Discover what’s on at Fed Square

Zoom Zoom! The annual King of Kart Tournament is back this Games Week in its biggest format ever. Compete against the best of the best in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the chance to win some epic prizes.
This action-packed mainstay of MIGW is back, bigger and better than ever – with double the number of competitors, and maximum thrills.
The supersized 64-competitor tournament is set to showcase the ultimate racing skills of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe gamer elite, as fans and friends watch the action play out on the big screens throughout The Edge.
These hopefuls will vie for the coveted title of King of Kart Champion and awesome podium and spot prizes, including the major prize: a brand-new Switch 2 Console, controller and a generous JB Hi-Fi voucher.
Registration for the tournament is absolutely free, so don’t miss your chance to participate in this exhilarating competition – registrations are now open.
If you’re not competing, there’s plenty of action and excitement for spectators as well. Enjoy retro gaming nostalgia in the upper foyer of The Edge, with classic arcade games like Pong and Donkey Kong. Bring your mates, dates, relates and your gamer possie, to enjoy the tournament vibe (and cheer you on, if you&#8217;re competing!).
The tournament is on all evening, so you can always pop out to have a drink or a bite nearby in between rounds – Good Nature Hotel is just outside in the Atrium, and we have lots of great <a href="/eat-drink/">restaurants and bars</a> onsite to keep your crew well fed.
Doors open from 1pm for the free retro gaming arcade and the tournament begins at 5pm.
Mark your diary, sign up, and we&#8217;ll see you at King of Kart!
This event is not affiliated with or sponsored by Nintendo or its licensors.

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Kids + Families

Free

King of Kart Tournament

This Melbourne International Games Week (MIGW), our outdoor cinema program is leaning into full 90s nostalgia as we screen three cult movie adaptations of notable comic book and video game classics over three nights.
Animatronic heroes-in-a-half-shell out to save their rat-father, live-action plumbers Mario and Luigi hurtling through parallel dimensions, and peak 90s Jean Claude van Damme martial arts camp (co-starring Kylie Minogue) – before AI and CGI, 90s live action remakes gave us puppets, dim-lighting and cheesy one-liners. Good times!
The deckchairs will be out, or feel free to BYO camping chair to enjoy free outdoor cinema on the Big Screen this MIGW.
Get into the spirit of our Super Mario Bros screening on Wednesday 7 October by dressing up as your favourite video game character, and you could win one of two<a href="https://shop.umbrellaent.com.au/products/super-mario-bros-30th-anniversary-1993-4k-blu-ray-steelbook?srsltid=AU7gw4Xvu2x-WS4md8zK1ef6YLjbE-BIPy5LIlFZJlhBLxYudWxq87Nk" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Super Mario Bros 30th Anniversary Blu Ray Steelbook</a>, courtesy of Umbrella Entertainment.
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Screen

MIGW Outdoor Cinema: This ain't no game

Throughout Melbourne Fringe, Fed Square will be home to Dhandha/ Campfire – a public, participatory art experience and meeting place devised and curated by renowned Wiradjuri choreographer Joel Bray. Dhandha will bring the essence of campfire to the heart of the city.
The circle keeps repeating. Dance circles. Song cycles. There is something sacred, ancient and democratic about gathering in a circle.
Dhandha means a campfire in Wiradjuri language. In an age of digital isolation, Dhandha is a radical act of invitation. Come as you are. Move if you want. Laugh with strangers. Learn a daggy disco move. Watch the Joel Bray Dancers coil and spark to the beat of Blackfella DJs.
Come at any hour, bring a friend or a sandwich, smile at a stranger across the glimmering flames. Arrive at sunset and you will be greeted and led through a quiet ritual to usher in dusk. Or join one of our party nights, when the benches become makeshift stages and the dancers flit and stride and writhe to the electronic beat.
One of Australia&#8217;s most celebrated choreographers is throwing down a gentle gauntlet. Come try something you&#8217;d normally avoid. Work that social muscle. Be silly in front of strangers. You will never be asked to do more than you&#8217;re comfortable with, but you might surprise yourself.
Streaming services and dating apps are selling you the mirage of connection. Dhandha is the real thing.
IMPORTANT EVENT INFORMATION
Dhandha / Campfire is open all times of the day and into the night. You are invited to sit and reflect, listen to the soundscape, spend time with a friend or just soak up the atmosphere.
A sunset ritual is held daily. Please see the schedule for the timing of these, as they change with the sunset time. There is limited seating available, so arrive early.

