Summer is here Melbourne and it’s our favourite time of year! The sun is shining, the days are long, and the evenings and weekends are the perfect time to get your party on!
The events calendar is jam-packed and we’ve rounded up the top 16 things you need to do and see this season…
16 reasons to love Summer in Melbourne
1. The Summer Night Market is on every Wednesday evening at Queen Victoria Markets. With Melbourne’s largest array of global street food, free live music and roving entertainers, specialty and vintage shopping and all the atmosphere of a summer festival, there is no other experience like the Summer Night Market.
2. Who can say no to ice-cream, sunsets, comfy loungers and an outdoor cinema? Head along to Ben & Jerry’s Open Air Cinemas near St Kilda beach or Moonlight Cinema at Royal Botanic Gardens – the Melbourne Summer Season runs until the end of March, so there’s sure to be a flick or two to watch with the girls.
3. The Royal Croquet Club is Melbourne’s favourite fortnight-long summer festival and is back this December – Get your mallets ready!
4. Tennis season has landed! We love the Kooyong Classic and our Grand Slam, the Australian Open.
5. The Beach! Who doesn’t love a good beach sesh in summer? Be sure to catch the St Kilda Foreshore Slam Beach Festival and get a taste of some volleyball, funky tunes and an endless sea of visors!
6. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! The Food Truck Park’s bringing Melbourne’s finest ice-cream trucks together for one huge sweet weekend! Summer has never tasted so delicious with ice-cream, gelato, waffles, crepes, shakes and donuts all in the one place > Ice Cream Festival.
7. Guess what? Yep, another festival! We’re beyond excited for the thirteenth edition of the Laneway Festival. Expect a line-up that goes deep and wide: supporting the best new local and international talent, while welcoming back acts that once occupied early slots to close out the festival.
8. Zoo Twilights is back this summer at Melbourne Zoo to entertain you in a live music setting like no other. On display will be some of the best local and international musicians to help the fight against wildlife extinction.
9. If you love the stylish coastal life, you’ll love Portsea Polo – World-class polo, beauty and glamour in the amazing Mornington Peninsula setting.
10. New Years Eve! There are a million and one ways to celebrate the countdown to the new year in Melbourne – stay tuned melbournegirl.com.au for more info on what to do and where to be!
11. Arts and fashion lovers, the spectacular and avant-garde creations of Dutch fashion designers Viktor & Rolf are on display in Australia for the first time in an exhibition at Melbourne’s NGV. It runs until the end of February, so don’t miss it.
12. The summer of sport is electrifying for fanatics in Melbourne! If you’re a die-hard and would love to go behind the scenes of the city that hosts Australia’s favourite sporting events, then you need to check out Melbourne Sports Tours. Explore the interactive National Sports Museum or tour behind the scenes of our iconic MCG and Rod Laver Arena. Or visit the home of the Melbourne Cup carnival without the crowds – check them out here.
13. Everyone loves the laneways in summer! The Blender Lane Artists Market is an outdoor event held every Wednesday night in one of Melbourne’s most vibrant street art-covered laneways. Take a walk through the quirky and colourful market stalls showcasing a variety of art, illustration, craft, design, textile and jewellery. You can find that unique gift for any occasion, taste some yummy treats and get involved in a variety of weekly workshops. They run until the end of February.
14. Join one of our largest celebration of summer, showcasing Australian artists and talent against the spectacular natural beauty of the Port Phillip Bay at the St Kilda Festival. Held on the second Sunday in February each year, the streets of St Kilda are closed to traffic when the pick of Australia’s best musicians play over multiple stages, with a great display of entertainment, sport, dance, carnival rides, buskers and a whole lot more.
15. Summer is the perfect time for a road trip getaway… Treat yourself to a little staycation – here are some of our favourite places.
16. And finally… Melbourne has so much going on and there are always plenty of events that are FREE. Check out our 10 best things to do in Melbourne post for our full round up.
Roy
Great Information. Thank you.