Discover what’s on at Fed Square

Watch the Australian Open on the Big Screen, check out exclusive tennis-themed experiences – with a series of on-site activations throughout the tournament.
During the Australian Open, Fed Square is your gateway to the action down at Melbourne Park.
Alongside the screening of the AO on our Big Screen, you can explore various activations.
At New Balance at Fed Square, you can relax, listen to local DJ sets, grab a coffee and play lawn bowls with Australian cricketer Pat Cummins – or get your hair cut or nails done, inspired by the styles of tennis icons like Jordan Thompson and Coco Gauff.
There’s the AO Shop at Fed Square – a pop-up where you buy exclusive tennis-inspired art prints by local artists and shop for official AO merch.
If you’re on the way or coming back from Melbourne Park, check out the new KIA Tasman model on Birrarung Marr Walk.
Other pop-up activations include the World of Warcraft: Midnight House &amp; Lounge in the Upper Square, where you and your party can dress up and watch the tennis from the comfort of Azeroth (via Fed Square).
Don’t forget to check out our range of restaurants and bars, where you get some respite from the heat, and grab a cool drink and a bite to eat throughout the AO.

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Sport

Screen

Free

Summer of Tennis Live Site

Head down to the Main Square this summer to watch the Australian Open Grand Slam, live and free on the Big Screen. With live coverage of <a href="https://www.9now.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Channel 9</a>, visitors can relax on a deck chair and enjoy this festive, free public viewing zone in the heart of the city.
Qualifying: Monday 12 January 
Qualifying: Tuesday 13 January 
Qualifying: Wednesday 14 January 
Qualifying: Thursday 15 January
Adelaide International finals: Friday 16 January approx. 11am start time (schedule TBC) 
Adelaide International finals: Saturday 17 January approx. 11am start time (schedule TBC)
1st Round: Sunday 18 January 
1st Round: Monday 19 January 
1st Round: Tuesday 20 January 
2nd Round: Wednesday 21 January 
2nd Round: Thursday 22 January 
3rd Round: Friday 23 January 
3rd Round: Saturday 24 January 
4th Round: Sunday 25 January 
4th Round: Monday 26 January 
Quarter Finals: Tuesday 27 January 
Quarter Finals: Wednesday 28 January 
Women’s Semi Finals: Thursday 29 January 
Men’s Semi Final: Friday 30 January 
Women’s Final: Saturday 31 January 
Men’s Final: Sunday 1 February
With thanks to Channel 9
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Summer of Tennis on the Big Screen

Start your AO26 journey at the AO Shop at Fed Square.
The first serve of Australian Open 2026 begins early, with the AO Shop at Fed Square opening from 10 January, one week before the Happy Slam main draw officially kicks off.
Part store, part gallery and part hangout, the AO Shop at Fed Square is the ultimate pre-tournament destination, serving up official and exclusive Australian Open merchandise in the heart of Melbourne.
Open through to 1 February, the pop-up features extended trading hours from 9am to 7-10pm (depending on day), along with a convenient delivery service, allowing fans to shop before or after the tennis action – or have purchases delivered directly to their hotel or home.
Exclusive to the AO Shop at Fed Square is Fifteen Love, a free gallery exhibition curated by Eddie Zammit. The artist print series celebrates the Melbourne Happy Slam through the work of local creatives, with 15 limited-edition artworks available to purchase while stocks last.
Whether you’re heading to the courts or soaking up the city atmosphere, the AO Shop at Fed Square is a must-visit destination this summer.

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AO Shop at Fed Square

This summer, drop into New Balance at Fed Square – a pop-up playground that takes what makes Melbourne tick and mashes it together.
During the Australian Open, New Balance at Fed Square will be open for relaxed times, connections and a bit of tennis-inspired pampering.
Pop down to enjoy a coffee thanks to iconic Melbourne roasters, Supreme.
Meet Australian cricketer Pat Cummins as he tries another kind of bowling.
Have your nails done with designs inspired by American tennis star and nail flare icon Coco Gauff – or get a mullet, like Australian tennis player Jordan Thompson, thanks to the team at Brother Wolf Barbers.
Check out the schedule below to plan your visit.

