The most amazing things to do in Melbourne this August

Celebrate the 74th anniversary of the Melbourne International Film Festival this August. Look forward to a massive line-up of over 300 films, with features, shorts, special events and more. The festival will run from August 6 to 23.

Steel Magnolias is now running at the Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne until August 16 – which means you should absolutely secure tickets while you still can! This is a gorgeous story about female strength and friendship, set in the beauty salon in a small Southern town where local women gather. When tragedy strikes, it is within the beauty salon that this group finds strength, comfort, and support. Don’t miss out, buy your tickets now!

Now or Never is coming back to Melbourne this August. Look forward to a massive program of over 150 free and ticketed events, with live performances, stunning installations and more. This festival will run from Wednesday, August 19 to Sunday, August 30.

Hear four of Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous stories leap off the page and onto the stage. Pair the different tales with four themed cocktails or mocktails. Find the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy on 75 Reid St in Fitzroy North. Get your tickets here.

Dive into the world of rare and collectable books at the beloved annual event, Melbourne Rare Book Week. This year, there’s 40 free events to look forward to, with exhibitions, a book fair, talks, tours and more. It’s all happening from Thursday, July 23 to Saturday, August 1. See the program here.

Pop inside State Library Victoria and see Australia’s largest rare book exhibition, World of the Book. Back for its 21st year, this exhibition at State Library Victoria features over 400 rare and historically significant items. This exhibition is also the Library’s largest ever tribute to women writers, with works from Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, the Brontë sisters and more. It’s free to attend.

Teenagers are invited to a night of dancing, activities, karaoke and after-hours exhibition access at the NGV Teens: Art Party. This event will take place on Saturday August 1, from 6pm to 9pm. See more here.

Find over 20,000 new and used records from vinyl dealers at Melbourne Record Fair. There will be vinyl DJs spinning tunes, as well as food and drink to try. It’s on from 9am to 4pm at Queen Vic Market on Sunday August 2.

The gorgeous, after-dark experience, Lightscape, is coming back to the Royal Botanic Gardens for a fifth season. Wander through the green heart of Melbourne and feel enchanted by 15 new and returning installations. Lightscape will illuminate Melbourne from now until Sunday, August 2.

The candlelit performances have taken place at venues like The Athenaeum and The Astor Theatre as well as at The Timber Yard, the Meat Market and Fed Square. With more venues being added to the growing list, there’s a Candlelight concert around every corner.

Candlelight concerts in August include the best of Ennio Morricone, a tribute to The Beatles and more. See what’s on here.

Find about 20 vendors at Queensbridge Square in Southbank, cooking up authentic Malaysian dishes. The Malaysian Night Market is on from 3pm to 10pm on weekends, from now until Sunday, August 9.

If you’ve ever wanted to wander through a dreamscape made of shimmering bubbles and glowing colours, here’s your moment: Bubble Planet is drifting into Melbourne. This immersive, multi-sensory experience invites you to explore 10 playful, interactive environments designed to awaken your senses and bring out your inner child. Find it at the Fever Exhibition and Experience Centre in Brunswick. Get your tickets here.

Head over to Queen Victoria Market and warm up with roaring fires, toasty street food, cosy drinks and blazing entertainment. Winter Night Market will run on Wednesday nights from 5pm to 10pm, now until August 26.

Visit Queen Victoria Market and celebrate Latin American culture at Cachivaches Latin Market. Find heaps of delicious Latin American food and drinks, including street food, desserts and tropical drinks, as well as vibrant music and art. It’s on from 9am to 4pm on Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16.

The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne is back for its 17th edition. Look forward to screenings, a dance competition, family-friendly celebrations and more. The festival is on from August 13 to 23. Learn more here.

National Science Week is on from August 15 to 23. To celebrate, Museums Victoria has a program of events at Melbourne Museum and Scienceworks, with exhibitions, activities, talks and more. Find out what’s on the program here. See what else is happening around Melbourne here.

Artists, scientists and collaborators from around the world will explore how we adapt to a world burdened by ecological collapse, technological accelartion and social upheaval in the EMERGENCE[Y] exhibition at Melbourne Science Gallery. It’s on display from now until December 5. See more here.

Take an intimate look at the human body in the thought-provoking exhibition, BODY WORLDS: The Anatomy of Happiness. Witness real human specimens, frozen in time, and learn how emotions can change the body from the inside out. Find it at The District Docklands. Get your tickets here.