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Installation

Dhandha / Campfire

Lose yourself. Find everyone else. Joel Bray throws a party at Fed Square. Dhandha / Campfire turns up the heat. This is when the DJs take over and the dance moves come out.
The benches become makeshift stages. The Joel Bray Dancers flit and stride and writhe. Some of the city’s best Blackfella DJs make it impossible to stand still. The beats build. The circle grows. The city dances.
Dhandha / Campfire asks something quietly radical: put down your phone, step outside, and let the people of this city surprise you. Gather ‘round before it becomes Melbourne&#8217;s most talked-about meeting place.
IMPORTANT EVENT INFORMATION
Dhandha / Campfire is an outdoor event. Please ensure you are wearing comfortable, warm clothing. There is limited seating. Western Terrace is a cobblestoned outside space with a slight slant.
Dhandha / Campfire is open all times of the day and into the night. You are invited to sit and reflect, listen to the soundscape, spend time with a friend or just soak up the atmosphere.
The Thursday parties are held around the installation. They begin with the daily sunset ritual, and become a party where you can dance, chat, and spend as much or as little time as you please.
For information on the installation and daily rituals, please check out the Dhanda / Campfire event page.

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Performance

Dhandha / Campfire: The Party

Australia&#8217;s leading First Nations-led contemporary circus company present a brand new moveable acrobatic work throughout Fed Square as part of Melbourne Fringe.
Forget Poetic. This is Aussie culture chewed up and spewed onto the streets.
A show in motion, Ocker is a roving circus show tearing through the square on a portable railway track built in real time. This modern-day hunting party weaves through crowds, laying track wherever the chase leads. Down laneways, through parks, and over tram lines, the troupe is chasing something just out of reach.
Charging forward with single-minded determination, they drag the audience along for the ride. The city becomes a playground for strange encounters, risky acrobatics, and absurd acts of endurance as circus erupts in the most unexpected places. Improvised scenes constantly derail the hunt as the troupe negotiates crowds, obstacles, and their own terrible ideas.
Swept up in the chaos of the chase, Ocker waits for nobody. Keeping up is entirely your responsibility.

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Ocker

Your ambient soundtrack to the Square, shining a spotlight on some of Melbourne&#8217;s independent record labels. 
Every month, Fed Square turns up the volume on Melbourne’s independent music scene, showcasing the artists, sounds and labels shaping Melbourne music.
Walk through the Square each day during lunchtime or after work, to listen to curated mixes of music – each month drawing from the catalogue of a different local independent label.
Relax in a deckchair to tune in, or just soak up the sounds as you pass through the Square.
If you&#8217;re interested to check out the music you hear, check the details on the Big Screen – you&#8217;ll find the artist and track name there, as well as the current label we&#8217;re spotlighting that month.
If you love what you hear – we&#8217;d recommend exploring one of Melbourne&#8217;s many fab record stores or find the artists&#8217; music on <a href="https://bandcamp.com/">Bandcamp</a> to help support independent music.
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Music

Listen: Independent Label of the Month

Catch free live music and outdoor cinema celebrating the opening weekend of The Melbourne International Jazz Festival.