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New Balance at Fed Square

Garage Band is back for the fourth year, to turn up the volume on Victoria’s next generation of musicians.
Fed Square team up with internationally acclaimed artist, JOF, to present the best emerging artists from across the state at a huge multi-stage event.
Garage Band aims to amplify the voices of Victoria’s next generation of musicians through a process of workshops and mentorship, culminating in a huge day of performances.
Celebrate music, community and the cheer on the rising stars of Victoria’s next wave of musicians, at Garage Band.
Garage Band is presented by Fed Square as part of Open Air at the Square.
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Applications open!
If your band is aged 21 and under, sign up for your chance to play at Melbourne&#8217;s biggest, free outdoor stage – Fed Square!
<a href="https://form.jotform.com/252803559057866" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Garage Band | Fed Square</a>

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Music

Garage Band 2026

Biiiig hair, big personalities, and a burst of Baltimore dance-show energy.
As wholesome as it is subversive, Hairspray (1988), brought iconoclast writer and director John Water&#8217;s signature trash aesthetic and surreal comic style to the big screen.
This love letter to anyone who dares to dream big and stand up to injustice is a landmark classic and essential Midsumma viewing, whether it’s your first, second, tenth or one-hundredth time. Featuring iconic performances by Ricki Lake, Sonny Bono, Debbie Harry, and of course the one-and-only, absolutely divine, Divine.
Set in 1962 Baltimore, the story follows Tracy Turnblad, a self-proclaimed &#8216;pleasantly plump&#8217; teen with big dreams of dancing on a local TV show. As she rises toward stardom, she takes a stand against racial segregation in her community. They may tease her hair, but as the film reminds us, &#8216;there’s no bugs on our baby&#8217;.
The impact of Hairspray has lasted for decades and remains deeply loved across communities. Ricki Lake changed cinema history by portraying a big girl as the hero. As John Waters noted<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rzCVi3O64U"> during an interview</a> for the film’s 35th anniversary, at the first auditions only a few big girls showed up. Four screen versions later, thousands auditioned for the role.
We return to Hairspray again and again because we all see a bit of ourselves in Tracy Turnblad.
Presented by Fed Square, Midsumma Festival and Melbourne Queer Film Festival

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Midsumma Movies: Hairspray

Celebrating the work of the Australian-born Paris-based fashion designer, this major new exhibition is the largest of Martin Grant’s career. Drawn from the NGV collection, including many works donated by the designer from his own personal archive as well as loans from his family and friends, Martin Grant encompasses more than four decades of the designer’s career. Beginning in the mid-1980s in Melbourne, the exhibition continues through the early 1990s when Grant re-established his eponymous label in Paris, and extends to his most recent collections.
Throughout his illustrious career, Martin Grant’s clients have included his muses Cate Blanchett and Lee Radziwill, as well as Naomi Campbell, Juliette Binoche, Rebel Wilson, and Lady Gaga. Conceived in close collaboration with the designer, the exhibition reflects Grant’s design sensibility and aesthetic through fashion, photography, sketches, press clippings and runway footage.
For more information visit: <a href="https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/martin-grant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/martin-grant/</a>

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Exhibitions

Martin Grant at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

Videogames. We love them, build them, live in them and play in them. These imagined worlds are real – and they’re coming to ACMI.
Game Worlds is the major new playable exhibition premiering this September.
Game Worlds transports you inside the levels of 30 unforgettable videogames, from global blockbusters like World of Warcraft (Blizzard Entertainment) to pioneer of the life simulation genre The Sims (Electronic Arts) and Neopets (World of Neopia), and a highly anticipated Australian title for 2025.
Play some of the world’s favourite games in ways you’ve never been able to before, with exclusive custom builds. Explore original design materials, concept art and iconic objects from across genres, including indie gems and Triple-A masterpieces.
Told through the lens of iconic videogames, Game Worlds charts technical and design innovation to uncover what makes these virtual worlds feel alive. It celebrates the communities, and friendships that flourish within these digital landscapes. Game Worlds shows how games evolve through player interaction and the unique creative partnership between designers and players.
To find out more and be the first to score tickets visit: <a href="https://www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/game-worlds/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/game-worlds/</a>
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Game Worlds at ACMI

