What’s on: Things to do and eat in Melbourne over the Easter long weekend

You’ve got a few days off over Easter, so what are you going to do with them? Here’s our guide to the best things to do, see and eat over the long weekend.

You’ve got a few days off over Easter (and beyond, if you’re among the hordes taking three annual leave days to get 10 days off).

So what are you going to do with them?

If you’re staying in town for the long weekend, there is an abundance of things to do, see and eat over the Easter break.

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Here’s our guide to what’s on in Melbourne on Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and the Easter Monday public holiday.

EASTER 2019 DATES

Good Friday: April 19

Easter Saturday: April 20

Easter Sunday: April 21

Easter Monday: April 22

The Good Friday Appeal raises money to help kids like Kiana, 1, who has spent the past year at the Royal Children’s Hospital. Picture: Jay Town

GOOD FRIDAY APPEAL KIDS DAY OUT

Celebrate Easter while supporting the Good Friday Appeal at the annual Kids Day Out.

There will be plenty of activities including ice sakting, a teddy bear hospital, amusements, entertainment and a fresh food fair.

MORE GOOD FRIDAY APPEAL NEWS

If you can’t make it to the Kids Day Out but want to support the annual Royal Children’s Hospital fundraiser, check out a host of other Good Friday Appeal activities, buy a raffle ticket or or watch the Do It For the Kids evening show on the Good Friday Appeal Telethon on Channel Seven.

Good Friday Appeal Kids Day Out, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Friday, April 19, 10am-5pm. Free entry, activities cost up to $10.

COMEDY FESTIVAL

It’s the final weekend of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, which means it's your last chance to catch some of the world’s funniest people in person.

But there’s plenty on to keep the laughs rolling right across Easter Weekend.

Celia Pacquola and Luke McGregor will host the Moosehead Benefit on the final day of the comedy festival.

MOOSEHEAD BENEFIT

Celia Pacquola and Luke McGregor will host this year’s Moosehead Benefit, the annual full stop to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

The benefit features the must-see artists of the festival - though the line-up is kept secret until the night.

In past years it’s featured the likes of Hannah Gadsby, Wil Anderson, Adam Hills, Lano & Woodley, Rhys Nicholson and Tommy Little.

2019 Moosehead Benefit, Melbourne Town Hall — Main Hall, Easter Sunday, 7.30pm.

GOOD AZ FRIDAY

Aaron Chen, Larry Dean, Sam Jay, Sarah Keyworth and Steph Tisdell are among the stellar line-up at this free Good Friday session.

Join Triple J’s Ben and Liam for laughs, a live Like A Version by Melbourne’s Slowly Slowly, and lots of chocolate.

Just make sure you rock up early to get a seat.

Good Az Friday, Melbourne Town Hall - Main Hall, Good Friday, 1pm.

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Wil Anderson’s new show, Wil-Informed, runs until Easter Sunday. Picture: David Caird

MUST-SEE COMEDY SHOWS, FREEBIES AND SPECIAL EVENTS

Prominent UK comedian Joe Lycett performs his only three shows of the festival from Good Friday to Easter Sunday at Melbourne Town Hall and the Arts Centre. Catch him while you can.

Same goes for Indian YouTube sensation Kanan Gill, who’s at the Arts Centre from Friday to Sunday.

Saturday Night Live TV star Chris Redd will perform his only solo show at The Westin on Good Friday.

And if you haven’t already seen them, make sure you don’t miss the shows we awarded five stars, James Acaster and Cassie Workman.

Simon Amstell, Double Denim, Blake Freeman, Damien Power, Daniel Kitson, DeAnne Smith, Joel Creasey, Luke Heggie, Phil Wang, Tom Ballard, Wil Anderson and Nath Valvo all received 4.5 stars from us, and should also be high on your list.

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The Indian All-Star Comedy Showcase, featuring Anauvab Pal, Kaneez Surka, Naveen Richard and Sonali Thakker, is in town for three days only, with four shows on offer from Good Friday to Easter Sunday at The Forum.

