Things to do in Melbourne today

Did you know that Ballarat is home to thousands of begonias, including more than 600 unique varieties? In fact, the impressive collection is the rarest in the Southern Hemisphere, and they're all housed in the city's historic botanical gardens. To celebrate this floral feat, the city has hosted the Ballarat Begonia Festival annually since 1953 – yup, it's been held for more than 70 years.  When is the Ballarat Begonia Festival taking place?  If you're keen to see the colourful (and highly 'grammable) flower fest in full bloom, make your way to the Ballarat Botanical Gardens on the Labour Day long weekend from March 7-9, 2026. The floral festivities run across three days, so you'll have ample opportunity to explore the vibrant floral displays that fill these historic gardens.  What kinds of begonias will be on display? At the heart of it all is the stunning Robert Clark Conservatory, home to Ballarat’s renowned begonia collection. Each year, the Botanical Gardens team grows more than 600 begonia varieties, from heirlooms to unique hybrids cultivated exclusively for the festival. The result? A bountiful display of begonias that draws everyone from green thumbs and nature enthusiasts to families and interstate visitors. What else is on at the Ballarat Begonia Festival?  The 2026 program goes beyond the blooms. Making its debut is The Musical Plants by Playable Streets, an installation that turns living plants into musical instruments you can actually play on. The Begonia...

It's your last chance to power up, unlock that final level and beat the big boss, because ACMI's Game Worlds is about to be clocked (aka it's finishing up soon). So don't let it be game over before you get a chance to enter this immersive, fully playable exhibition. Perfect for fans of The Sims, Neopets or World of Warcraft, this blockbuster celebration of video games will transport you into the worlds of more than 30 iconic titles, including Final Fantasy XIV Online, Minecraft, Doom and Stardew Valley. Also featured are classics like Maze War and Zork, fan faves with cult followings like The Elder Scrolls Online, and new releases like Guardian Maia. Spanning games from the 1970s right through to this year, you'll be able to check out rare concept art, original design materials, early hands-on protoypes and so much more. There are 44 fully playable experiences (think Celeste speedruns on two huge screens), and four new microgames by emerging and established Aussie game developers have been specially commissioned for the exhibition.   “Our exhibition honours the real-life experiences that are made possible by and through videogames, highlighting the players and developers – and stories that bring videogame worlds to life,” said co-curators Bethan Johnson and Jini Maxwell. Want to take a part of the exhibition home with you? There's limited-edition merch and exclusive books available for purchase at the ACMI shop. Game Worlds is now on at ACMI until March 29. For more...

Haven't locked in plans for the Labour Day weekend yet? Make your way to the Moomba Festival from March 5-9 for five fun-filled days by the Yarra. As Australia’s largest free community festival, Moomba brings you carnival rides, live music, dance workshops, kids’ activities, food trucks, watersports, skate comps and plenty more. What's new this year? How about two Moomba Monarchs in the form of our favourite Melburnians, Caterina Mete (yep, she's the Red Wiggle) and the immensely talented comedian and broadcaster, Sammy J. Families will love the carnival precinct at Birrarung Marr with tons of thrilling rides, face painting and an inflatable maze. Feeling peckish? With 35 food trucks around, you don't have to choose between a dagwood dog or dumplings – have both! Palms Lawn is where you go for live music and high-energy dance workshops ranging from from K-Pop and Bollywood to line dancing. Nab a prime riverside viewing spot on the Yarra for the iconic Birdman Rally on March 8. From 11am, 13 brave (and bonkers) "pilots" – including Monarch Sammy J – will attempt to soar across the river in homemade flying machines, all in the name of charity. On March 9, the much-loved Moomba Parade kicks off at 11am from the Shrine of Remembrance, filling the streets with fantastic floats, giant puppets, marching bands, dance troupes and more than 1,800 people from different cultural groups. Other top-notch activities include the Moomba Masters water sports competition, and the Moomba...

