Your guide to what’s on in Melbourne this weekend
FROM festivals and fashion to art, exhibitions and family-friendly activities, we have your essential guide to all the events happening across Melbourne this weekend.
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FROM festivals and fashion to art, exhibitions and family-friendly activities, we have your essential guide to all the events happening across Melbourne this weekend.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2018 GRAND FINAL PARADE
WHAT’S OPEN ON GRAND FINAL PUBLIC HOLIDAY
WHERE TO WATCH THE AFL GRAND FINAL
ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE ROYAL MELBOURNE SHOW
Concerts, gigs, theatre
Giggle and Hoot
Healesville, Saturday — 10am, noon.
Darenin, Monday — 10am, noon.
Frankston, Tuesday — 10am, noon.
Cardinia, Thursday — 10am, noon.
GPAC, Friday — 10am, noon. $32.50.
Kids will be craning their owl-like necks at the Giggle and Hoot Hootastic Concert and hearing Jimmy Giggle’s incessant chortle.
Australian Tap Dance Festival
Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance, 64 Sutton St, North Melbourne. Friday-next sat. Various times/prices.
It feels like tap dancing is making a sly comeback. I saw a busker going for broke last week and lo and behold the 7th annual Australian Tap Dance Festival starts today. It’s a week of events for all ages including lessons, classes, dance battles and seminars.
Sleep Deprivation Gig
Section 8, 27 Tattersalls Ln, city. Sunday, 3pm-late. Free.
See a whole bunch of label heavyhitters together: Amin Payne, The Operatives’ JPS (above), Rambl, Hdsnjms Jr, Kufatali, One Sixth, Chiara Kickdrum and a very special guest. Warm grooves, cold drinks.
Comedy gig: Taphead
Club Voltaire, 14 Raglan St, North Melbourne. Sunday, 2pm, 9.15pm.
Kiwi Barnie Duncan reinvents himself yet again as Taphead. He subversively expores comedy and (deep breath) anthropomorphism. What happens when a tap starts going to amateur comedy nights? The result is drip dry humour.
Things to do this weekend in Melbourne and Victoria
Royal Melbourne Show
Melbourne Show Grounds- Until Tuesday. Open daily, 9.30am-9pm $20 to $85.
With all of this AFL finals fever, you may have forgotten the Royal Melbourne Show is on. This motocross rider is stuck in the air, Matrix-style, until you arrive. Don’t leave a brother hanging. See him and his mates pull off insane moves and the incredible Monster Truck showcases. Catch daily magic tricks from Cosentino, Circus Oz flashback dancing and PJ Masks performances, hug some sheep at the animal nursery, go on jaw-yanking rides, see woodchop demonstrations and eat tasty gourmet creations vying for judge’s attention. And did someone say showbags?
Cranbourne Gardens
Cranbourne Gardens, Corner Ballarto Rd & Botanic Dve. Tuesday-Friday, 10Aam-Noon, 1.30-3.30PM. FREE.
Ask anybody, Cranbourne’s Botanical Gardens is its crown jewel. Paper Planet by Polyglot Theatre will let children’s imaginations run wild these holidays as they construct a biodegradable orb and make vines, flowers, costumes, critters and whatever else they find inspiring.
Grit Scooters
Public Mayhem, 8/92-100 Champion Rd, Newport — Monday 11am-1pm.
Empire Ride & Equip, 15 Century Dr, Braeside — Tuesday 11am-1pm.
Riverside Skate Park, Boathouse Dr City — Wednesday 11am-1pm. ALL FREE.
Grit Scooters have their Pro Team Tour with free workshop events. Flippin’ ‘eck!
Peninsula Hot Springs
140 Springs Ln, Fingal. Various hours/prices.
Meg Jamieson and Will Veale don’t know what they’ve got themselves in for. They’re two of the first who are experiencing Peninsula Hot Springs’ Ice Cave and Deep Freeze. Big thinkers like Tony Robbins take a dip into freezing water every day and you can feel reborn then warm up in the two 30 person saunas.