The Koorie Heritage Trust is proud to present the 13th Koorie Art Show — a vibrant annual celebration of the talent, creativity and cultural strength of First Peoples artists across Victoria. This open-entry, non-acquisitive award exhibition showcases the extraordinary work of Victorian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists aged 17 years and over, offering a powerful snapshot of contemporary First Peoples art and storytelling.
Alongside this flagship exhibition, KHT are delighted to present 8th Koorie Art Show Young Mob, celebrating the emerging talent of our young creatives aged 5 to 16 years. Young Mob celebrates imagination, identity and cultural pride through the eyes of the next generation.
Together, these exhibitions honour the artistic excellence of First Peoples artists of all ages — from budding young makers to established practitioners.
Experience the diversity, innovation and cultural strength of First Peoples communities.
The Koorie Art Show is proudly supported by Creative Victoria, City of Melbourne, the Australian Government’s Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support program, the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body, RMIT University, Lendlease, Viva Energy Australia, ANZ Bank and Fed Square.
Image credit: Deanne Gilson (Wadawurrung)Porronggitj gupma Ngaramillibaa Bunyia Beenyakunder Barri-morrgal &#8211; The Brolga Dancing by the Eel Trap, Under the Moon, 2025 synthetic polymer paint, charcoal from Marlene Gilson’s fire, 23 karat gold, copper leaf, canvas. Photo by Christian Capurro, 2025

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The 13th Koorie Art Show at KHT

The Rigg Design Prize is Australia’s most prestigious accolade for contemporary design. Since its inception in 1994, this triennial prize exhibition has featured over one hundred designers across a range of disciplines, celebrating their creative achievements and providing a valuable platform for visibility, recognition and impact. For its landmark tenth edition in 2025, the $40,000 prize will be awarded to an early-career Australian design practice, drawing attention to the new generation of talent. Bringing together emerging designers, the exhibition spans ceramics, glass, furniture, woodwork, metalwork, textiles, lighting and contemporary jewellery, presenting ambitious works that reflect bold approaches to materiality, form and function.
Early-career practitioners play a crucial role in shaping Australia’s design ecosystem and culture. They bring bold ideas and fresh perspectives that challenge conventions and expand the possibilities of design and making. The Rigg Design Prize 2025 – Next in Design – recognises the energy, ingenuity and vision of emerging designers who are making important contributions to their fields.
For more information visit: <a href="https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/rigg-design-prize/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/rigg-design-prize/</a>
Image credit: Installation view o fRigg Design Prize 2025, on display 19 September 2025 to 1 February 2026 at The Ian Potter Centre: NGVAustralia. Photo: Madeleine Burke

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Rigg Design Prize 2025 at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

Making Good: Redesigning the Everyday explores how designers are reshaping the products and systems that shape our daily lives – transforming them into solutions that are better for people and the planet. From biodegradable packaging to sofas that embrace you, clothing that adapts as you grow, concrete made from coffee grounds, and air-purifying paints, the exhibition brings together innovations that reduce waste, extend product lifespans, and recalibrate the systems and sectors we interact with every day – from health to fashion and furniture, food and construction.
Through objects that are functional, beautiful, and environmentally conscious, Making Good showcases how design can drive positive change. Featured works demonstrate the power of material innovation, ethical production, and user-centred design to create products that are as thoughtful as they are practical. By prioritising longevity, social impact, and ecological responsibility, this exhibition focuses on the bright side of design today.
Making Good brings together the work of more than 50 contemporary designers, studios, and brands from Australia and abroad who are rethinking how we live, one object, system, and interaction at a time. Featuring new materials and prototypes alongside everyday products and design from the NGV Collection, Making Good offers a hopeful glimpse into how everyday design can positively shape our lives.
For more information visit: <a href="https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/making-good/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/making-good/</a>

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Making Good: Redesigning The Everyday at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

I ragazzi dei millefiori: the flow’rs of song and story is a new artwork exploring ideas of migration and the storied history of plants and colour.
In partnership with the Australian Tapestry Workshop, this spring we are unveiling a new textile installation by artist Sangeeta Sandrasegar working with natural dye expert Heather Thomas.
Suspended from the ceiling in the open space of the Atrium, the work comprises panels of silk organza and cotton coloured with plant dyes derived from Indian madder root, eucalyptus leaves, and weld and marigold flowers, among others.
Within the fabric, details will appear, including botanical illustrations referencing a 16th century Italian tapestry, the Millefiori Tapestry of Pistoia, and archival imagery of flower sellers at this site, on Princes Bridge in the early 1900s.
The artwork explores themes of migration and cultural identity through a myriad of ideas – the histories of the production of colour through plant material, the representation of gardens and plants in classical tapestries, the craftsmanship behind textiles, and the story of young immigrants newly arrived from Italy selling flowers in market stalls.
Bringing together these threads, Sangeeta’s work explores the ways in which we have related to flowers and plants throughout history, and how cultural connection is embedded in stories of plants within narratives of migration, hybridity and identity.

