directly in Auslan (not interpreted from spoken English), providing authentic language modelling and a rich introduction to Deaf culture.
A qualified Auslan interpreter supports each session so hearing participants can follow along, creating a shared and inclusive experience for all families. These interactive sessions may include signed storytelling, movement, repetition and informal interaction after the session.
Perfect for kids aged three to five years and their families.
No bookings required. Sessions run on the first and third Monday of each month, excluding public holidays and Victorian school holidays.
Presented by State Library Victoria with Expression Australia, as part of the Victorian Government's Multicultural Storytime Program. This program is funded by the Victorian Department of Health under the Multicultural Storytime Grant Program (2023–2027).
Discover an inspiring exhibition of painting and sculpture by six women artists, united by curiosity, collaboration and a passion for creativity. Featuring abstract and representational works in oil, watercolour, acrylic, gouache and sculpture, Six celebrates the many ways you see, interpret and experience the world.
Come see artworks from Maria Cartwright, Valerie Conboy, Pennie Cowie, Kathie Mathes, Judy Thompson and Janice Whetton.
Opening event is Saturday 7 November at 2pm.
As Australia confronts a mounting reckoning with democracy, with the planet, with its own unresolved past – what would it mean to actually listen to Aboriginal knowledge systems?
This special event is a rare in-person conversation with Kombumerri and Wakka Wakka Elder, scholar and national treasure Aunty Dr Mary Graham.
Widely regarded as one of Australia's leading philosophers and political scientists, she has spent more than four decades shaping how this country understands democracy, relationality and what it means to grow up as a nation.
Aunty Dr Mary Graham is joined by by Dr Eugenia Flynn, writer, academic and director of the Ebony Institute, and Ngarra Murray, former co-chair of the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria (Gellung Warl), for a conversation about truth, justice and what Australia could become if it finally learned from those who've been here longest.
Light refreshments provided.
Presented with event partners the Ebony Institute and Fed Square.
Melbourne's favourite handmade market returns this November for a massive Christmas edition.
Discover 120 of Australia's best independent makers, with homewares, ethical fashion, jewellery, unique gifts and small-batch food and drink, all handpicked for quality, creativity and originality.
Give something this Christmas that won't be re-gifted.
Every stall is 100% Australian made, making The Makers and Shakers one of Melbourne's best places to shop local and find genuinely unique Christmas gifts.
Come for the shopping and stay for the good times. There'll be food and drink tastings, vinyl DJs all weekend and Awkward Portraits, where you can take your Christmas cards to the next level with family, friends or flying solo. They'll bring the props and costumes, you bring the awkward poses.
Expect a vibrant weekend of shopping, tasting and discovering, with beautifully made homewares, slow fashion, jewellery, delicious food and plenty of things you simply won't find at the shops.
Enjoy a free Spring Five Elements Medical Meditation and Mindfulness Event. All classes are created by Zen Master Venerable Xiè'ēn.
The class includes walking mindfulness exercises and a seated meditation. All ages and physical levels are welcome, Please wear comfortable clothing, bring a bottle of water and a cushion if needed.
From the creators of Melbourne's Asia Street Food Festival comes Colours of Asia – Garden of Wonders, a celebration where the flavours, stories and traditions of Asia come to life.
Across two weekends at Alexandra Gardens, wander among handcrafted bamboo huts and glowing lanterns, discover artisan market stalls, and enjoy music, dance and cultural performances inspired by Asia's folklore, legends and traditions.
At the heart of the festival is the Wonders Menu, a collection of signature dishes presented under specially created festival names inspired by cultural stories, hidden treasures and the diverse flavours of Asia. Each dish invites you to try something unexpected and discover the story behind it.
Beyond the Wonders menu, explore more than 200 dishes from over 30 food vendors, including family businesses sharing recipes passed down through generations.
As the sun sets, lanterns and warm lights bring the riverside village to life. Settle in with friends and family, share your favourite discoveries, and enjoy the performances as the evening goes on.
Proudly supported by the City of Melbourne.
Experience the sights, sounds and flavours of Poland in the heart of Melbourne as the Polish Festival at Fed Square returns in November, celebrating 22 years of Polish culture and community.
This free, family-friendly event brings Fed Square to life with colourful traditional costumes, lively folk dancing, live music and an irresistible selection of authentic Polish food.
Visitors can enjoy much-loved favourites including pierogi (traditional Polish dumplings), sizzling kiełbasa (Polish sausage) and delicious Polish cakes and pastries. Making their debut in 2026 are gofry, Poland's famous crispy street food waffles, traditionally served with whipped cream, fresh fruit and other sweet toppings.
A highlight of the day is the Hejnał mariacki (St. Mary's Trumpet Call), a centuries-old tradition from Kraków offering a fascinating glimpse into Poland's history and folklore.
Visitors can join an interactive Polish Dance Workshop and discover the joy of traditional folk dancing. No experience is necessary.
Organised by Melbourne's Polish community, the Polish Festival at Fed Square celebrates the rich cultural heritage and enduring contribution of Polish Australians to Victoria's multicultural identity.
Everyone is welcome to enjoy a little piece of Poland without leaving Melbourne.
The African Music and Cultural Festival (AMCF) returns to Fed Square for its 13th year, attracting more than 50,000 people across three days.
As Australia's largest African festival, AMCF brings the sounds, rhythms and tastes of Africa into the heart of Melbourne through live music, dance, fashion, film, art and food. Visitors can also enjoy cultural showcases, family-friendly activities, market stalls and a wide range of African cuisines.
The free festival welcomes people of all ages and backgrounds to celebrate African culture, heritage and community.
