Fun Things to do in Melbourne This Summer

Mirka

The influence that Mirka Mora, an artist, had on Melbourne is difficult to fathom. Following the Holocaust, the French-born artist relocated to Melbourne in 1951, where she swiftly established herself and her whimsical artwork among the city's burgeoning bohemian culture.

Many displays have been held on Mora, but none have been exactly like this one. Mirka, the largest-ever retrospective of Mirka Mora, has been announced by the Jewish Museum of Australia. The show will contain never-before-seen paintings from the Mora family and Mirka's studio archives, transforming the museum into a "immersive Mirka-world."

Mirka also includes the artist's sketchbooks, letters, diaries, and audio recordings from the Jewish Holocaust Centre's archives to portray the whole tale of the woman behind the paintings. During World War II, Mora and her family were able to elude the Nazis by hiding in the French woodlands. The Jewish Museum of Australia intends to provide a whole picture of the artist's life, from her early years in Paris through the establishment of Tolarno Galleries in Melbourne.

On Saturday, May 15th, the Jewish Museum of Australia will be staying open late so that visitors may experience Mirka in honour of International Museum Day. On this day, you may choose between a 6:30 p.m. and an 8 p.m. session. Extra tickets are required for these out-of-hours events.

Melbourne Music Week Extended

Melbourne's local music industry is thriving, and every year during Melbourne Music Week, the city's hidden gems are revealed. As a rule, the event lasts for at least 10 days, but in 2020, it truly pushed things to the limit.

MMW will extend throughout the summer to provide Melburnians with an abundance of live performances (and to also allow for maximum events and artist opportunities while adhering to health restrictions).

This year marks the first time that all 330 of the featured performers at MMW are from the area. Cherry Bar, Section 8, Curtin, and (making its MMW debut) the Forum are just a few of the 35 Melbourne locations where more than 200 concerts and music activities will be held between December 9 and February 28.

MMW will host a variety of music events in addition to the many concerts that will take place throughout the festival. The festivities will begin with an all-day party in North Melbourne's Third Day warehouse bar, featuring the dynamic sounds of Jordan Dennis.

Notable upcoming activities include Kiki Dévine's Vogue dance class, Techno Bingo hosted by fashion-art supercouple The Huxleys, and Henry Wagons' dog-friendly music event, Dog Day Afternoon. Added activities will be revealed in January.

The festival centre is the heart of Music Midtown, and it changes locations every year. After the dumpster fire of 2020, there will be no central festival centre this year to support a number of local venues and provide artists and companies more options.

There will, of course, be both free and paid events, both in person and online. The live performance industries have had a hard year, so if you can afford to buy concert tickets or merchandise, please do so.

Get Amongst Some Free Live Comedy

People from all over the globe travel to Melbourne every fall for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, making it the second biggest comedy festival in the world. However, Melbourne residents like a good laugh throughout the year, so the city's many comedy clubs keep their schedules full seven days a week.

The Comic's Lounge is a great comedy club in Melbourne that is open almost every night of the week. While some establishments are open seven days a week, many others are open for a few of days.

Comedy at Spleen

After a brief hiatus, Spleen will resume hosting weekly comedy events on Monday evenings in January. The pub (at the very top of Bourke Street) has been one of Melbourne's best venues for live comedy for over a decade. While Spleen Comedy features many promising newcomers, it also sometimes features brand new material from Australia's most popular stand-ups.

Back in the day (before the year 2020, that is), Monday comedy shows at Spleen would often sell out, with people waiting outside the door. Great lines were a big factor in the event's success, but the need of a gold coin payment to enter also played a role. You'll want to get there early to secure your position, since there are now a limited amount of tickets available and they cost (a still very reasonable) $10. As a general rule, ticket sales information may be discovered on the event's Facebook page.

Every Monday there are two performances, at 7 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. You may also enjoy American diner classics like hot wings, hot dogs, chilli fries, and big, juicy cheeseburgers from Spleen's extensive menu, which is available before and after shows. There's also plenty of time to get a Spleena Colada after the concert since the bar is open until 5 am on most evenings (and until late on Mondays).

Local Laughs

When it comes to comedy clubs on the south side, Local Laughs is your best bet. We'll be visiting the Local Taphouse, a neighbourhood watering hole with a European twist that serves up delicious craft beers and hearty food. Sounds almost too wonderful to be true as a stand-up venue, yet it does its job well. We think this is the most attractive and comfortable space in the building. Audience members have been known to linger in their seats far after the act has concluded.

Comedians from all around the world, including regulars from Melbourne and Australia, perform every Monday night. Every night has at least five different performances, so you're guaranteed a good time. Make an evening of it and start with one of their many tasty tap beers (it says so in the name).

