Festivals in Melbourne, Australia

See and Do Even More at One of Melbourne's Special Events

Aug 16, 2009

With dozens of major festivals covering comedy, art, film, food, music and more it's no surprise that Melbourne is considered Australia's cultural capital.

Hardly a week goes past where there's not an event in Melbourne, and as all of them have free events in addition to paying ones there's really no excuse for not getting out there and having a look.

Melbourne International Comedy Festival

For three and a half weeks in April the Comedy Festival takes over Melbourne's bars and venues and creates a buzz in the city that is impossible to resist. There are all the big names in stand up from both Australia and overseas as well as skits, improvisation, short films, young comedians, kids shows and much more. Tickets range in price from free to around AU$30 for the bigger names, with cheaper shows on Tuesdays.

Melbourne International Arts Festival

Covering theater, dance, music, opera, film, design and visual arts, the Arts Festival is the city's ultimate event for all things creative. Running for two and a half weeks in mid October the festival premiers new works from many of the world's most respected companies and artists as well as debuting works by promising up-and-comers.

Prices vary hugely but expect to pay between AU$30-$100 for music, dance, and theater performances, AU$15 for film screenings and between AU$60-$200 for opera and orchestras, with the best seats costing up to $240. Most shows have student tickets for $25. Savings can be made either by purchasing group tickets (usually 10 or more people) or by getting a discount package - buying tickets for three or more shows at once.

Melbourne Food and Wine Festival

At the start of March one of Melbourne's favorite festivals spreads the smell of good food all over the city, and gives everyone a chance to sample food and wine by the country's best chefs and wineries. There are lots of special events throughout the 17-day festival, including the World's Longest Lunch, where 1200 guests dine alfresco on a 400-meter-long table, Connex Sizzle, a giant barbeque on a grassed-over Federation Square and Wicked Sunday, a day-long celebration of cheese, coffee and chocolate. In addition there are food stalls along the Yarra, tours, classes, restaurant crawls and many other special deals to get you salivating.

Melbourne International Jazz Festival

The shortest of Melbourne's major festivals, the Jazz Festival runs for a week from late April to early May, and has free performances twice a day at Federation Square. Paying events take place at some of Melbourne's best venues, including the Forum, the Melbourne Recital Centre, the Town Hall and Bennett's Lane Jazz Club, the most atmospheric jazz club in the city. In addition to concerts there are also films, classes and kids shows on the program. Tickets cost up to about AU$100 for the best jazz bands and performers.

Melbourne International Film Festival

The country's biggest film festival has hundreds of showings over two weeks in late July/early August, including world and Australian premieres and works by both new and established filmmakers. The categories vary from year to year but can include things such as animation, documentaries, horror, revenge, music, and youth, as well as films from various regions around the globe.

Melbourne Fringe Festival

The Fringe Festival is the most eclectic and arguably the most fun of all Melbourne's festivals, with dozens of silly, nonsensical, imaginative and enlightening works and performances by independent artists from all disciplines. Most works seen in the festival are by Melburnians so this is by far the best event to get an insight into Melbourne and its people. There is street art, comedy, music, theater, cabaret, design, city tours and even performances in your own home, and with a large majority of events being free (and the rest costing between $10 and $20) it is also the most accessible festival on Melbourne's calendar. Runs for three weeks from late September to mid October.

Yet More Melbourne Festivals - Writing, Design, Fashion

Other major festivals include the Melbourne Writer's Festival in late August, where Australian and international authors discuss a range of topics and experiences; the State of Design Festival in July, which has lectures, tours and a market, and opens the doors to buildings not usually accessible to the public; and the Melbourne Spring Fashion Week in early September, which celebrates all things fashion with shows, talks, parties and workshops.

The copyright of the article Festivals in Melbourne, Australia in Australia Travel is owned by Merinda Wilson. Permission to republish Festivals in Melbourne, Australia in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.