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Jazz-concert

Melbourne International Jazz Festival

A night of experimental dub and blues-infused sounds, featuring Luritja singer Keanu Nelson and blues singer and Walmatjarri Elder Kankawa Nagarra.
Luritja singer Keanu Nelson, from Papunya/Warumpi, NT, previews his forthcoming second album alongside producer Yuta Matsumura, road testing their evolving, way out, “dub country” sound through unreleased songs and cuts from his celebrated debut Wilurarrakutu.
Joining him is Kankawa Nagarra, the 83-year-old Walmatjarri Elder, teacher, activist and blues singer from Wangkatjungka, WA. From cultural songs at ceremonies to hymns, gospel and country, she discovered the blues years later after hearing a busker in Derby. Her album Wirlmarni, recorded with Darren Hanlon in the Kimberley, was awarded the 20th Australian Music Prize. With a follow-up underway, Kankawa will also share new material at The Edge.

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Keanu Nelson + Kankawa Nagarra

Celebrate Diwali – Festival of Lights.
The beloved annual Diwali festivities return to Fed Square, for its 21st year.
Diwali is an important Hindu festival which symbolises the spiritual victory of light over darkness.
To celebrate, come and experience the traditional and contemporary cultural feast of India, with live music, classical, folk and Bollywood dance performances, kirtan, yoga, meditation workshops and craft activities for children.
Explore the bustling bazaar, brimming with handcrafted treasures and glittering jewellery, and treat your tastebuds to mouth-watering Indian street food along Birrarung Marr Walk.
Don&#8217;t miss this beautiful festival renowned for its vibrant dance, music, multicultural performances – and spectacular evening fireworks.
Bring the whole family to join the festivities. All welcome!
For up-to-date program information visit: <a href="https://celebrateindia.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.celebrateindia.org.au </a>

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Victorian Festival of Diwali 2026

An ecstatic meeting between two generations of electronic music. 
Five-time Grammy Award-nominated composer, electronic music pioneer and avant-classical recording artist Suzanne Ciani has released more than 20 solo albums, including Seven Waves and The Velocity of Love. A pioneering figure in Buchla modular synthesis, her landmark LIVE Quadraphonic recordings marked her return to performing with the instrument. Her influence extends from experimental electronic music into film, games and commercial sound, including the iconic Coca-Cola “pop and pour” sound and the sounds of Bally’s groundbreaking Xenon pinball machine. Ciani was inducted into Keyboard Magazine’s Hall of Fame alongside Bob Moog, Don Buchla and Dave Smith, and has received the Moog Innovation Award, Independent Icon Award, Golden Ear Award and SEAMUS Award. Suzanne Ciani will be presenting work featuring her Buchla synthesizer, sonified through a quadraphonic loudspeaker array.
Filipina-Australian electronic producer, performer and composer CORIN presents DIWA, a live audiovisual work created with VFX artist Tristan Jalleh. Drawing on Filipino creation mythologies, ancestral beliefs and Corin’s matrilineal connection to the volcanic landscape of Taal, DIWA takes audiences on a descent into an imagined underworld of lava, water, lightning and geological forces. With vast atmospheres of electronic sound, CORIN performs and incorporates music styles from the kulintang, a gong chime instrument rooted in the Southern Philippines. Pairing her electro-acoustic sound work with hyper-digital moving images, CORIN brings ancient forms into dialogue with contemporary practice.
Both artists are separated by generations but share an expansive approach to sound. Suzanne Ciani and CORIN reveal foundational and speculative visions of electronic music, each pushing sound beyond the conventions of compositional technique and the framework of the instruments themselves.

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Suzanne Ciani (quadraphonic) + CORIN presents DIWA (live A/V)

What's On

The Koorie Heritage Trust (KHT) is proud to present Journey Among Men, a powerful new exhibition celebrating the enduring strength of First Peoples culture, creativity and connection across generations of First Peoples men.
Developed over two years on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung, Dja Dja Wurrung, Dhagung Wurrung, Taungurung, Gunai/Kurnai, Tati Tati, Barapa Barapa, Wamba Wamba and Yorta Yorta Country, the exhibition brings together newly created cultural belongings by eight First Peoples artists.
The exhibition features new works by Mick Harding, Brendan Kennedy, Kevin Williams, Earl Handy, Mitchil Harding, Cahill Kennedy, Iluka Sax-Williams and Lewis Wandin-Bursill.
Through carving, burning, incising and other cultural practices that bridge the old and the new, Journey Among Men celebrates the healing power of art, intergenerational knowledge sharing and the resilience of living culture.
For more information visit: <a href="https://kht.org.au/whats-on/exhibitions/journey-among-men/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://kht.org.au/whats-on/exhibitions/journey-among-men/</a>