Comedy at Classic

For those who enjoy stand-up in the southern suburbs of Melbourne, Classic Cinemas is a welcome new option.

Every Monday night, some of the funniest people in the nation perform live at the Classic Cinemas in Elsternwick. Even though the shows are held in a cinema theatre, you can enjoy the performance while using the theater's amenities such as the food bar that at Classic includes artisan beers, local wines, drinks and cheese plates from Milk the Cow at the concession stand.

You may buy tickets for $15 online, but you'll have to there early to get a seat. If you'd like a shot in the first row, get there early, or to avoid any possible audience involvement, you should get there early.

Explore a Model Tudor Village at Fitzroy Gardens

Visit the beautiful Fitzroy Gardens, a tranquil oasis in the heart of Melbourne's bustling metropolis. Go for a walk in the gardens and take in the natural scenery.

Historic sites in the park include a conservatory and a collection of odd fountains, sculptures, monuments, and follies amassed during the park's 150 years, as well as Captain Cook's family house from 1755 that was moved here from Yorkshire in the 1930s.

In the centre of the grounds is a replica of a Tudor village that was built by London retiree Edgar Wilson in the 1940s. Built in the style of a typical Kentish hamlet common in Tudor-era England, this small community is a fascinating historical artefact. At 1948, the lord mayor of Melbourne unveiled it in Fitzroy Gardens.

On the weekends, the park is almost deserted. But you can usually find a quiet corner to yourself to take in the 19th century specimen trees and mature elms.

The main draw in Fitzroy Gardens? It must be the conservatory. Opened in March of 1930, this conservatory is modelled in the Spanish Mission architecture. The present schedule of five yearly flower shows ensures that it is always in bloom, with a wide variety of flowers such as hydrangeas, fuchsias, begonias, cyclamens, and calceolaria making an appearance throughout the year. A helpful hint: make sure your nasal passages are unblocked so you can fully appreciate the amazing aroma.

Most Beautiful Buildings in Melbourne

Royal Exhibition Building

The Royal Exhibition Building is one of Australia's most renowned landmarks, having been designed by Joseph Reed (who also designed the Melbourne Town Hall and the State Library of Victoria) and finished in 1880. It was constructed to house the first official World's Fair in the Southern Hemisphere and is thus one of the world's oldest surviving display pavilions. The main structure, known as the Great Hall, has survived while lesser components have been destroyed or damaged by fire.

The front of the structure is stunning, and the Great Hall's opulent furnishings are just as breathtaking in person (you can get a good peek at select events throughout the year, including the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, the Dog Lovers Show and the Finders Keepers Market). Unlike the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Exhibition Building was the first in Australia to be recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Flinders Street Station

Flinders Street Station, with its instantly recognisable dome that has been included in a gazillion travel guides to Melbourne. A common urban legend states that the blueprints for Mumbai's (then Bombay) central railway station got mixed up with those for Flinders Street Station. It all works out: Mumbai got a massive gothic structure, and we got something similarly East Indian in style. Flinders Street Station is a well-known icon of the city, whether or not this is accurate.

Fawcett and Ashworth's initial plans for the building, drawn up in 1900, were in the style of the French Renaissance, and included both a massive dome over the main entrance and a clock tower over the Elizabeth Street entrance. Invisible since the 1980s, the building's illusive top-floor ballroom was an afterthought (though lucky punters might sneak a peek during the annual Open House event).

State Library of Victoria

One of the earliest free public libraries in the world, Melbourne's central library opened in 1854. The architect behind the design was Joseph Reed, and the original plan had all three institutions housed in the same structure (the National Gallery of Victoria eventually moved to St Kilda Road in 1968, and the Melbourne Museum moved to Carlton Gardens in 2000).

In 1856, the library's first phase opened to the public with 3,800 volumes spread between the front wing and the Queen's Hall reading area (which was reopened in 2019). Famous for its dome-shaped reading room, the library's Domed Reading Room first opened in 1913 and was created by Bates, Peebles and Smart (now Bates Smart), the architectural company that succeeded Reed's.

Water leaking in the dome's construction in 1959 led to the skylights being coated with copper. Some interesting trivia: the Domed Reading Room's creaky wooden chairs and other furnishings haven't been changed in decades.

Popular Melbourne Beaches

St Kilda Beach

St. Kilda is a broad, sandy beach that is one of the most popular in all of Port Phillip Bay, perfect for water sports of all kinds. The St. Kilda Pier is a popular spot for strolling and taking in the beautiful sunsets and views of the city skyline. In addition to its many boating amenities, such as ramps, the marina also offers a ferry service to Williamstown and Southbank. Some of the nearby parks and reserves provide playgrounds, picnic areas, and grills, as well as bike lanes and walking trails.

