Art + Culture

Fabulous Festivals

Autumn is festival season. A busy calendar of events celebrates the best in life: food and wine, the great outdoors, performances, art, fashion, design, books and ideas.

Every autumn the city rocks with laughter during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Half a million comedy fans enjoy international and local comedians performing nearly 300 stand-up and cabaret shows, as well as theatre performances and film screenings.

All things gourmet are celebrated at the annual 16-day Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. A busy program of over 200 events includes alfresco dining, master classes taught by celebrity chefs, and plenty of opportunities to sample the best local food and wine.

The Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show is the largest horticultural event in the Southern Hemisphere, showcasing the best floral and landscape design. Gardening products are featured, and there is plenty of great food and entertainment.

Up-and-coming, independent designers will rub shoulders with the biggest names in fashion at the L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival. This is one of Australia's largest and most glamorous fashion events, bringing together international buyers, designers, the media and the general public.

Melbourne on Stage

From classical recitals at the Victorian Arts Centre to musicals at historic theatres, there are always performances going on in Melbourne. The Melbourne Theatre Company, traditional circus performances, independent theatre, and innovative dance are all on show.

The Melbourne Recital Centre opened its doors in February 2009. Since then, music lovers have enjoyed chamber ensembles, small orchestras, choirs, vocal ensembles and soloists.

JERSEY BOYS - The story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons is the multi-award winning Broadway musical that tells the story of how four boys from the wrong side of the tracks became pop music sensations. It opened in Melbourne at the Princess Theatre in July 2009 and is expecting a long run as Melburnians and their guests enjoy the spirited show.

Her Majesty's Theatre is another of Melbourne's famous theatres which hosts internationally acclaimed productions. Upcoming shows include the Tony, Olivier and Grammy award-winning Chicago, as well as Mama Mia - one of the world's most successful musicals of all time, which has been seen by over 40 million people across the globe.

Sporting Capital

Melbourne loves its sport, from the Australian Open tennis in January to the Boxing Day test cricket match in December. Enjoy Formula One Grand Prix action, or horse racing at the Spring Racing Carnival. From March to September, don team colours and head to Etihad Stadium (formerly Telstra Dome) and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to attend Australian Rules Football (AFL) matches.

The Melbourne Rectangular Stadium opens in late 2009. This $268 million venue with room for 31,000 spectators will be home to the Melbourne Victory soccer team and the city's rugby league heroes; the Melbourne Storm.

Hisense Arena (formerly Vodafone Arena), boasts state of the art facilities and hosts cycling, tennis, basketball matches and concerts.