Melbourne Festivals -
Community, Art, Music

There are numerous Melbourne Festivals through the course of the year.

There is the Food and Wine Festival, the Moomba Waterfest and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival; the annual Melbourne International Arts Festival, Melbourne Fringe Festival and the Melbourne Writers festival – each a celebration of artistic expression.

There is a Melbourne event for everyone! There are also various music festivals such as the Brunswick Festival and the Jazz Festival, as well as ethnic and community festivals such as the Latin Festival or the Indian Diwali Festival of light, or the Sustainable Living festival.

Here is an event planner for Melbourne festivals that will get you a feel of Melbourne’s culture and subcultures.

Melbourne Festivals in Spring

September, Darebin Music Festival – a community festival celebrating and showcasing local and community artists. A great place to soak up the Melbourne community spirit, to connect with others and enjoy great music. Darebin Music Festival

October, Melbourne Fringe Festival - an annual, open access, multi arts festival. Melbourne has a strong independent local arts scene, which comes to light at this festival. Melbourne Fringe Festival.

October, Melbourne Arts Festival - one of Australia's leading international arts festivals presenting unique international and Australian dance, theatre, music, visual arts and multimedia events, with a number of free events around the city. Melbourne Arts Festival

November, The Village Festival - , a cutting edge arts event, featuring the latest spirited theatre acts, bands and community performances in Edinburgh Gardens, Fitzroy. It is a cross between a festival and a fairground: tents, inflatables, buses, caravans, shipping containers and fenced open spaces. An act of optimism in a cynical world! The Village

November, Melbourne Bike Fest - a celebration of Melbourne’s eclectic bike scene and the two-wheeler, showcasing fashion, design and events associated with the ‘most desirable of all functional objects, the bicycle’. Melbourne Bike Fest

November, Queenscliffe Music Festival - a fun event that has a safe, relaxed festive atmosphere for the whole family: Queenscliffe Music Festival

Melbourne Festivals in Summer

December, Japanese Film Festival, an annual event held at ACMI, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image at Federation Square - including Anime Matsuri (Japanese animation). Japanese Film Festival.

December – January, The Village at Falls as part of the Falls Festival at Lorne, organized by the crew of the November Village Festival. A spirited way into the new year! Lorne, Great Ocean Road.

January - February: Herring Island Summer Arts Festival, at Herring Island Environmental Sculpture Park with displays of paintings, sculpture, ceramics, print making, drawing - and an opportunity to see the artist at work: Herring Island Summer Arts Festival

February, Chinese New Year Festival – traditional and contemporary Chinese cultural activities, festivities, dances and Chinese Opera sending in the new year. Chinatown, Little Bourke St.

February, St Kilda Festival – one of Melbourne's best known street festivals with an indigenous day and many talentd Australian musicians.

February - March, Brunswick Music Festival – one of Victoria’s premier music festivals showcasing ethnic, indigenous, acoustic and traditional local and international music: Brunswick Music Festival.

February - March, Melbourne Food & Wine Festival – a must for local and international food and wine lovers, including over 150 events, classes, lunches and more: Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.

Melbourne Festivals in Autumn

March, Moomba Waterfest – Large free community festival celebrating the spirit of Melbourne with the Moomba Parade, the Birdman Rally, fireworks, Carnival and a daily program of performances: Moomba Waterfest

March, Melbourne Fashion Festival - a week of fashion, shows, famous faces, exhibitions, business events & parties - Australia's largest fashion event: Melbourne Fashion Festival. Melbourne Fashion Week

April, Melbourne Comedy Festival - one of the three largest comedy festivals in the world, with hundreds of shows in various venues over the three weeks. Comedy Festival Melbourne

April, Festival of German Films - brings the most outstanding German film productions to Melbourne. Films to inspire and excite, to move you, to make you laugh and cry - a wonderful selection of feature films and documentaries. Festival of German Films

April, Apollo Bay Music Festival - a celebration of community and love of music in Apollo Bay. It features outstanding musicians,from World Music, to Rock, to Folk to Blues in the beautiful setting along the Great Ocean Road: Apollo Bay Music Festival

April, Melbourne Latin Festival - Melbourne’s largest Latin dance event: parties, workshops, celebrity dancers, DJs, Live Bands - dancing genres from Salsa to Bachata, Street Cha to Flamenco, Tango and more. Melbourne Latin Festival

May, Emerging Writers Festival - a festival of writing of emerging writers, editors, publishers and literary performers - readings, workshops, panels, performances... where new ideas are born! Emerging Writers Festival

May/June, Melbourne Jazz Festival - a renowned six day music festival attracting the best international and Australian jazz - free events, concerts, workshops and a celebration of music around the city: Melbourne Jazz Festival

Melbourne Festivals in Winter

Long weekend in June, National Celtic Festival - a great fun and community event held on the Bellarine Peninsula in Portarlington on the long weekend in June - one of the authentic Victorian music festivals and an insiders’ tip for your Melbourne event planner. National Celtic Music Festival

June, Melbourne International Animation Festival - the best from the world of animation: new, themed, retrospective and special animation by award winners, industry veterans, inspiring independents and wonderful new talent. At the Australian Centre for the Moving Image.

June - July, Emerge Festival Melbourne - a massive celebration, street party and multi-cultural event, showcasing the contributions of refugees and emerging artists from the most recently arrived communities - Africa, Afghanistan, Kurdistan and beyond. Emerge Festival Melbourne

July, State of Design Festival - the heart of design thinking and activity, and the largest and most innovative design event in Australia. Lots of events, workshops and exhibitions that have you has you adopt design naturally: Melbourne Design Festival

One of its events is the Gertrude St Projection Festival, where the Fitzroy street comes alive after dark with projected artworks, images and animation.

July, Melbourne Film Festival - the most significant film event in Australia. Documentaries, experimental films, and forums with local and international film makers: Melbourne Film Festival

August, Melbourne Alpine Winter Festival - one of the newer Melbourne Festivals - bringing the northern European winter wonderland to Melbourne. Ice-skating, shows, food and entertainment. Melbourne Alpine Winter Festival

August, Melbourne Writers Festival - with top national and international writers, in discussions, book readings and master classes. Melbourne Writers Festival