Brighton Beach

Dendy Street beach, Middle Brighton beach, and Brighton beach are all part of this lengthy series of safe, sandy bay bathing beaches. The region is well-known for its picturesque, brightly-colored bathing boxes along the beach, which stand in stark contrast to Melbourne's stunning cityscape. Reserves along the coast often have grills and playground equipment. As an added bonus, there is a trail for walking and cycling as well as water sports like windsurfing, yachting, and boating.

Port Melbourne, South Melbourne and Middle Park

In the bay region near to downtown Melbourne, you may find sandy beaches perfect for swimming. They are a string of popular "top of the bay" beaches that have playgrounds and routes for walking and biking. Middle Park is a popular location for kitesurfing and beach volleyball, and it also has off-leash dog walking areas.

Kerford Road

Popular long, sandy section of Port Phillip Bay where boating, power skiing, and sailboarding are banned from some areas. A pathway for walking and cycling is also available, in addition to a playground.

Elwood

A beautiful sandy bay beach perfect for water sports. Recreational areas, picnic areas, and playgrounds may all be found in the vast foreshore reserves. A bike path, boat launch, and park are all in close proximity.

Williamstown

This large bay's bathing beach is close to many great parks. There are thus chances for alternative water-based recreation, as well as neighbouring grill and playground facilities.

Events

Despite the fact that this final weekend of autumn is subject to COVID limitations, there is still a lot you may do. Participate in the RISING Festival's revelries, where you may see podcast royalty, try more than 80 varieties of rum, and shop for the finest vintage goods—all while concealing your identity behind a mask, of course.

Gin Song Korean Pop-Up At Arlechin

Arlechin, a small pub in Italy, is honouring its Korean chefs and staff with a pop-up dinner including an authentic Korean meal prepared by Grossi's Jinhyeok Lim and Wonchang Song. There's no knowing how delicious this evening will be with dishes like handmade pig, prawn, or kimchi mandu, the chefs' version on bibimbap, and a dessert of smoked milk, red bean, and dates.

1R Music Week At South Yarra

Use 1R's Music Week as your soundtrack to a pumped-up week. They are one of the newest fitness centres in Melbourne, and they have over 110 courses set to irresistible pop hits. There are 10 nighttime courses taught to the tunes of local musicians if you want to get your sweat on without the help of Britney Spears. Wrap things off with a bang by throwing a closing party complete with live music and open bottles of prosecco.

These days it seems like every other weekend there's a gin festival, so it's high time for rum to get its due. With over 25 participating distilleries and 80+ rums from across the globe, the Whitehart Bar is organising a festival dedicated to the rum industry. All day long, you may participate in rum workshops, see live performances, eat at Jamaican food trucks, and take home a brand new glass designed just for sipping the spirit of the sugarcane.

Stock Exchange

In the cold of winter, nothing beats a steaming bowl of soup. At RISING's soup stall, Melbourne's cuisine queen Julia Busuttil Nishimura oversees a rotating menu of distinctive broths prepared by a cast of top talent chefs, including Tony Tan and the social initiative Free to Feed. There will likely be bowls of Vietnamese Ph, Japanese Miso soup, Ramen, and French Consommé, among other well-known soups.

Studio MC 

Here's your opportunity to finally put a name to the voice behind all those podcasts you've been listening to. A podcast studio has opened in Melbourne's central business district, giving listeners the chance to engage with their prefered podcast presenters every Friday. Do not miss this week's live performances by So Dramatic!, A1: The Show, and the lads from the Betoota Advocate, a newspaper serving regional Queensland.

La Tricolor Latin Party

At the La Tricolor Latin Party, you may get down and dirty on the dance floor and enjoy a complimentary shot of Guaro or Tequila. This week's subject is classic Latin music, so get your groove on to some of the greatest hits of salsa, reggaeton, bachata, and merengue.

The Night Line

Anonymous evening correspondence A mysterious subterranean club. Experience a unique listening environment created by RISING and a vintage rotary phone and switchboard. Over 600 genuine messages from sleepless Melburnians left on "The Nightline," all of which you are about to hear for the first time.

Round She Goes Market

Round She Goes is a curated event where you can find gently used vintage clothes, jewellery, and accessories for ladies at rates that won't break the bank. Expect to leave with full bags and a new wardrobe, since you may shop a wide variety of brands, from designer to local and handcrafted.