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Installation

Sangeeta Sandrasegar Atrium Commission

The Test Garden is a window into <a href="https://artsprecinct.melbourne/laak-boorndap/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Laak Boorndap</a>, the new 18,000 square metre urban garden being delivered as part of the <a href="https://artsprecinct.melbourne/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation Project</a>.
A densely planted, multi-layered, and continuously flowering space for people, art and performance, Laak Boorndap will be at the centre of the Melbourne Arts Precinct and will create more space for nature in our city. Along with our landscape architects and horticulturalists Hassell, Super Bloom, James Hitchmough and Nigel Dunnett, we have partnered with University of Melbourne to place experimentation and research at the heart of this project through rigorous scientific testing at the horticulture campus in Burnley.
Our new pop-up Test Garden demonstrates the naturalistic planting style of Laak Boorndap and provides a test bed for programming, research and conversations about climate change, biodiversity and ecology. Throughout the year, come and visit this garden to watch it grow and bloom with the seasons, take part in public programs and workshops, and find out more about our research insights into climate resilience and biodiversity preservation.
Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/laak.boorndap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@laak.boorndap</a> for regular updates on programming and plants in season.

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Test Garden

What's On

Discover restaurants, bars and cafes serving up Melbourne&#8217;s best breakfast, coffee, lunch, drinks or dinner for any occasion and budget.

Discover All

Eat + Drink

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Transport Public Bar

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Chocolate Buddha

NGV Cafe offers breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea

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NGV Cafe

Bringing the world’s great beers together with exciting locals from Australian craft breweries.

Good Beer Week and Beer DeLuxe, Fed Square

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Beer Deluxe

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Taxi Kitchen

Your late-night haunt for smooth jazz and classy cocktails

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Transit Rooftop Bar

Visit some of Australia's most significant cultural attractions, including ACMI, the Koorie Heritage Trust and The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia. 

Your museum of screen culture. Navigate the universe of film, TV, videogames and art.

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ACMI

Discover the history of Aboriginal Victoria and South-East Australia

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KHT In Conversation

Koorie Heritage Trust

The world’s first major gallery dedicated exclusively to Australian art.

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The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

Museums + Galleries

The Knot

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RESET-homepage-slider-2025

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Under 21 bands: Garage Band applications now open

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MicrosoftTeams-image (15)

Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio

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MESS has opened at Fed Square

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<h5>Presented by Fed Square and supported by City of Melbourne and ABC Radio Melbourne.</h5>
Be part of a record-breaking moment at Fed Square!
As the city starts to rock and roll with AC/DC mania – Fed Square is calling all pipers across Victoria to come together on Wednesday 12 November to help smash the world record for the largest ever bagpipe ensemble!
Pipers will be able to pay homage to AC/DC’s iconic “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)” music video – in a truly one-of-a-kind performance. Filmed on Swanston Street in 1976 for the ABC’s Countdown, it featured the band with late singer Bon Scott playing alongside three members of Melbourne’s own Rats of Tobruk Pipe Band &#8211; and went on to be an internationally iconic song and music video, with the bagpipe at the heart of its success.
Now, to create another memorable music moment, Fed Square is seeking 350 keen pipers to gather together and play the bagpipes en masse in melodious (or comedic) harmony.
What’s the challenge? The current world record is 333 pipers (Sofia, Bulgaria 2012) – and we know Melbourne can do it better!
All pipers, young and old, eager to be part of this unforgettable moment should register to download the sheet music and get practicing, to claim their place in history. You don’t need to be in a band to join in. Be it school bands, individuals or piping groups – we want you! So warm up the pipes, wear a kilt, school uniform or skinny jeans and get ready to make some noise.
<a href="https://fedsquare.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/long-way-to-the-top-bagpipe-sheet-music.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Download the pipe sheet music here</a>. For anyone registered it will be emailed to you as well.
Schedule for the afternoon
4.30pm: Arrival 
4.35pm: Tune bagpipes to 480Hz 
4.50pm: Practice 1 
5pm: Practice 2 
5.05pm: Ready 
5.10pm: Performance (live on ABC radio) 
5.15pm: Finish

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The Great Melbourne Bagpipe Bash

