The best things to do in Melbourne this weekend

Every year, the Melbourne Fringe Festival makes jaws drop and eyes widen across the city with its unconventional line-up of independent theatre, comedy, drag, art, music and events. This year marks the 43rd iteration of the festival, which is known for championing big, radical ideas and being an all out celebration of Melbourne at its weirdest.  Melbourne Fringe returns to the city again from September 30 to October 19, with a program of events set to show punters exactly how to experience the best that the arts in our fair city has to offer. This year the theme is ‘Action Heroes Assemble’, and it's aiming to encourage everyday people to take part, take risks and take action to help shape the kind of world we all want to live in. Leading the stacked line-up is the festival's major public artwork: 'Power Move' by Quiet Riot. This free public dancefloor will be located at Fed Square, and using cutting-edge technology it will channel everyone's moves into green energy. The Opening Night Gala – this year hosted by Sammy J – is always a riotous night packed with comedy, cabaret, circus and plenty of surprises. And don't forget to come dressed as your childhood hero. You can witness queer family making in real time at First Trimester by Krishna Istha. This live performance invites audiences to join in Istha’s public search for a sperm donor. Or why not go for a stroll with a Gen Z as part of Nightwalks With Teenagers – part performance, part social experiment, it's been...

It’s time to enjoy some sax in the city this spring, with the return of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival (MIJF) for its 28th edition. This year, more than 500 artists representing 18 countries will participate in more than 150 events across 40 venues. Phew! It's the festival's most expansive and ambitious program to date, and we can see why. Better yet, 36 per cent of the events are free to attend.  Since 1998, MIJF has taken the underground above ground and celebrated the best of jazz culture by showcasing leading and emerging contemporary artists from home and abroad. During the festival, which runs from October 17-26, Melbourne will once again become the epicentre of Australia’s vibrant and buzzing jazz scene, with music taking over the streets, concert halls and clubs.  The party kicks off with Night Crawl – a one-night-only takeover of multiple CBD venues, featuring Natasha Diggs (US), multi-instrumentalist Tenderlonious (UK) and local legends Horatio Luna, Surprise Chef and Ella Thompson. Think of it as a choose-your-own-adventure of free live music across iconic sites such as Wax Music Lounge, Arbory Afloat, Whitehart and more.  Other headline acts include Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award-winning artist Harry Connick Jr leading the festival’s signature Jazz at the Bowl on the final weekend; baritone superstar Gregory Porter, who will be performing at Hamer Hall; powerhouse vocalist Samara Joy, Japanese pianist and composer Hiromi; plus jazz legends Gary Bartz,...

Hands up if you were raised on The Sims? Us too. Or maybe you were a dedicated Neopets fan, or obsessed with World of Warcraft. Perhaps you're currently glued to your Switch playing Hollow Knight: Silksong. Whatever your connection to video games, it's safe to say most of us have picked up a controller at some point in our lives and been captivated by what appeared on the screen. Enter ACMI's incredible new exhibition, Game Worlds. Running until February 8, 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.  There will also be after-dark sessions, developer talks, themed fan events and and plenty more. And as much as Game Worlds is about exploring how video games are designed, built and experienced, it's also an opportunity to spotlight the community and the friendships that are forged within these immersive digital...

The beloved regional town of Bendigo will bask in the glow of the changing seasons when this massive, colourful festival takes over the region throughout spring. This year, Bendigo Bloom is celebrating its 22nd anniversary, bathing the town in colour with more than 100 events, activations and experiences throughout the season.  From idyllic gardens and cultural tours to food feasts and after-dark events, there's so much to explore during the festival. An annual favourite is the breathtaking tulip display, with more than 43,000 tulips painting a rainbow across Bendigo’s historic Pall Mall and Conservatory Gardens. After the sun sets, the flowers are transformed into a kaleidoscopic light walk called Bloom After Dark (September 26 - October 5). For more floral fun, discover the Cornella Canola Walk – running until September 28, it provides a magical opportunity to frolic through a field of fluorescent canola crops. Other highlights include Vegecarian (November 1), a free event focused on loving food, animals and life. Held at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, it will feature cooking demonstrations, market stalls, live music and animal blessings. And don't miss the Loddon Valley Arts Festival (October 3-5), which will showcase regional creativity via a network of exhibitions. There are loads of events for foodies, including the Heathcote Wine and Food Festival (October 4-5), where you can sample the region's top drops and produce or Bendigo Wine Week (October 10-18)...