Gruesome Playground Injuries

In this riveting play by Deepcut Productions, we follow the lives of Kayleen and Doug, who have an unbreakable bond despite the sarcasm, sutures, and scars in their relationship. Not everyone will like what this new theatre production business has in store, but it shouldn't stop you from checking it out.

Opening Celebration of Damien March’s Emanation

Damien March is a Melbourne-based mixed-media artist whose work has been shown in exhibitions in Sydney, Los Angeles, and Beverly Hills, as well as in prestigious private collections across the globe. March's feelings are on full display in the passionate watercolor-fused artworks now on display at the No Vacancy Gallery, which were developed and mainly finished during the lockdown.

Conclusion

Mirka Mora's largest-ever retrospective is being held at the Jewish Museum of Australia. Mora and her family escaped the Nazis during World War II by hiding in the French woods. Melbourne Music Week is a once-a-year opportunity to discover the city's best-kept secrets. Music Midtown Melbourne (MMW) will be open all summer long. Concerts and other music-related events will take place from December 9 through February 28.

For the first time ever, all 330 of the featured musicians at MMW are from the area around the festival's home base. It's been almost a decade since Melbourne's Spleen Comedy has been one of the city's best venues. The bar plans to resume presenting regular stand-up comedy shows. When looking for a comedy club on Melbourne's south side, go no further than Local Laughs. If you live in the southern suburbs and like stand-up, you may want to check out Classic Cinemas.

Melbourne, Australia's Fitzroy Gardens are a 26-hectare park located in the city's East. Edgar Wilson, a London retiree, erected a Tudor village model in the 1940s and it sits in the middle of the grounds. Take a stroll through the grounds and admire the natural beauty. This pavillion, the Royal Exhibition Building, was erected in 1880 and is one of the oldest surviving World Fair pavilions. Joseph Reed, who also designed the Melbourne Town Hall and the State Library of Victoria, was the architect behind it.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the building was the first in Australia. One of the world's oldest public libraries, Melbourne's central library was established in 1854. Walking around St Kilda Pier is a favourite pastime for people who want to take in the stunning sunsets and city skylines. Some of the most popular "top of the bay" beaches include Brighton Beach, South Melbourne, and Middle Park. In celebration of the rum business, the Whitehart Bar is hosting a festival that will feature more than 80 different rums from 25 different distilleries throughout the world.

OneR Music Week is taking place in South Yarra, while a Korean pop-up supper will be held at Arlechin in Italy. Top-notch cooks make a rotating menu of soups at Rising's soup stand. An all-night celebration of Latin dance music is held at La Tricolor Latin Party. Women's antique clothing can be found in great condition at the Round She Goes Market.

