White Night Melbourne to run over three days in August

Wondering where Melbourne’s iconic White Night arts festival went this summer? The popular event has undergone a facelift and is set to be back bigger and better this winter — here’s what you can expect.

Victoria’s all-night light festival is being stretched across three days as it moves to winter for the first time.

White Night is being shifted to August 22-24 to bolster Melbourne’s major events calendar during the quieter and colder months.

The move is expected to entice tourists and big-name artists keen to make the most of the longer winter nights for light and art installations.

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The highly popular event attracts hundreds of thousands into the city every year. Picture: Hamish Blair

The popular festival, which last year drew hundreds of thousands of revellers, will run across three city precincts.

Roads around the Carlton Gardens, Birrarung Marr and the National Gallery of Victoria will be closed to help festival-goers make their way between the precincts.

Tourism and Major Events Minister Martin Pakula said the move to winter, and added events in regional Victoria, would improve the much-loved festival.

“White Night Reimagined will make Melbourne come alive during the quieter winter months, bringing us the best entertainment, art and culinary experiences from Victoria and across the world over three huge nights,” he said.

“We’re excited to be bringing the White Night experience back to regional Victoria, taking this exciting experience right across the state and encouraging visitors to our fantastic regional centres.”

White Night lights up Melbourne’s State Library. Picture: Tony Gough

A program to be released today reveals that the after-dark festival will this year feature music, performing arts and “unique and exclusive” experiences by the NGV, State Library, Arts Centre and Melbourne Museum.

Foodies will also be able to feast on a new “showcase” of Victorian produce.

Ballarat will host a regional White Night in October, with Bendigo and Geelong taking the duties in 2020 and 2021 ­respectively.

Creative Industries Minister Martin Foley said the festival was expected to draw visitors from “far and wide”.

“The new winter White Night will bring the best local and international creative experiences to Melbourne and regional Victoria,” he said.

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@moniquehore