The Main Square

Main Square

Moodymann will bring the spirit and sound of Detroit to the Square, with his unmistakable blend of funk and soul-infused deep house.
Performing at Coachella in 2018, Moodymann is a legendary Detroit DJ and producer renowned for straddling the commercial and independent scenes. Moodymann emerged as a revolutionary sound in Black-centric house and techno in the 90s, starting his own labels and centring live samples and Black sounds, from hip-hop, jazz, soul and funk.
Sharing the stage is Melbourne’s own DJ Jnett, a selector, tastemaker and cultural icon whose sets have defined the sound of the city for more than two decades. Known for her impeccable ear and ability to move seamlessly through genres, Jnett will set the pace with a journey through deep grooves, hypnotic rhythms and pure dancefloor magic.
Get ready to experience the sounds of these two legends – one global, one local – for a celebration of the Detroit sound and the dancefloor.
It’s all-ages and completely free.
Official Media Partners
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Moodymann + DJ Jnett

Festival

The Square will come alive with colour, music and tradition for Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) – one of Mexico’s most cherished celebrations.
This free, family-friendly event invites everyone to experience the beauty of Mexican culture and the deep meaning behind a tradition that honours loved ones who have passed, while celebrating the joy of life.
The Square will transform into a feast for the senses, featuring a stunning Ofrenda (altar) display adorned with marigolds, candles and photographs. Visitors can explore a vibrant market area with authentic crafts, traditional pan de muerto, and fun activities for children, including face painting.
From 12pm to 9pm, Bar Patrón will be serving up refreshing margaritas, while a selection of food trucks will be offering delicious Mexican flavours all day long – the perfect way to enjoy a true fiesta atmosphere.
The celebration continues with live performances on the main stage from Mexbourne, Los Románticos, and Trago Amargo, filling the afternoon with energy, rhythm, and the unmistakable spirit of Mexico.
A colourful highlight will be the third edition of the Caminata de Catrinas (Catrina Walk) – a lively parade of elegant skeletons making their way from the State Library of Victoria at 2pm to Fed Square. Everyone is encouraged to come dressed in their most creative Catrina outfits – there will be prizes for the best costumes!
All are welcome to join in this important and beautiful cultural celebration of life, love and remembrance.
The Día de Muertos celebration and Catrina Walk is presented by the Mexican Association of Victoria (MexVic), supported by Fed Square.

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Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration and Catrina Walk

Celebrate New Year&#8217;s Eve in the heart of the city, with a curated line-up of some of Melbourne&#8217;s most exciting DJs on the Main Stage, or book in an all-inclusive drinks and entertainment experience at one of our bars or restaurants. 
If you’re planning on celebrating New Year’s Eve at Fed Square, there are a range of options for you to help you celebrate your way, safely.
Out in the Main Square, you can enjoy free entertainment, curated by returning DJ favourite, Barry Sunset. Barry will kick off and close the night on the decks, with a line-up featuring other legendary Melbourne DJs, MzRizk and Gavin Campbell.
Many of our restaurants and bars offer all-inclusive drinks and dining packages for a stress-free option to celebrate, many with a front row ticket to the fireworks.
Expect disco, funk, house and dancefloor classic throughout the night, as the soundtrack to your 2026 countdown.
Be sure to check the City of Melbourne’s website on news and updates about crowd control measures that will be in place during New Year’s Eve. The night is always a busy one in the city, and there are a number of alternative Celebration Zones located in the CBD, where you can guarantee a good view of the fireworks. There will also be a number of road closures throughout the evening, <a href="https://fedsquare.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/CoM-2058-NYE2025-Road-Closures-D6.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">please download this map to view them.</a>
Fireworks Displays 
Early evening: 9.28pm–9.35pm 
Midnight: 12am–12.08am
Stay safe and celebrate!