Expansive and dreamy, bright and whimsical, and with a strong 'no dickhead' policy, there's a whole lot to love about Golden Plains. Known as the younger sister to Victoria's much-loved Meredith Music Festival, Golden Plains is also held at the Supernatural Amphitheatre in Meredith, and 2026 marks its 18th year on the block.  As always, you can expect no commercial sponsors, free range camping, BYO and a heap of good times over two days and two nights, with this year's festival running from March 7-9, just in time for the Labour Day long weekend.  The full line-up for 2026 is absolutely stacked with in-demand international artists as well as local favourites. The headliners for this year are revered Canadian jazz gods BADBADNOTGOOD, the incredible Basement Jaxx, dreamy toned Marlon Williams, the ethereal sounds of Ty Seagall and the dancing frenzied magic of DEVAURA.  You can also expect to get down with Frankston local lads, The Gnomes, groove with Way Dynamic, and get blissed out with techno beats from Hybrid Man duo. You can see the full-line-up in all its glory here.  Although tickets are currently sold out, you can keep your eyes peeled for updates on  the website.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. Keen to get to a gig? Head to one of the best live music venues in Melbourne. 

There are few Aussie festivals that manage to fuse art, landscape and electronic music with quite the same alchemy as Pitch Music & Arts. Since its debut in 2017, the boutique four-day festival has become a defining pilgrimage for the local dance music community – a divinely dusty, techno-fuelled utopia beneath the sweeping peaks of Gariwerd (the Grampians). In 2026, Pitch returns for its ninth edition from March 6-10, and it’s bringing its most anticipated line-up yet. Across four hedonistic days and nights, the Grampian Plains will once again transform into a technicolour playground of sound, light and play – anchored by a world-class program of international heavyweights and homegrown innovators. Headlining this year’s line-up is Charlotte de Witte, the Belgian techno powerhouse whose razor-sharp sets have cemented her as one of the genre’s most formidable figures. Joining Charlotte among the top-tier acts are Eris Drew & Octo Octa; Amsterdam’s MARRØN, who’ll make his Pitch debut with a sound steeped in deep, hypnotic grooves; and Girls Don’t Sync, a UK trio whose percussive, high-energy sets are rewriting what club culture will sound like in 2026. Returning favourites include Job Jobse (fresh from a beloved 2025 closing set) and Yung Singh, whose genre-spanning selections have made him one of dance music’s most compelling new voices. Rounding out the international bill are Ewan McVicar, Palms Trax, Sama’ Abdulhadi, DJ Nobu, and DESIREE – a roll call of global...

From Cleopatra and Mark Antony's empire-toppling romance to Romeo and Juliet's family-defying affair, love has often been an act of rebellion. Rebel Heart: Love Letters and Other Declarations takes matters of the heart seriously in this sweeping, immersive new exhibition at the State Library, drawing on its extraordinary archives to trace how people have dared to love across centuries of Australian history. The exhibition runs for almost a year and brings together handwritten letters, private diaries, rare manuscripts and deeply personal objects to weave a tapestry of passion, heartbreak and devotion. You’ll encounter Victorian-era same-sex couples living together against the odds, a mid-century interracial marriage that challenged the White Australia policy, and the prison romance between bushrangers Captain Moonlight and James Nesbitt. Fragile keepsakes are also featured in the show, including a haunting 1853 mourning brooch woven from lovers’ hair, alongside letters that read like a late-night confessional. What makes Rebel Heart especially distinctive is how it bridges the past with the present. Historical stories are amplified by newly commissioned music from Australian artists Angie McMahon, Mindy Meng Wang, Mo’Ju and Amos Roach, each responding to real love stories held in the library’s collection.  The exhibition also explores how rebellion and romance play out today – from DMs and fandoms to fan fiction and even AI relationships. It’s set to be a smart,...

The annual Port Fairy Folk Festival is back in 2026 in a big way. Set across the March Labour Day long weekend, the festival invites lovers of folk and country to come together and enjoy four days of world-class music. With tickets selling out year after year, the 'Folkie' (as it's affectionately known) is once again on track to host a full house. Featuring some of the best of international and local talent, the line-up includes Kasey Chambers, Darren Hanlon, Iron and Wine, Emma Donovan, Pierce Brothers, Kris Mizzi and many more. Aside from the big names, there are endless overseas and emerging acts to discover, coming from all over to perform.   The festival is also packed with music workshops, insightful talks, market shopping and more. It takes over the entire township of Port Fairy for the weekend, with plenty of free gigs and events outside of the arena area.  You can pick up tickets at the official website, and, as always, children 12 and under are free. Love music? Check out some of the best gigs on now in Melbourne.