And it’s your last chance to rub shoulders with the who’s who of comedians (including Kanan Gill, Chris Redd, DeAnne Smith, Dilruk Jayasinha, Simon Amstell, Joel Creasey, Becky Lucas and Fin Taylor) at The Festival Club at Max Watt’s from 11.30pm on Friday and Saturday nights.

There’s free family fun on offer at Fed Square for The (Very) Big Laugh Out Loud on Friday and Saturday, and at Melbourne Museum Plaza on Friday only.

Comedy Club for Kids runs at the Arts Centre Spiegeltent every day until April 21, and at Chadstone every day except Good Friday.

EASTER EGG HUNTS

GREAT LUNA PARK EASTER EGG HUNT

Choco-mad kids can search for more than 30,000 Chocolatier eggs at the iconic St Kilda fun park over two days, with hunts running from 12.30pm to 3.15pm on both Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday.

Check out the new Speedy Bettle, Moon Balloons and mini-train rides, and watch out for the Mad Hatter and the energetic Easter bunny acrobats bouncing about on both days.

Great Luna Park Easter Egg Hunt, St Kilda, Sat-Sun 12.30pm-3.15pm, entry free with unlimited ride ticket ($17.50-$149.95). Luna Park open every day, 11am-8pm.

Visitors young and old can enjoy rides and a ginormous Easter egg hunt at Luna Park over the Easter weekend. Picture: Supplied.

MELBOURNE EASTER SHOW

Head to Cranbourne Turf Club between Good Friday and Easter Monday if you like your Easter egg hunts with a side of monster truck battles.

The Melbourne Easter Show, running from April 19-22, will also offer children’s activities, roving entertainers, carnival rides and showbags.

Tickets for the Easter Egg Hunt cost $10 each, which includes a bucket to collect eggs.

Melbourne Easter Show, Cranbourne Turf Club, Grant St, Cranbourne, April 19-22, entry free but $10 for Easter Egg Hunt, various times.

SCULPTURE PARK AT PT LEO ESTATE

Search for 3000-plus eggs among renowned artworks from around the world at the beautiful Point Leo Estate on the Mornington Peninsula.

The Easter Sunday event will also feature a Koko Black Chocolate pop up, face painting by Twinkles Starry Faces, colouring stations, food options, live music and a Koko Black grand prize for one lucky winner.

Gates open 9am for 10am egg hunt kick-off

Pt. Leo’s Easter Egg Hunt, Merricks, Sunday, April 21, from 9am. Entry free for children under 3, $20 per child (including one adult), per additional adult.

The Wave Swinger, one of the non-water attractions at Adventure Park Geelong, which wraps up its season on Easter Monday.

ADVENTURE PARK GEELONG

Make the most of the unseasonably warm weather for the rest of the school holidays with a trip to Victoria’s biggest theme park.

Adventure Park’s annual Giant Easter Egg Hunt will take place on Easter Sunday, where thousands of chocolate eggs will be up for grabs and children can meet the Easter bunny.

Adventure Park , Wallington, Sunday, April 21, 10am - 5pm (Easter egg hunt at 2pm.) Entry included in general admission ticket ($27-$44.50). Closed Good Friday.

EUREKA SKYDECK

Hop to the deck of Melbourne’s tallest building this Easter for a number of eggcellent activities and prizes.

Find the bunnies hidden across the Skydeck and go in the draw to win a prize if you guess the correct amount.

Eureka Skydeck, Southbank, open from 10am-10pm daily (last entry 9.30pm). Skydeck tickets vary, ranging from $10-$48.

MORE EASTER EGG HUNTS AROUND MELBOURNE

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK OVER THE EASTER WEEKEND

Sample some of the goldfields’ finest brews and wines at the Ballarat Beer Hop.

BALLARAT BEER HOP

It’s an Easter hop for big kids.

The first annual Ballarat Beer Hop kicks off on Easter Saturday and will see participants work their way through Ballarat’s favourite venues, sampling the wares at six of 12 of Victoria’s top breweries and six wineries.