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New Year's Eve

Community

Thrive: Multicultural Women’s Festival is a vibrant, free community celebration honouring the strength, creativity, and diversity of women from all cultural backgrounds.
The festival brings together music, dance, fashion, workshops, and storytelling in an inspiring full-day program. Now in its inaugural year, Thrive offers something for everyone.
On the main stage, audiences will enjoy an exciting line-up of performances, including traditional and contemporary music and dance from across the globe, live bands, spoken word poetry, and a spectacular fashion showcase featuring multicultural designers and models. The day begins with a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony, paying respect to the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of the Kulin Nation.
In the Boardroom, festivalgoers can take part in a series of practical and empowering workshops covering key topics such as financial literacy, youth leadership, legal rights, and health, with sessions on menopause, breast screening, and mental wellbeing facilitated by respected community organisations and experts.
Thrive is more than a festival – it’s a platform for connection. The event highlights the voices and contributions of women who too often go unheard, while creating opportunities for learning, cultural exchange, and solidarity. With an expected attendance of thousands, the festival aims to break down barriers, spark dialogue, and foster an inclusive environment where women from all walks of life can come together.
For more details visit: <a href="https://thrivewomensfestival.com/">https://thrivewomensfestival.com/</a>
Hosted by Back Cover Media Pty Ltd, Thrive is proudly supported by the Victorian Government and a range of community partners.
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Thrive: Multicultural Women's Festival

Talk

Workshop

Our monthly open day held in the Test Garden, designed for garden and plant lovers.
Each month, we hold a small in-conversation event focused on gardening and garden design, followed by a hands-on workshop.
You can hear from gardeners, designers and horticulturalists about the garden’s naturalistic planting style and learn about the new flowers in bloom. We also invite writers and creatives to share their experience of plants and gardens with us.
The talk is followed by a hands-on workshop demonstrating artist-led practice with plants, such as cyanotype and botanical printing, and practical workshops, including propagation techniques and planting for your own garden.
You can choose to register for one or both sessions, although numbers are limited.
Event details 
These events will be held outdoors in the Test Garden at Fed Square. Please bring a hat and water bottle; all other materials will be provided.

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Test Garden Open Day - November

Edge Terrace

Experience the vibrant heartbeat of Africa at the African Music and Cultural Festival (AMCF), a three-day celebration of culture, music, food, fashion, art and community.
The three-day showcase will include:
DAY ONE: Friday 21 November 
Kick off the weekend with an outdoor cinema vibe featuring African-Australian short films, live jazz, spoken word and great food. A perfect after-work experience.
DAY TWO: Saturday 22 November 
Dive into 12 hours of non-stop live entertainment, showcasing cultural band performances, music, dance, fashion and arts. Shop at a variety of market stalls selling African wares. Join the drop-in free drumming lessons, for adults and children alike, and enjoy authentic mouth-watering African street food.
DAY THREE: Sunday 23 November 
A continuation of day two featuring 10 hours of non-stop entertainment plus a forum on a topical African-Australian issue.
AMCF is Victoria’s biggest celebration of African culture, and it’s free! Join in celebrating unity, diversity and joy through African music, art, food and community.
For more information visit: <a href="http://africanmusicfestival.com.au/">http://africanmusicfestival.com.au/</a>

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African Music and Cultural Festival 2025

Birrarung Marr Walk (formerly River Terrace)

Acclaimed Theremin musician Miles Brown in conversation with artistic director of MESS (Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio), Robin Fox.
Of all electronic musical instruments, the theremin still captures the imagination like no other. MESS houses perhaps one of the last theremins built by Theremin himself in New York circa 1933-4. The origins of the instrument date further back to the late 19th century and have a peculiar connection to the race to develop television. Early versions were almost adopted by Lenin as intruder detection systems for the Kremlin.
Few have become truly brilliant players of the instrument, which, despite Theremin’s dreams of an instrument anyone can play, is fiendishly difficult to master. In Melbourne/Naarm we are lucky to have in our midst one of those very few. Miles Brown – a legendary figure in this city – studied with Russian theremin virtuoso Lydia Kavina, a direct relative of Theremin himself, and joins MESS in conversation to discuss everything from science fiction sounds, horror scores to the history of the theremin and, of course, his own musical journey with the instrument.
Presented by MESS and Fed Square.

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THEREMIN: MESS in Conversation with Miles Brown

The Edge

The Atrium

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What's On Acmi

The latest and greatest of what to do at ACMI. 
Browse our listings to see what’s on at ACMI – and if you’ve got any questions, ask away through our Chatbot!

Jump outta the lounge room and into FAM JAM – an intergenerational dress-up dance jam for kids and older people, where you can create your own awesome videoclip. 
FAM JAM is a moving joy ride for children and older people.
Book time in the FAM JAM Studio to create your own special videoclip and come and celebrate at the all-in FAM JAM Dance Party in the Main Square, where you can see your videoclip on the Big Screen!
Inspired by ABC’s Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds, You Can’t Ask That and the playful imagination of French filmmaker Michel Gondry, FAM JAM celebrates movement, connection and creativity across generations.
No dance experience needed – just curiosity and a dancing buddy!

