We’re leaving 2020 behind…
And hoping that all the crap that happened doesn’t follow us into the new year. We know, we know, it’s unlikely because there’s still a long road ahead but we can hope and dream and imagine a time when we can be out and about without the worry of another outbreak looming over our shoulders. Besides, we think we’re doing pretty well but to help us hope and dream and imagine the future, find here a list of things we’re looking forward to doing in 2021. (Featured image: @yongchuan)
1. The Trans-Tasman Travel Bubble
Okay, so this isn’t actually in Melbourne, but since we’ve spent the year here anyway, we do feel a little anxious not travelling.
It also feels like we’re being taunted with this possibility as at times it feels like a very real possibility, especially with our kiwi neighbours already being allowed into Australia without quarantine. We were told it would happen earlier in the year, then by Christmas, and now it’s some time in early 2021. But no matter when the trans-Tasman travel bubble actually happens, we’re for sure going to scratch that travel itch and return to Melbourne brimming with excitement.
2. Going to see Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Twenty years after its film premiere, Baz Luhrmann’s revolutionary film Moulin Rouge! returns to Australia in the form of a hit musical, which just a few months ago was honoured with 14 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical.
Slated to open in August 2021, the show’s first Australian performances are planned for Melbourne’s newly renovated Regent Theatre.
3. Visiting The NGV Triennial
The massive second installment of the NGV Triennial—the large-scale exhibition of international contemporary art, design and architecture—opened just last week and will continue to Sunday 18 April 2021. Featuring 86 works and projects by artists, designers and collectives from across the globe as well as Australia, including 34 never-before-seen, specially commissioned works, it is safe to say that the NGV International is amazing and we’re keen on going more than once.
4. Experiencing a Candlelight Concert
This summer sees Fever’s wildly popular Concerts by Candlelight series reach Australia for the first time. To kick off the Melbourne series, Fever has curated a run of three mesmerising nights of Tchaikovsky classics in one of Melbourne’s most stunning outdoor venues — Sun Kitchen at The Point, Albert Park Lake.
5. Check out the ArtVO Immersive Gallery Experience
ArtVo is an immersive art or ‘trick art’ gallery, the first of its kind in Australia. Visitors are encouraged to touch the art and become part of the art by taking photographs from designated points on the floors of the gallery to explore the nine-themed zones and over 80 hand-painted installations.
6. See live gigs every week
Melbourne has got quite the number of live-music venues. It’s one of the reasons why we love our city and not being able to go out and see gigs for the better part of this year really took its toll on us, let alone for those in the entertainment industry. Premier Dan Andrews has said that ”Victoria has always been the live music capital of Australia” and he intends it to remain that way with more grants being planned to further inject money into the industry and prevent Melbourne losing its world-class live-music scene.
7. Experiencing the Van Gogh Alive Exhibition
Van Gogh Alive has toured to 50 cities around the world and become the most visited multi-sensory art experience to date. In its wake, it has dispelled the traditional way of seeing art and brought to the world such an experience that envelopes the audience in sight, sound, and smell.
Slated to open in autumn 2021, Van Gogh Alive at The Lume will be a bigger offering than what’s currently on show in Sydney as its permanent home at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre has been specially designed and built to hold these incredible, state-of-the-art, digital exhibitions.
8. Go wine and gin tasting in the Yarra Valley
Be taken to three exclusive wineries in the Yarra Valley and explore the nuances of various wines and gins. Sounds like a great day out to us.
9. Get lost in this immersive playspace
Over at Docklands, an hour-long journey through light, sound, and scent has popped up to take Melburnians for a ride.
Titled Imaginaria, this immersive pop-up play space is the work of Loose Collective, a group of designers, architects, audiovisual artists and electronic producers, who have teamed up with electronic music artist Alex Albrecht to create a wonderland for the senses. And to be honest, we couldn’t be more excited about losing ourselves in what they have created.
Open from Thursday 26 November to Sunday 31 January at The District, Docklands, Imaginaria is fun for everyone.