Melbourne, start your engines. F1: The Exhibition has zoomed into town, marking its first-ever appearance in the Asia-Pacific region. After sell-out runs in Madrid, London and Amsterdam, the globally acclaimed show has made a pit stop at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, transforming it into an adrenaline-fuelled hub for motorsport fans. Part museum, part immersive experience, the exhibition will trace Formula 1’s past, present and future through six expansive galleries, with a seventh new section devoted to Australia’s own racing legends. Expect everything from championship-winning cars and rare memorabilia to video interviews and archive footage that captures the sport’s greatest rivalries and most spectacular victories. Visitors begin their journey in 'Once Upon a Time in Formula 1', charting seven-plus decades of drama before stepping inside 'Design Lab', a behind-the-scenes look at the factories of Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren. 'Drivers and Duels' pays tribute to legends like Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, while 'Revolution by Design' explores how engineering innovation and human daring have continually pushed the limits. The exhibition’s emotional heart, 'Survival', displays the remains of Romain Grosjean’s scorched Haas car from his 2020 Bahrain crash, a stark reminder of the sport's danger. Visitors then arrive at 'The Pit Wall', a cinematic wrap-up that relives Formula 1’s most unforgettable moments. Melbourne’s edition adds...

From Marilyn Monroe’s fringed black dress in Some Like It Hot to Elton John’s Louis XIV–inspired birthday suit (complete with the powdered wig and train), the diva has always known how to turn getting dressed into an art form. Enter Diva, the debut exhibition at the Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA). This is a glittering celebration of the artists who’ve shaped pop culture, music and fashion through imagination, talent – and, of course, by being a total diva. Charting the 19th-century opera goddesses and silent film stars to today’s global megastars, the exhibition will showcase the rise of the diva by going behind the sequins to reveal the cultural power and artistry of some of the world’s most captivating performers.  Presented by Arts Centre Melbourne and London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), this Australian exclusive brings together more than 250 objects, including 60 spectacular costumes, jewellery, photography and handwritten lyrics spanning opera, pop, punk and Hollywood. Expect a red-carpet roll call of icons: Maria Callas, Grace Jones, Cher, Prince, Madonna, Elton John, Tina Turner, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston, Billie Eilish and more. Australia’s own legends get their time on the red carpet, too — from Dame Nellie Melba and Peter Allen to Kylie Minogue, Olivia Newton-John, Jessica Mauboy and Amy Taylor of Amyl and the Sniffers. Discover exquisite garments by Bob Mackie, Vivienne Westwood, Maison Margiela, Valentino and Christian Dior,...

From late-night espressos and crème caramels at Pellegrini’s to Rumi's signature Persian meatballs, Melbourne’s food culture is often celebrated at the table – but the labour behind it stays largely out of sight. Order Up: A City Fed by Many Cultures shifts the focus to the back of house, using the restaurant docket to tell a broader story about Melbourne’s culinary history as a living record of successive waves of migration and cross-cultural exchange. This immersive exhibition at the Immigration Museum centres on thousands of handwritten, food-stained order dockets suspended throughout the gallery, each pulled from the kitchens of 33 landmark Melbourne restaurants spanning cuisines and generations. Small and easily discarded, these scraps of paper have been collected to form a fluttering archive of service – capturing moments of pressure and human connection in a city whose food scene is inseparable from its stories of migration. As you move through Order Up, a layered soundscape and projected film will surround you: orders being called, cutlery clattering, extractor fans humming, languages overlapping. Audio excerpts from chefs, owners and staff reflect on journeys to Melbourne, overnight shifts, family recipes and the strange intimacy of feeding strangers night after night. The restaurants represented range from long-standing institutions to newer cult favourites, including France-Soir, Abla’s, Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar, Supper Inn, The Horn, Rumi and Pastuso. A...