What’s better than gorging yourself on scones, finger sandwiches and Champagne at a regular high tea? Gorging yourself on piles and piles of cheese at the Westin’s un-brie-lievable High Cheese event, of course. Yes, the insanely successful event is back at the Westin's Allegro Restaurant for another year, and we turophiles couldn't be more thrilled. The idea for High Cheese first crystallised a few years ago when the Westin's executive chef at the time, Michael Greenlaw, teamed up with Anthony Demia from Maker and Monger to bring a series of cheeses together in both sweet and savoury dishes. Years later, the much-loved tradition continues. In 2025, the indulgent menu has been curated in collaboration with renowned cheese masters, brother-sister duo the Studd Siblings and vino legends Zonzo Estate. Ellie and Sam Studd, both members of the International Guilde des Fromagers and Certified Cheese Professionals, have joined forces with the Westin's executive chef, Apoorva Kunte, to curate an enticing three-tiered selection of dairy-licious treats. We're listening... Each creation showcases the finest quality cheese from around the world, with each tier crafted to highlight bold flavour, balance and technique. Highlights from the menu include Aphrodite Barrel aged organic fetta with tomato and lychee tartare, Woombye triple cream brie with pickled beetroot and raspberry almond pesto, and a shared baked Le Conquérant camembert with thyme and garlic. Yum! And a high tea wouldn't...

It's been seen by more than a million people on Broadway and many more on the West End, and now the Tony Award-winning MJ the Musical is heading to Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne. Centred around the making of his 1992 Dangerous World Tour, MJ the Musical features more than 25 of Michael Jackon’s biggest pop hits set to show-stopping dance numbers, including ‘Beat It’, ‘Smooth Criminal’, ‘Man In The Mirror’ and ‘Thriller’. MJ the Musical is showing at Her Majesty's Theatre from September 9 until December 14. For more information and to book tickets, head to the website. *** Time Out Sydney reviewed MJ the Musical when it played at Sydney's Lyric Theatre in March. Read on for that three-star review:   If you’re of a certain age, you have history (HIStory, perhaps?) with Michael Jackson. I remember getting ‘Thriller’ on cassette as a kid. Dangerous was one of the first CDs I ever owned. I remember seeing the extended music video for ‘Thriller’ on VHS, which came packaged with a behind-the-scenes documentary. One woman, cornered for a quick vox pop at one of the filming locations, asserted that she loved Jackson because he was “down to earth”, which is darkly hilarious in hindsight.  Down to earth? The press called him “wacko Jacko” – we all did. He slept in a hyperbaric chamber. He owned the Elephant Man’s skeleton. His skin kept getting paler, his nose thinner. What a weird guy! Was any of it true? Hard to say. Even today, when a careless tweet is like a drop of blood...

Get your wands at the ready, because Melbourne is set to play host to the Australian premiere of Harry Potter: The Exhibition. This behind-the-scenes extravaganza will leave Potterheads spellbound, and features interactive recreations of famous film scenes, props and costumes from the Broadway production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a multimedia experience featuring the Whomping Willow, dementors, the Marauder's Map and the chance to conjure a Patronus charm. Budding witches and wizards will be sorted into Hogwarts houses and earn points as they explore the exhibition – it could be through a potions class, predicting the future à la Professor Trelawney in Divination or defeating a boggart in Defence Against the Dark Arts. There will also be opportunities to practice spell casting and Quidditch skills, plus win golden snitch medallions to become a model student. Each experience comes with plenty of photo ops and, of course, magical interactive moments. There's even a recreation of the Great Hall for visitors to enjoy in all its splendour, complete with floating candles.  This official Harry Potter exhibition is part of a global tour, previously selling out in cities like Boston and Madrid. You can find out more about this enchanting experience via the website.  Looking for more family-friendly things to do? Here's our guide to the best activities for kids in Melbourne. 