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FAM JAM by All The Queens Men

Experience Hitchcock’s 1960 masterpiece Psycho this Halloween on the Big Screen, as we present a special outdoor cinema screening to celebrate the film’s 65th anniversary.
This year marks the 65th anniversary of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho – a film that shattered cinematic conventions and remains one of the most unsettling thrillers ever made.
Janet Leigh, in her Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated role as Marion Crane, gave a performance etched into film history, her fate at the Bates Motel redefining audience and critics’ expectations of what was possible on screen.
Bernard Herrmann’s shrieking strings transformed a simple shower into one of the most terrifying scenes in film history, while stark black-and-white imagery amplifies the sense of dread.
Psycho has been preserved in the U.S. National Film Registry and ranked by the AFI as the most thrilling American film of all time.
On Halloween night, the Square will become the setting for this landmark in screen history – the cool night air and shifting shadows the perfect backdrop for a spine-tingling foray into Noir-inspired horror.
Rug up, BYO picnic blanket and invite other classic cinema and horror-loving friends to celebrate this filmic milestone.
Dir: Alfred Hitcock | 1960 | M: mature themes and violence

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Halloween Cinema: Psycho

The latest and greatest of what to do at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia. 
Browse our listings to see what’s on at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia – and if you’ve got any questions, ask away through our Chatbot!

Atrium Precinct

Connie Hart: One Stitch at a Time, is the first major solo retrospective exhibition to be held by the KHT, dedicated to the fibre-works of the late esteemed Gunditjmara Elder and master weaver, Aunty Connie Hart (1917–1993).
This landmark exhibition showcases over fifty works created by Aunty Connie during the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s, many of which are held in the KHT’s unique collection of Victorian and South East Australian art and cultural belongings. It also includes significant works on loan from the National Gallery of Australia and Museums Victoria.
One Stitch at a Time honours the powerful cultural and artistic legacy of Aunty Connie’s weaving practice. Her fibre-art speak to the survival and continuity of weaving as a vital First Peoples cultural practice in South East Australia, one that resonates nationally and bridges cultural and language groups throughout Australia.
Connie Hart: One Stitch at a Time is presented as part of the KHT’s 40th birthday celebrations. A full colour catalogue will be available for purchase.
For more information visit: <a href="https://kht.org.au/whats-on/exhibitions/connie-hart/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://kht.org.au/whats-on/exhibitions/connie-hart/</a>
Image credit: Connie Hart (Gunditjmara), Eel Trap, c 1988. Natural fibre. Collection of KHT.

connie-hart-kht

Connie Hart: One Stitch at a Time at KHT

What's On KHT

The latest and greatest of what to do at Koorie Heritage Trust (KHT). 
Browse our listings to see what’s on at KHT – and if you’ve got any questions, ask away through our Chatbot!

Upper Square

Koorie Heritage Trust (KHT)

<h2>ACMI&#8217;s centrepiece exhibition</h2>
Journey through the past, present and future of the moving image through interactive experiences, digital innovation and captivating stories.
From the first projections and optical illusions to the birth of film and beyond, moving images have the power to spark imagination, share stories and shape history. Discover how inventors, innovators and artists at the turn of the 20th century wielded light, split time and captured motion, heralding a technological revolution that continues today.
Featuring ancient shadow puppets, Victorian-era magic lanterns, original cameras, iconic costumes, movie sets, sketches, clips and contemporary art, The Story of the Moving Image traverses time, countries and cultures in a mesmerising exploration of an art form that changed the world and illuminated our collective humanity.
Five distinct sections frame the major moments in moving image history, including the origins and future of cinema, production design and the creative process, Australian culture and stories, the rise of videogames, and how screens inform, influence and empower us.
These stages come to life through <a href="https://www.acmi.net.au/interactive-experiences-at-acmi/">interactive experiences</a> that let you animate shadows, craft optical toys, experiment with time, assemble film scenes and create soundscapes in a custom Foley studio.
These moments can be collected with the <a href="https://www.acmi.net.au/lens/">Lens</a>, a free tool that collects your favourite objects, artworks and creations in the exhibition. It also animates the Constellation, connecting what you collected to the cosmos of screen content outside ACMI.