Around Melbourne

Sax in the city? Yes, please. The Melbourne International Jazz Festival (MIJF) returns from October 16–25, bringing world-class jazz to venues across the city. Since 1998, MIJF has championed contemporary jazz – from cutting-edge improvisers to legendary names – with more than a third of performances free to attend. The 2026 program is filled with acclaimed jazz artists, including: The Teskey Brothers: Sidney Myer Music Bowl, October 17 Beloved Australian band The Teskey Brothers will headline the MIJF launch with a special tenth anniversary performance of their breakthrough album Half Mile Harvest, bringing their signature blend of soul, blues and vintage sounds to the stage. Returning to their Melbourne roots, the band will perform the album in full, plus favourites spanning the band’s acclaimed catalogue. Joining them will be trombonist legend Fred Wesley backed by The New JBs, plus ARIA Award-winning artist Emily Wurramara. Rebirth Brass Band: 170 Russell, October 18 Bringing the unmistakable spirit of New Orleans to Melbourne, Grammy Award-winning Rebirth Brass Band will make their Australian debut at MIJF. Hailed as a “New Orleans institution” by The New York Times, the band blends second-line rhythms with jazz, funk, soul and R&B for a high-energy sound that gets crowds moving. From the streets of the French Quarter to stages around the world, Rebirth Brass Band has become a defining force in New Orleans music, delivering joyful, brass-powered performances for...

Melbourne's most fashionable time of year is upon us once again. ICYMI, Melbourne Fashion Week (M/FW) will return from October 19-25, putting a spotlight on the city's diverse fashion scene. Expect incredible outfits (both on the runways and in the audience, our city's street style scene is unmatched), lots of events and plenty of shopping inspo. This year's theme is 'Wear the Moment', which is all about embodying self-expression and inclusivity – fitting for Australia's most stylish city (if we do say so ourselves). More than 300 local designers, big and small, will show off their latest designs over the course of the week. There's over 100 free and ticketed events including premium runways, independent runways, workshops, panel discussions and clothing swaps. In a M/FW first, the opening ganbu marra runway, which spotlights First Nations designers including Atyene Clothing, Ebony Noire, Kaninda, and Marnin Studiowill be held at the NGV. The iconic Student Collections Runway will return to the heritage wool trade site Younghusband, where fashion design students from Box Hill Institute, RMIT School of Fashion and Textiles, Whitehouse Institute of Design Australia and LCI Institute showcase the three-piece collections they have designed and brought to life over the year. The City Square Runway, featuring designers including Clothing The Gaps, ELK the Label and HoMie has a combination of ticketed seats and free standing room – a great free runway to go to if you can get in...