Looking for something to warm your heart this winter? We've got just the answer: beloved musical Annie is returning to Melbourne after a smash-hit run in Sydney. With a knock-out cast that includes Anthony Warlow as Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, Debora Krizak as Miss Hannigan and Greg Page (aka the OG Yellow Wiggle) as President Franklin D. Roosevelt, this tale of hope, family and friendship is one you won't want to miss.  Annie is showing at the Princess Theatre until November 8. Now, who's ready to belt out 'It’s the Hard-Knock Life'? *** Time Out Sydney reviewed Annie when it played at the Capitol Theatre in April. Read on for that four-star review:   Just over a decade since it was last seen in Australia, Annie is back – bursting onto the Capitol Theatre stage filled with optimism, joy, and hope. Director Karen Mortimer revives this quintessential piece of musical theatre with a sentimental production that preserves the charm and flair found in Thomas Meehan’s book. For those living under a rock (mainly me), this Tony Award-winning musical follows the story of 11-year-old Annie, who is growing up in an orphanage in 1930s New York, under the cruel eye of Miss Hannigan. In the midst of the Great Depression, pessimism is all around, but chipper young Annie has the antidote: hope. Encouraging others to believe that “the sun will come out tomorrow”, Annie’s enduringly positive spirit seems to finally pay off, when billionaire Oliver Warbucks chooses to take her in for two...

It's the most wonderful time of the year for fashionistas: Melbourne Fashion Week is returning for seven days of sartorial heaven from October 20-26. This year's theme is Come As You Are, and it's an invitation to everyone to join in the city-wide celebrations of self-expression and creativity. More than 600 designers and retailers will be taking part across 100-plus events (both free and ticketed) – like six premium runways that will be held at iconic locations like 1 Hotel Melbourne, Mercato Centrale and the Melbourne Recital Centre. Other highlights from the 2025 program include an exclusive Australian-first showcase of the spellbinding costumes created for Elphaba and Glinda in Wicked and the upcoming Wicked: For Good at Fed Square; five Fashion Capsules that will feature curated works by some of the country's brightest designers, students and stylists; and various roundtable discussions on everything from working in fashion to exploring size, culture, ability and gender as avenues for creativity.  Some of the renowned local designers who will be championing their wares include J'Aton Couture, Aje Studio, Oroton, Husk, Karlaidlaw, Collective Closets, Et Al, Ngali and students from Melbourne’s leading fashion institutions. Tickets for Melbourne Fashion Week are on sale now. For the full program, head to the official website. But get in quick – the premium runways tend to sell out in a flash. Looking for more fashion? Check out our list of Melbourne's best sustainable...

The Immigration Museum on Flinders Street is all about leaning into what makes us happy. Enter Joy, a vibrant, playful exhibition that will run through until December 7, 2025. Joy features seven brand new commissioned installations from leading Victorian-based creatives, each expressing the artists’ own personal joy. You can expect an emotive adventure where colour and storytelling combine, and big happy moments that sit alongside more reflective ones. Experience the vibrant power of joy as you walk amongst room-sized interactive artworks, or contribute your own joy with the collaborative ‘share your joy’ wall. Venezuelan-born Australian artist Nadia Hernández has filled the Immigration Museum’s hallway with bold collage works, ‘future positive’ fashion designer Nixi Killick has created a ‘joy generator’ and queer artist Spencer Harrison has created a runway where you can strut your stuff. Jazz Money, a Wiradjuri poet and artist, has fused sculpture, audio and mural for a work reflecting the history of the museum site, while local artist Beci Orpin has taken over a room with a giant toy rabbit made to be hugged. Afghanistan-Australian visual artist and poet Elyas Alavi and Sher Ali have also created a large-scale mural illustrating a Persian myth.  Lastly, much-loved pop artist and designer Callum Preston has constructed a full-scale replica of a nineties video store, a joy he never thought he would miss until he realised it was gone. Entry to Joy is included in the...