Markets
Preston Market
2/30A The Centreway, Preston. Sunday, 8.30-10.30am. FREE
Arrive by bike to Preston Market and enjoy a sausage sizzle, pastries and fruit as well as coffee for the first 100 riders. There’s vital free bike maintenance training from The Bike Shed at CERES.
Kinglake
Sunday 10am-2pm — 94 Whittlesea-Kinglake Rd
Fruit and vegetables, bread, honey, jams, artisan crafts, plants, live music, kids’ activities, jewellery, wine. Gorgeous spot.
Arts Centre
Every Sunday 10am-4pm — Outside Hamer Hall
Vast array of artisan stalls. Scoff down gozleme, impulse buy paintings, enjoy the kids’ entertainment as they run up the waves.
The Fitzroy Mills
Saturday, 9am-2pm — 75 Rose St Fitzroy
Babou cold-pressed juices, Gippsland Strawberries, Harper & Blohm raclette and grilled cheese, Peace Farm vegies.
Things to do in with Kids
Legoland
Chadstone Shopping Centre, opposite HOYTS. Various times/prices.
KIDS legOLAND Is that Penny Wheeler or Harry Potter? She’s very convincing. See the excellent JK Rowling inspired creations and have family fun with two rides, 11 LEGO build & play zones, a 4D cinema & much more.
Arcade Pop-Up @ Westfield Knox
Outside the Shaver Shop, Level 2 — Various times. FREE
Try Zone Bowling, Timezone arcade games and all sorts of fun. There are workshops by GKR Karate where you can learn how to defend yourself.
24 hour Dance Project
Testing Grounds, 1 City Rd, Southbank. Saturday and Sunday, 9AM. $24/$27.
Freya McGrath has more stamina than an Australian Prime Minister (not hard). She is testing how far her love of dance can take her. Join in the Kids Run Wild Hour at 11am today with youth dance teachers Amy Spurgeon and Rachel Shrives.
Animals at Sovereign Hill
3 Bradshaw St, Ballarat — Until October 7, Daily. $25.60/$57. Under 5’s FREE.
Visitors can see a menagerie of small animals. The stars are cute miniature pigs called Mary-Kate and Ashley.
Free Rides on the Eagle
1085 Arthurs Seat rd, Dromana — Saturday, 10am-5pm $15 to $21.
Attention, kids. If you wear your AFL club’s colours today you can ride free. There are live broadcasts of the Grand Final on the big screens, footy food, face painting and giveaways.
the eagle.
Shadow Puppetry Workshop
Wyndham Cultural Centre, 177 Watton St, Werribee — Mon, 11am-12.30pm $15.
Children will create a shadow character and then be guided in specific performance techniques.
Don’t miss this week
SALE: Lekker Bikes
23 Provost St, North Melbourne. Next Sat-Sun, 10am-5pm. FREE.
They tout themselves as premium Dutch bicycle brand and they can back it up. Next weekend they’re having a garage sale while DJs spin good tunes. They’ll give out free food and drinks as experts give you bike tips. That’s ride on!
Comedy Gig: Comedy Island
Spiegeltent, Luna Park, Lower Esplanade, St Kilda. Sat, 7-9pm $20.
Hosted by Matt Okine, see Sam Simmons (Barry Award and Edinburgh Comedy Award winner 2015), Sammy J (Barry Award winner 2010), Geraldine Hickey, Danielle Walker, Bec Melrose all bringing the laughs.
SEE ALSO:
BEST FREE THINGS TO DO IN MELBOURNE
MUST TRY EATERIES IN REGIONAL VICTORIA
WHERE TO GO ON YOUR NEXT VISIT TO MT MACEDON AND DAYLESFORD
FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES TO DO IN MELBOURNE
Beat the bushfires: 7 free campsites in the bush
There’s never been a better time to pack the tent or caravan to help regional Victoria bounce back from the bushfires. Even better when the campsites are free.
Why this iconic Victorian pool has to close
A popular holiday spot in the state’s east will be without one of its main attractions this summer. The area’s swimming pool has been declared unsafe and will shut this week, devastating locals and tourists.