Content Summary

• Even if you're not a fan of road trips or sitting in the park, here is the ultimate guide to the best summer ever in Melbourne.
• This year's summer festival season in Australia's cultural capital promises to deliver yet another impressive line-up for visitors.
• From cutting-edge displays to culturally isolated festivals, there is something for everyone.
• Trying to comprehend Mirka Mora's impact on Melbourne is nearly impossible.
• After the Holocaust, the French-born artist moved to Melbourne in 1951, where she quickly became part of the city's developing bohemian scene and established herself and her quirky artwork.
• The Jewish Museum of Australia has launched Mirka, the largest-ever retrospective of Mirka Mora.
• For the first time, the museum will be transformed into a "immersive Mirka-world" with never-before-seen works from the Mora family and Mirka's studio archives.
• By hiding out in the French woods during World War II, Mora and her family were able to avoid Nazi persecution.
• It is the goal of the Jewish Museum of Australia to present a comprehensive portrait of the artist's life, from her early years in Paris through the foundation of Tolarno Galleries in Melbourne.
• The Jewish Museum of Australia will be open late on Saturday, May 15th, in honour of International Museum Day, so that visitors can see Mirka.
• This summer, MMW will stretch into the fall to give Melburnians a wide variety of live acts to choose from (and to also allow for maximum events and artist opportunities while adhering to health restrictions).
• For the first time in MMW's history, all 330 of the featured performers are local.
• Just a few of the 35 Melbourne venues where more than 200 performances and music events will be hosted between December 9 and February 28 include Cherry Bar, Section 8, Curtin, and the Forum.
• A city-wide smoking ritual and welcome to the country will be hosted by Kee'ahn and Dijirri Dijirri dancing ensemble to begin off MMW.
• Cable Ties, a post-punk band from the Forum, and Baker Boy, a hip-hop artist from Melbourne's Recital Centre, are two other must-see performances during MMW
• Additional music activities will be held at MMW, in addition to the numerous concerts that will take place during the festival.
• At the beginning of the festivities, there will be an all-day bash in North Melbourne's Third Day warehouse bar, where the energetic sounds of Jordan Dennis will be featured.
• Music Midtown's hub, the festival centre, is always in a different place.
• The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the second-largest comedy festival in the world, attracting visitors from all around the world every fall.
• As a result, the city's many comedy clubs operate seven days a week since Melbourne locals enjoy a good chuckle throughout the year.
• Live comedy has been a big draw at the top of Bourke Street tavern for more than a decade.
• In addition to promising newcomers, Spleen Comedy occasionally offers new material from some of Australia's best-known stand-ups.
• Every Monday night, comedians from around the world, including regulars from Melbourne and Australia, take the stage.
• The Classic Cinemas in Elsternwick host a live comedy show every Monday night featuring some of Australia's best comics.
• Fitzroy Gardens has a Model Tudor Village that you can explore.
• There is a 26-hectare park called Fitzroy Gardens located immediately southeast of Melbourne's central business district in East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
• Visit Melbourne's Fitzroy Gardens, a serene haven in the middle of the city.
• Take a stroll through the grounds and enjoy the fresh air.
• In addition to Captain Cook's family mansion, which was moved from Yorkshire to the park in the 1930s, the park has a conservatory and a collection of fountains, sculptures, monuments and follies gathered over its 150-year history.
• Edgar Wilson, a London retiree in the 1940s, erected a Tudor village model in the middle of the grounds in the late 1940s.
• The Royal Exhibition Building, built by Joseph Reed (who also designed the Melbourne Town Hall and the State Library of Victoria) and completed in 1880, is one of Australia's most recognisable buildings.
• It is one of the oldest remaining show pavilions in the world because it was built to accommodate the first official World's Fair in the Southern Hemisphere.
• The Great Hall, which is the most important part of the edifice, has remained intact, whereas other parts have been destroyed or damaged by fire.
• Royal Exhibition Building was the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Australia, unlike the Sydney Opera House.
• Innumerable travel guides to Melbourne include Flinders Street Station's distinctive dome.
• Whether or not it's true, Melbourne's Flinders Street Station is a well-known landmark.
• As the oldest public library in Australia and one of the earliest free libraries in the world, Melbourne Public Library is a landmark in the city's history.
• Melbourne's central library, one of the world's first free public libraries, opened its doors in 1854.
• Bates, Peebles, and Smart (now Bates Smart), the architectural firm that replaced Reed, designed the library's Domed Reading Room, which opened in 1913.
• Popular Melbourne's beachside The beach at St Kilda in Melbourne One of the most popular beaches in Port Phillip Bay, St. Kilda has wide stretches of sand and clear water ideal for a wide range of water activities.
• South Melbourne, Middle Park, and Port Melbourne
• Swimming-friendly sand beaches may be found in the bay region near Melbourne's downtown.
• Long, sandy stretch of the bay where power skiing, sailboarding, and boats are prohibited in some parts.
• Water sports enthusiasts will like this sandy bay beach.
• No matter though this final weekend of autumn has been restricted by COVID, a lot can be done anyway.
• You can participate in the RISING Festival's festivities, where you can meet podcast royalty, sample more than 80 varieties of rum, and shop for the best vintage goods—all while keeping your identity concealed beneath a mask.
• Korean pop-up shop Gin Song An genuine Korean meal prepared by Grossi's Jinhyeok Lim and Wonchang Song is being served as part of a pop-up supper at Arlechin, a small tavern in Italy.
• Gin festivals are popping up all over the place these days, and it's about time rum got its due.
• The Whitehart Bar is hosting a rum festival with over 25 participating distilleries and 80+ rums from around the world.
• If you've been listening to podcasts for a while, now is your chance to finally identify the voice behind them.
• In the heart of Melbourne's CBD, a new podcast studio allows fans to interact with their favourite podcast hosts every Friday.
• For this week's live shows, do not miss out on So Dramatic!
• The La Tricolor Latin Party
• A complimentary shot of Guaro or Tequila awaits you at the La Tricolor Latin Party, where you can get down and dirty on the dance floor.
• Call of the Night
• Evening letters were written by an anonymous correspondent Mysterious club hidden beneath the earth.
• RISING has teamed up with an antique rotary phone and switchboard to provide a unique listening experience.
• This is the first time you'll hear the more than 600 real messages left on "The Nightline" by Melbourne residents who couldn't get any rest.
• Round She makes a trip to the grocery store. You can find gently worn vintage clothing, jewellery, and accessories for women at reasonable prices at Round She Goes.