The one-of-a-kind experience is a collaboration between six of the state’s best regional venues: Hop Temple, The Mallow, Campana’s, Freight Bar, Housey Housey and PWTN.

Buy a ticket at your starting venue and then follow the map to find the other venues. The ticket gets you two 100ml beer samples at each venue (12 in total) and one 50ml wine sample at each venue (six in total).

Ballarat Beer Hop, various locations, Saturday, April 20, from 11am. Tickets $40 (plus booking fee).

Chin Chin’s highly anticipated Crab+Cray takes place on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

CRAB+CRAY FEAST AT CHIN CHIN

Chin Chin’s new event space will play host to the restaurant’s first ever Crab+Cray.

Guest can anticipate an array of tasty seafood dishes designed by executive chef Ben Cooper, which includes chilli tamarind mud crab and black pepper lobster, prawn and lemongrass spring rolls and smoked trout miang.

Get your seafood fill at one of two sessions on Good Friday (1-4pm or 6-9pm), or the restaurant’s third session from 1-4pm on Easter Sunday.

Crab+Cray Feast, Chin Chin, Melbourne CBD, Good Friday, April 19, 1-4pm or 6-9pm, or Easter Sunday, 1-4pm. Lunch $99pp, dinner $105.53pp.

Enjoy Easter lunch with a view at Balgownie Estate in the Yarra Valley.

EASTER LUNCH AT BALGOWNIE ESTATE

Can’t be bothered cooking your family’s Easter Sunday lunch?

Head to the Yarra Valley for Balgownie Estate’s special Easter buffet lunch and three-hour beverage package at Rae’s Restaurant.

There will also be an Easter egg hunt from 2pm, with live music on the deck from 3pm-6pm.

Balgownie Estate, 1309 Melba Highway, Yarra Glen, Easter Sunday, April 21, open from noon. Dining packages start from $115pp (adults) and $35pp (kids).

Pidapipo is approaching Easter sweets a little differently this year.

EASTER SWEETS AT PIDAPIPO

Pidapipo gelateria has teamed up with master chocolate makers Hunted + Gathered to celebrate Easter with not one, but three limited-edition Easter treats.

Take your pick from the Colomba gelato sandwich (a twist on the Columba di pasqua) —

featuring a limited-edition gelato flavour of candied orange, almond croccante and Hunted + Gathered 70 per cent dark chocolate chip — or a chocolate bar made with candied orange, pearl sugar and roasted almond; or just a cup of the limited-edition candied orange gelato.

The items will be in Pidapipo stores from Good Friday.

The cake, gelato and bar will also be available on Uber Eats until April 28.

Pidapipo, 8 Degraves St, Melbourne, 299 Lygon St, Carlton, and 85 Chapel St, Windsor, open 12pm-11pm daily.

Get your seafood fix at The Atlantic over Easter.

FISH & CHIPPERY’S BARRAWING FUNDRAISER

Little sibling to renowned seafood restaurant The Atlantic, the Fish & Chippery brings seafood extraordinaire Nick Mahlook’s ocean-to-plate philosophy to the masses.

On Good Friday, the venue will offer $1 barrawings with all proceeds going to the Royal Children’s Hospital’s Good Friday Appeal.

Or you could head to The Atlantic for a bottomless Easter Sunday brunch designed by Mahlook, with two hours of free-flowing bubbles and a two-course menu for $110 per person.

Fish & Chippery by The Atlantic, Crown Riverwalk, Good Friday, 11.30am-10.30pm, Easter Saturday 11.30am-10.30pm, Easter Sunday noon-8pm. The Atlantic, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank, Fri-Sat 6-11pm, Easter Sunday 6-10pm. Both closed Easter Monday.

MILL & BAKERY’S HOT CROSS DOUGHNUTS

The cosy, artisan bread house on the Docklands waterfront offers an assortment of pastries, high tea, lunch options, sweets and superb coffee.

For Easter, Lisa Van Zanten has created delicious orange custard-filled spiced hot cross doughnuts.

Anzac cookie sandwiches with salted caramel are also available from until Anzac Day.

Mill & Bakery, Shed 9, 161 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, open 7am-2pm on Easter Saturday. Closed Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

The delectable and detailed Chocolate Mousse Egg at 400 Gradi restaurants across the state this Easter.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE EGGS AT 400 GRADI

It’s famed for its pizzas, but it’s dessert that will take centre stage at 400 Gradi this Easter.

The pizza house has added a limited-edition chocolate mouse egg to its menu for the weekend.

Filled with a mango and lavender sauce, it’s a sweet Easter treat with a twist.

400 Gradi, Brunswick, Eastland, Essendon. Normal hours over the Easter long weekend.

THINGS TO DO AND SEE OVER THE EASTER WEEKEND

Muriel (Maggie McKenn) and Rhonda (Madeleine Jones) take iconic Aussie movie Muriel's Wedding to the stage. Picture: AAP Image

MURIEL’S WEDDING

It’s an Australian classic, further cemented by the all new, hilariously entertaining musical based on the film.

Showing at Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre, the inaugural production is worth checking out before it moves on to Sydney in late June.

Muriel’s Wedding, Her Majesty’s Theatre, Exhibition St, playing Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday.

Alexander Rower, grandson of artist Alexander Calder, with a sculpture by his grandfather at NGV International. Picture: David Geraghty

ALEXANDER CALDER: RADICAL INVENTOR AT NGV

NGV International’s newest exhibition showcases the impressive sculptural works of American artist Alexander Calder, known as “the artist who made sculpture move”.

Part of an international tour, the exhibition will be at the NGV until August 4.

Alexander Calder: Radical Inventor, NGV International, St Kilda Rd, open 10am-5pm daily.

Murat, 10, and Larah, 8, get into the Easter spirit at the Melbourne Star Observation Wheel. Picture: Sarah Matray

MELBOURNE STAR OBSERVATION WHEEL

Live like a high flyer while indulging in some Easter treats on the Melbourne Star.

The wheel will play host to a choco-licious cabin experience, complete with a drink of your choice and a San Churro chocolate hamper.

The experience costs $50 per person for a minimum of four guests, with each additional guest costing $5 per person. Children ride free with any full-priced ticket on a standard 30-minute flight throughout the Easter school holidays.

Melbourne Star, Docklands, daily 11am–10pm.

A scaly hatchling makes an eggtraoridnary entry into Melbourne Zoo as part of its newly launched Dino Park. Picture: Zoos Victoria.

MELBOURNE AND WERRIBEE ZOOS

Zoo members can take part in the Melbourne Zoo Easter egg hunt trail, following clues to find dinosaur and bird nests around the zoo, every day over the Easter weekend. Collect your hunt map when you enter.

Wander through the Dino Park at the Carousel Park (9am-3pm) to see prehistoric creatures come to life.

Werribee Open Range Zoo is also playing host to life-sized dinosaurs including T-rex and stegosaurus along its Werribee River Trail. Or take part in the fossil dig at the Dino Ranger research tent, each day until 4pm.

Melbourne Zoo, Parkville, and Werribee Open Range Zoo, K Road, Werribee, open 9am-5pm daily. Tickets $19-37. Children enter free on weekends, public holidays and school holidays.

Flatback sea turtle Thorpey in his new home. Picture: David Crosling

SEA LIFE MELBOURNE AQUARIUM

Another safe bet is Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, with a number of school holiday activities.

Peppa Pig will be on hand for the aquarium’s “15 years of muddy puddles” celebration, with Peppa-themed activities and meet-and-greet sessions (11am, 11.40am, 12.20am, 1pm, 1.40pm daily until Monday).

Make sure you check out the aquarium’s newest residents, flatback sea turtles Thorpey and Moana.

Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, corner Flinders St and King St, Melbourne, 9.30am - 6pm daily (last entry 5pm). General admission ranges from $22.40-33.60pp.