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Festivals

Victoria is home to many festivals covering themes such as theatre, comedy, music, literature and multiculturalism.

Festivals in Melbourne

Melbourne International Jazz Festival - www.melbournejazz.com

Held during May at venues all over the city, it incorporates the best of local home-grown talent but also attracts some of the world's greatest jazz musicians. As well as the headliners, there are plenty of free events and child friendly shows.

Melbourne International Arts Festival - www.melbournefestival.com.au

One of the country's premier arts festivals, it is held during October and encompasses dance, theatre, music, visual arts, and multimedia from both Australian and International artists and organisations.

Melbourne International Comedy Festival - www.comedyfestival.com.au

April sees the world-renowned Melbourne International Comedy Festival take centre stage. Next to the Edinburgh Fringe, and Montreal's "Just for Laughs" festival, Melbourne's is the biggest comedy festival in the world. It incorporates a plethora of stand up comedians, theatre and cabaret shows, family friendly acts, and more.

Festival of Choirs - www.festivalofchoirs.com.au

Hundreds of singers, conductors and accompanists are brought together to share the joys of music amongst each other. Audiences are treated to a range of performances at iconic Melbourne venues.

Melbourne Fringe Festival - www.melbournefringe.com.au

The Melbourne Fringe Festival runs from the end of September into October and has been around since 1982. It encompasses performances by independent artists, both emerging and established. Work presented is often original, provocative and imaginative, and ranges from theatre, to comedy, dance, music, cabaret, circus and visual arts. The festival is held across various venues around the city.

St Kilda Busking Festival - www.stkildabuskingfestival.com.au

There's colourful, hilarious and even bizarre live entertainment for the whole family on the streets of St Kilda during this festival. Held on most Sundays between February and May, St Kilda lives up to its reputation as being the artistic centre for performers and entertainers.

Multicultural Arts Victoria promote a range of artistically and culturally diverse shows, exhibitions, performance works, music and dance festivals throughout the year in Melbourne. There is always something interesting and unique to see, or listen to, and often events are free or inexpensive.

Festivals in regional areas of Victoria

The Mornington Peninsula, a short distance south of Melbourne, hosts the annual Peninsula Summer Music Festival. Enjoy music performed by an array of Australian and international artists, with some of the concerts held in the region's famed wineries and restaurants.

The historic township of Clunes hosts Back to Booktown - an annual book festival. It is the biggest collection of rare, vintage, and second-hand books in Australia, and booksellers from all over congregate at this event. It runs in May and features many free public talks, writing courses, gala dinners, exhibitions and book valuations. Great fun for fans of literature.

The Macedon Ranges north of Melbourne is an area known for its many festivals. Towards the end of October, Hepburn Springs is host to the Swiss-Italian Festa which began in 1993 as a community event celebrating the area's Swiss and Italian immigrant heritage. The festival encompasses performances, open gardens, food and wine, music, art and open studios. In nearby Woodend, the Woodend Winter Arts Festival is held in June and encompasses literature, music and visual arts. It is a very eclectic program and offers a huge variety of both entertainment and workshops. Pottery, poetry slams, cartooning, Japanese drumming, jazz, Chopin, medieval chanting are just a few of the offerings.

Port Fairy holds the Moyneyana Festival over summer, which focuses on free entertainment for all. It includes music festivals and a wide variety of activities. There is also the Port Fairy Folk Festival that is held in March, which includes a huge array of talented musicians.

On the Great Ocean Road, Anglesea is the venue of the One-Act Play Festival where entrants from all over the state act out plays of various genres. Further along the coast at Apollo Bay, the summer Apollo Bay Music Festival is held which attracts a number of high profile Australian artists. At nearby Lorne, the famous Falls Festival offers a music and art lover's getaway at the end of December, surrounded by a beautiful rainforest. There are many more arts and music festivals held at venues along the Great Ocean Road throughout the year, enabling visitors to not only to see amazing natural attractions, but also to enjoy the arts and cultural scene.