Melbourne in bloom: The most anticipated spring event on the calendar

Looking for fashion, food, music and fun this spring? Grab your crew because the Melbourne Cup Carnival is the ultimate day out.

Around 250,000 people are tipped to attend this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington Racecourse, including the guests on three international cruise ships that sail into port just in time for the iconic Lexus Melbourne Cup Day. Racing is just the tip of the iceberg this November, as the spectacular program also includes live music performances, pop-up restaurants, food trucks and bars and some of the best fashion in the world.

Penfolds Victoria Derby Day.Credit: Victoria Racing Club

A General Admission ticket starts from $65 and gives you access to all the action at The Park, a festival-style playground located on The Hill adjacent to the train station. Here, you can find a comfy seat to watch the races on the big screen and enjoy performances from the world’s hottest musicians, who will headline the Live Stage each day of the Carnival. The Park will have great variety of food options, such as a pop-up from Johnny, Vince and Sam’s – a partnership between Johnny Di Francesco and the Sooshi Mango team, or the popular Bali burger joint the BO$$MAN Burgers with their first pop up restaurant in Australia.

Have a group of six or more? Consider a Mates Rates Table and get your own Reserved table trackside on the Flemington Front Lawn, plus a complimentary drink each on arrival. You’ll also have full access to The Park and its awesome line-up of music, fashion and fun.

Or, treat yourselves to a Club Lawn reserved table, with limited tables available on Crown Oaks Day and TAB Champions Stakes Day, where you can relax from a luxe pod on the Club Lawn – prime position to take in all the racing action. Each table booking will receive a round of drinks upon arrival, plus you’ll have free access to the Club Lawn Hotel on the Flemington Front Lawn, where you can dance the day away to DJs all day long. There are plenty of tasty food options located at the Club Lawn including 400 Gradi, Meat Frankie and Mr Miyagi.

Find the full array of packages and inclusions here and read on to discover what’s planned for each of the four main dates in the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Penfolds Victoria Derby Day

Saturday 2 November 2024

As the first event on the Carnival calendar, Derby Day sets the scene for a fun and elegant couple of weeks ahead. Today’s dress code is black-and-white, so save the bright colours and pastels for later in the Carnival. Add flair to a monochromatic look with a sculptural silhouette or flamboyant print – polkadots, stripes and geometrics are always popular.

The finals of the Best Dressed and Best Suited categories in the Fashions on the Field competition get underway today. This year’s entrants come from across the globe, so you can expect a diverse line-up of looks to admire.

It’s also the Grand Final for the Emerging Designer Award, one of two professional industry categories that recognise the incredible talent behind the season’s top racewear. The winner of this category will receive a prize valued at more than $48,000, including an unforgettable design experience with Vogue Japan, presented in partnership with Vogue Australia.

And at The Park? Expect to see American sensation Anastacia on The Park Live Stage, as well as a much-anticipated set from Dutch DJ Sam Feldt.

An impressive line-up of local and international acts are set to hit the stage at The Park.Credit: Victoria Racing Club

Lexus Melbourne Cup Day

Tuesday 5 November 2024

The big one! The atmosphere at Flemington on Cup Day is nothing short of electric, as tens of thousands of racegoers from all over the world converge to watch the race that stops a nation™.

In between races, check out all the other action in The Park, including Empire of the Sun DJ Set and Sophie Ellis-Bextor on the Live Stage, a tasty selection of Melbourne’s finest restaurants, and daily finals for Best Dressed and Best Suited in the Fashions on the Field competition.

The Lillian Frank AM MBE Millinery Award Grand Final will be announced today, with the winner scoring $5000 in cash and an editorial profile in Vogue Australia.

The vibe is high so dress accordingly – bold and bright colours and statement-making headwear are favoured at the Lexus Melbourne Cup, whether you’re on the famous Flemington Front Lawn, in The Park or The Birdcage.

The finalists in this year’s Best Dressed and Best Suited categories of Fashions on the Field will set a high bar in the style stakes.Credit: Victoria Racing Club

Crown Oaks Day

Thursday 7 November 2024

For more than a century, Oaks Day has been an opportunity to dress up, see and be seen. Nowadays, this typically translates to a relatively feminine dress code – spring’s pretty pastels, floral prints and bohemian lacework are sure to be crowd favourites.

The finalists in this year’s Best Dressed and Best Suited categories of Fashions on the Field will set a high bar in the style stakes – don’t miss the Grand Finals of these categories, held today in The Park, as entrants vye for a share of the competition’s $220,000 prize pool.

Also not to be missed is a performance by Irish superstar Ronan Keating, who will make his only public Australian appearance of 2024 on The Park Live Stage today. The Life Is A Rollercoaster singer’s headline performance will cap off another unforgettable daily program of musical acts. Plus, local legend Ricki-Lee will take to the stage to wow revellers.

TAB Champions Stakes Day

Saturday 9 November 2024

Cup Week ends on a high with champions both on and off the track and a more relaxed and family-friendly atmosphere of Stakes Day. With three Group 1 races held over 1200m, 1600m and 2000m, today is a drawcard for the stars of the track and the racing enthusiasts who love to watch them.

Today’s dress code is slightly more casual than other Cup Week events, so trade the stilettos for flat sandals and get ready to soak up all the fun of The Park for the final time with performances from The Temper Trap and Mia Wray. The poppy will replace the red rose with proceeds from the sale of the poppy lapel pin supporting the RSL’s Poppy Appeal.

A World of Excitement Awaits. Book your General Admission ticket from $65 or upgrade to a Mate’s Rates or Club Lawn reserved table on the famous Flemington Front Lawn.