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First Peoples

Exhibitions

Journey Among Men at KHT

The art of Margaret Preston has shaped the cultural and aesthetic landscape of Australia. Born in Adelaide in 1875, Preston (nee McPherson) studied in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne, before travelling extensively across England and Europe. Participating in the growing discourses surrounding modernism, Preston began to merge a variety of influences, such as Post-Impressionism, primitivism in European art, the Arts and Craft movement, and Japanese ukiyo-e.
Following Preston’s return from Europe to Sydney in 1919, she established herself as a central figure in the dissemination of modernist principles and pursued the development of a visual language that was uniquely Australian. To resolve her passion in defining a national art, Preston turned towards the cultural material of First Peoples, whose designs she perceived as untouched by European taste. Although Preston was progressive in recognising the aesthetic value of the objects and motifs she incorporated, her approach did not consider their significance to the communities from which she appropriated.
Today, Margaret Preston’s work continues to inspire and generate debate, emphasising her important contribution to Australian art of the twentieth century. This retrospective exhibition contextualises Preston alongside her peers, as well as contemporary artists who have responded to her legacy.
For more information and tickets visit: <a href="https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/margaret-preston/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/margaret-preston/</a>
Image credit: Phoebe Powell

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Margaret Preston at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

Experience a new sound and video installation, a poem to the river in woiwurrung, by Wurundjeri artist and language specialist Brooke Wandin.
Language comes from Country. Language is the expression of Country. Through sharing and revitalising woiwurrung, Brooke Wandin and her family tell the story of the river, its place names across Country, and the way it flows. In wurrung dhumbunganjinu, we can hear woiwurrung speaking to the river, the birrarung, in her language, one she remembers and understands.
wurrung dhumbunganjinu is a family recording of woiwurrung sharing. This sound work rejuvenates our ancient oral tradition and strengthens our undeniable connection to Country. 
Recorded at Coranderrk, a place of attempted assimilation, this is our resistance.
Language is carried along birrarung from Coranderrk downstream to Fed Square. 
I am in awe of Birrarung. She is powerful, durable, yet fragile and sensitive, the veins that pump through Country, the source of creation. She has flowed since the beginning and always will. 
&#8211; Brooke Wandin
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wurrung dhumbunganjinu (we speak language)

Welcome to Wurrdha Marra – meaning ‘Many Mobs’ in the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung language. The name comes to the NGV from the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation and supports the purpose of this space in sharing the work of First Nations artists, from emerging to senior figures, and across time and place. For First Nations peoples around the world, art and design are part of a continuum where the past intersects with the present, different materials converge, and diverse perspectives come together. The central role of art in passing down important cultural knowledge is celebrated in this display through the diverse approaches that artists take to maintaining and regenerating customary cultural practices and iconography while also creating new forms of expression.
The works included in this inaugural hang are by emerging artists as well as senior figures across both time and place. Each of these artists has in their own way been at the forefront in creating new forms of expression, and in maintaining and regenerating customary cultural practices and iconography. Great individual artists, working in Aboriginal-owned art centres or independently after studying at art school, continue to shape and transform art in Australia, inspiring many others to follow their example.
For more information visit: <a href="https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/wurrdha-marra/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/wurrdha-marra/</a>
Image credit: Installation view of Wurrdha Marra at NGV Australia, 2025. Photo: Tim Carrafa

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Wurrdha Marra at NGV Australia

A new video artwork by Kulin country-based Pibbulman Noongar artist Pierra Van Sparkes, commissioned by KHT and Fed Square for the Big Screen.
Throughout the year, Fed Square presents a program of video art on the Big Screen by emerging and established artists, in partnership with galleries, festivals and cultural organisations.
This work by Pierra Van Sparkes was commissioned in collaboration with the Koorie Heritage Trust (KHT), and will be screened each afternoon until 12 July 2026.
Artist Statement
baal ga (2026) 
balga is the grass tree to my Noongar family. 
balga was unearthed from boodja to the east. 
baal is she and he and it all at once; the sound that calls for me. 
A gift from mooditj moort; roots singing for release. 
balga will burn before they will grow. 
baal ga’s light touches all that I know.
Commissioned by KHT and Fed Square.