This virtual reality adventure was created in collaboration with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Stand on the edge of black holes, see a supernova, explore an exoplanet and much more. Smithsonian Starstruck is now showing at 206 Bourke Street in Melbourne.

See original statues, mosaics, frescos and more at the Melbourne-exclusive exhibition, Rome: Empire, Power, People. Learn all about the spectacle, rise, rule and legacy of this powerful civilisation. The exhibition is now on display at Melbourne Museum. While you’re there, don’t forget to check out the extended program, like a Brunetti Classico pop-up or art classes.

Escape This is coming to Melbourne, and bringing three different experiences for you to try. Will you attend Magic University, embark on a Pirate adventure or scare yourself in a haunted house? These escape rooms will open on Collins Street on August 14. Get your tickets here.

Wander over to CERES in Brunswick and browse through the market stalls, then stick around for mulled wine by the fire, live music and a seasonal winter menu from the Merri Cafe. This winter market is on from 12pm to 6pm on August 1 and 15.

Nearly 400 sparkling jewels, tiaras, necklaces, brooches and more are sparkling at NGV. Coming exclusively to Melbourne from London’s Victoria & Albert Museum, the Cartier exhibition features glittering pieces worn by Elizabeth Taylor, Rihanna, Princess Margaret, Dame Nellie Melba and more. It also showcases plenty of stunning jewels and objects that have never been seen in Australia before. Find it at NGV International from now until October 4.

The popular NGV Friday Nights is back in celebration of the Cartier exhibition. Explore the exhibition after hours, then stick around for live music, food and drinks. The festivities will take place every Friday night from now until October 2.

Gelato Messina has teamed up with cult UK brand, GET BAKED, to bring two delicious chocolate cakes to Australia. Both of them are stacked with 24 layers of cake and ganache. Pre-orders open at 12pm on Monday, August 10, with pick-up available from stores between August 14 and 16.

After dazzling us in 2024, the six queens are coming back to Melbourne. This Tony Award-winning musical takes the six wives of Henry VIII, and transforms them into pop sensations. See SIX the Musical at the Comedy Theatre from July 24 to October 4.

A blanket of bright daffodils will take over the Piazza at Rialto in support of Cancer Council’s annual Daffodil Day. Admire the flowers and buy a bunch of daffodils, which will go towards funding cancer research. This event will take place on Wednesday, August 19 and Thursday, August 20. More info here.

The vibrant Italian Day Festival is coming back to Preston Market. While details are scarce at the moment, past events have included pop-up food stalls, live performances and dancing. It’s all happening on Sunday, August 23.

Watch as talented ballet dancers bring your favourite stories to life, while performing in glowing costumes. Find Ballet of Lights at the Capitol Theatre. See what’s playing here.

Challenge yourself and your teammates to escape Prison Island. Instead of breaking out from a single room, you’ll take on a series of tasks in multiple cells and race against the clock. Find it at The District Docklands. Grab your tickets here.

In this immersive audio experience, you’re invited to take a seat, pick up a vintage telephone and operate a switchboard. Listen to a curated collection of real voice messages, recorded by Melburnians between midnight and 6am. The Nightline will play at Malthouse Theatre from August 13 to 29.

Based on the beloved rom-com starring Julia Roberts, Pretty Woman: The Musical is playing in Melbourne. Go back to Hollywood in the ’80s, when Vivian met Edward and her life changed forever. Find it at the Regent Theatre. Learn more here.

Along the concourse of Marvel Stadium, you’ll see your favourite characters honoured with a plaque on the Walk of Legends. A new group of characters will be revealed every two weeks throughout July and August, ending at the Four’N Twenty Legends Game for Prostate Cancer on Thursday, August 27.

For the month of August, OpenTable is running a series of special dining events, such as one-night-only collaborations. They’ve also got some exclusive menus for you to try, at venues like Spaghetti Club and Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters. See what’s happening here.

Discover something wonderful from over 70 galleries around Australia and beyond at Affordable Art Fair. After a successful debut in 2019, this art fair is returning to Melbourne and setting up shop at Royal Exhibition Building. All art will be available for purchase, priced between $100 and $10,000. Check it out from August 27 to 30. Learn more here.

You’ve been called for jury duty. In this live theatre courtroom drama, you’ll listen to the case and decide who is guilty or not guilty. There’s a few different sessions around Melbourne of The Jury Experience for you to try.

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is bringing the thrilling score of How to Train Your Dragon 2 to life. Listen to it live as the movie unfolds in Hamer Hall from August 27 to 30.

You’ll be on the edge of your seat throughout your time at 123Boom!, an immersive puzzle adventure where you and your team are tasked with diffusing a ‘bomb’ to save the day. To do so, you’ll require teamwork, skill, and problem-solving, all racing against the clock as the story advances and the seconds tick down. It’s open now, and you can find your tickets here.

Find all sorts of treasures, from vintage fashion to handmade crafts, at Camberwell Sunday Market. It’s on every week, and they’re celebrating 50 years on Sunday, August 30 with live entertainment, kids’ activities, special guests and a celebration of the market’s legacy.

In The Vinyl Factory: Reverb, you’ll explore the influence of vinyl culture and music on art, fashion, film and social movements. This exhibition at ACMI showcases The Vinyl Factory Collection and takes a deep dive into different eras of music. Expect a deep listening room, interactive moments, large-scale installations and more. It’s on from now until Monday, August 31.

Listen to talented musicians bring your favourite jazz songs to life in The Jazz Room. Grab a drink, soak in the tunes, and feel amazed by spontaneous solos and improv. There’s a few sessions happening around Melbourne for you to enjoy. Get your tickets here.

Escape to chocolateries in the Yarra Valley, Great Ocean Road or Mornington Peninsula to try a rotating line-up of limited-edition hot chocolate across the whole month of August. There will also be tasting sessions where you can make your own personalised flavour to take home.

A makers market and arts festival is taking over the historic Barwon Park Mansion. Find up to 120 Victorian artists, designers and makers in the market, as well as exhibitions and installations. Manor Made Arts Festival will take place on Saturday, August 1 from 10am to 4pm.

The blockbuster exhibition Discovering the Impressionists: Paul Durand-Ruel, art dealer among the artists is now showing at Geelong Gallery. See over 70 paintings from two generations of Impressionist artists, including Monet, Renoir, Berthe Morisot and Camille Pissarro. Many of them have come from private collections in France, and have never been seen before in Australia. Stretching across five galleries, this exhibition will look at the legacy of Paul Durand-Ruel, the first art dealer who supported the Impressionist artists. This exhibition will run from now until October 11.

Adventure Park has brought back their dazzling Winter Glow experience. Escape to their delightful winter wonderland, and frolic in the snow, go on the rides, see ice sculpting displays, get a makeover in the Enchanted Snow Salon and more. This event is on from now until August 29. Find out more.

Head to Healesville Sanctuary for their winter event, Wine & Wildlife. Sample tasty drop from 19 local wineries, breweries and distilleries. Then, warm up by the fire, look at the animals and listen to live acoustic music. Check it out on Saturday, August 29 and Sunday, August 30.

Journey up north to Rutherglen for their winter festival, the Dark Side of Wine. This festival will light up the region for ten days with roaring fires, stargazing, murder mysteries and plenty of flowing wine. It’s all happening from August 7 to 16. 

Escape to Daylesford and Hepburn Springs for the Words in Winter Festival. Look forward to author conversations, storytelling, workshops, performances and more cool experiences. Check it out from August 26 to 30. See more here.

This August, 30 sweet and savoury pies from restaurants and cafés will compete for the title of Ballarat’s Best Pie. Awards will be given out on August 1, but you can try the pies for yourself from August 1 to 31. You can also cast your vote for People’s Choice, which will be announced in September. Find more info here.

Take a day trip to the Heathcote region and wander through the fields at Shiraz Republic and Cornella Brewery. They’ve created a Cornella Canola Walk, a special track and viewing platform set within their 100 acre fields. The walk will open to the public on Friday, July 24, and run until Sunday, September 27.

Love a good beer? Indie brewers are taking over this regional city for Bendigo on the Hop. Head to pubs, cafes, restaurants and more around town to sip your way through some tasty brews. This event will take place on Saturday August 29 from 11am to 6pm. Learn more here.

The beautiful town of Bright is lighting up for the season with the Bright Winter Festival. Walk beneath falling snow and twinkling lights, warm up with roaring fires and mulled wine, dance at a winter ball and more! The festival will run from Friday, July 24 to Saturday, August 1.

Hop aboard a historic train in Walhalla, and go for a ride under the stars across trestle bridges and down gorges. The Walhalla Winter Light Trains will depart at 7pm each Saturday night in August. Bookings are essential.

Snow season is here! Discover the amazing alpine regions of Victoria, hit the slopes, build a snowman and more. Find out where to see snow in Victoria here.