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Video art commission: baal ga by Pierra Van Sparkes

Step into the rhythm of Country and discover the story of the seasons, through a new series of video artworks by emerging First Nations artists.
Each evening throughout the year, learn about the current Wurundjeri season by watching one of a series of video artworks on the Big Screen.
The Wurundjeri Seasons Video Art Commissions celebrates the living knowledge of the Wurundjeri People and the seven seasons of Naarm (Melbourne). Rather than being date or calendar-driven, these seasons change depending on what is going on in the environment. The seasons express the deep relationships between people, plants, animals and Country – a cultural calendar shaped by thousands of years of observation and care.
Throughout the year, each season is brought to life through contemporary First Nations art and the Woi Wurrung language. Created by emerging First Nations artists and mentored by artists from Little Projector Company, the works honour the enduring stories, practices and spirit of Country, transforming the city’s central gathering place into a site of cultural expression and connection with the living world.
Cultural direction for the program is provided by Wurundjeri woman Jacqui Wandin of the Wandoon Estate Aboriginal Corporation at Coranderrk.
The Wurundjeri Seasons
“The seasons signify change. During Biderap (high summer), the sun is much hotter, snakes are about so be mindful where you step. Luk (late summer) is a time to rejuvenate, reflect, and learn. My favourite time of year is Guling (early spring), when the Silver Wattles are in full bloom, reminding us of Uncle Barak, our courageous civil rights hero.”
— Wurundjeri woman Jacqui Wandin
Unlike the four European seasons, the Wurundjeri seasonal calendar recognises seven distinct seasons, each marked by changes in the natural world. This cycle offers a deeper and more attentive way of understanding time — inviting us to notice the rhythms of plants, animals, weather, and Country, and our place within it.
The Seven Wurundjeri Seasons
Biderap (Dry season) 
Jan–Feb 
Amanda Wright (Palawa)
Iuk (Eel) season 
March 
Mya Wilson (Wiradjuri)
Waring (wombat) 
April–July 
SKNOW (Sarah Condon) (Wurundjeri) &amp; Rob Condon (Dja Dja Wurrung, Nguari Illum Wurrung)
Guling (orchid) 
August 
Sarah Wandin (Wurundjeri)
Poorneet (tadpole) 
Sept–Oct 
SKNOW (Sarah Condon)(Wurundjeri)
Buath Garru (Grass flowering) 
November 
Ky-ya Nicholson Ward (Wiradjuri)
Gunyang (Kangaroo-Apple Season) 
December 
Jacqui Wandin, Dave Wandin (Wurundjeri) and Lee Ramseyer Bache
The Wurundjeri Seasons Video Art Commissions is presented by Fed Square.

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The Wurundjeri Seasons Video Art Commissions

Exhibitions and art

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

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

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Good Nature Hotel

An iconic Melbourne bar and cafe nestled in the historic Federation Wharf vaults

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Riverland Bar

Your late-night haunt for smooth jazz and classy cocktails

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Transit Rooftop Bar

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Time Out Dusk front view

Time Out Cafe, Bar + Restaurant

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Transport Public Bar

Enjoy a range of refreshments, light meals and snacks supplied by local producers.

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NGV Cafe

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.

What's On

Exhibitions and art

Eat + Drink

Good Nature Hotel

Riverland Bar

Transit Rooftop Bar

Time Out Cafe, Bar + Restaurant

Transport Public Bar

NGV Cafe

Museums + Galleries

ACMI

Koorie Heritage Trust

The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia