The best things to do in Melbourne this weekend

While sakura season might be over in Japan, you can still get your cherry blossom fix right here in Victoria. Simply make the one-hour trip from Melbourne to CherryHill Orchards, where hundreds of cherry trees burst into bloom for the annual Blossom Festival. Better yet, it coincides with the school holidays, making it an excellent excuse for a family day out. Wander beneath the trees with their ethereal white and pink flowers (there are more than 13 varieties of cherry trees here); snap the perfect spring fling pic for the 'gram; and settle in for a scenic picnic. Speaking of which, you can pre-purchase a retro picnic pack when booking your tickets, or BYO your own spread and find a spot beneath the trees to drink in those views. The on-site café also serves sweet and savoury treats – we can’t go past CherryHill’s famous cherry ice cream and cherry Spritzers. On weekends and public holidays, vendors and market stallholders add to the festive atmosphere, while the farm shop serves up more cherry-themed goodies. Kids can burn off some energy with games, activities and photo opportunities at the kids hub. Children are free on weekdays (but not on weekends) and your four-legged friends are welcome, too. Just remember, cherry blossom season is fleeting, so book your tickets ASAP via the website. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. Looking for more things to do? Check out our round-up of the...

Screen-free interactive gameplay is back – and it’s taking over the LEGO Store Melbourne Central for the school holidays. Through every exciting iteration, LEGO® bricks and Pokémon™ have nestled their way into the hearts of every generation. If your kids have ever dreamt of hopping into The Town Map to enter the world of LEGO bricks and Pokémon, we’ve got good news. Now, they can. For a limited time, the LEGO Store Melbourne Central flagship is using SMART Play™ technology to bring the world of Pokémon to life – and the experience is free. From Saturday, September 19, get immersed in the ultimate family-friendly fun (ideal for kids and your inner kid-ult) by simply heading in-store to the LEGO® Pokémon™ SMART Play™ Zone and joining a free demonstration held by a LEGO Brick Specialist 12pm to 5pm daily. From channeling your inner trainer to winning some sweet Pokémon GO rewards, which includes A LEGO® Pokémon sticker, plus a Pokémon GO passport stamp!* The new range will be primed and ready for trialling through the interactive set-up. It’s the perfect opportunity to give the entire range a red-hot go. Get a feel of the LEGO Pokémon SMART Play(™) sets that include SMART tags that encourage world-building without a screen, assisting kids in creating and escaping into their own adventures for a while. Then, there’s the innovative SMART Brick, which adapts to children’s playing styles with turns, twists, taps and colour-identifying games. The best part? The LEGO Store...

Clear your calendar because the Melbourne Royal Show is back, baby! From September 24 to October 4, Melbourne Showgrounds transforms into a glorious playground of farmyard animals, thrilling rides, packed showbags, yum eats and enough entertainment to keep you busy right until the nightly fireworks. The animals are the undisputed stars of the Show – it’s your chance to see prized cows, sheep, poultry, dogs and even some alpacas. Watch horses prance, canter and leap, cheer on working dogs and head to the rural pavilion for some farmyard fun. The Animal Nursery is your chance to get up close to adorable lambs and fluffy chicks. New this year, Livestock Lane takes you behind the scenes, offering a peek into the horse stables and working areas of the Livestock Pavilion. Then there are the blue ribbon competitions. Marvel at the best of the best across everything from art, craft, cookery and woodchopping to dogs, horses, alpacas and cattle. This year marks 70 years of the Golden Axe, the most prestigious award in the Melbourne Royal Woodchop Championships, while the KG Luke Equestrian Turnout celebrates 90 years as a highlight of the Melbourne Royal Horses in Action Competition. Next, the all-important showbags – choose from 400 varieties. Whether you’re after chocolate, lollies, snacks, novelty goodies, lifestyle treats or your favourite licensed characters, there’s a bag with your name on it. What are going to be the top picks this year? The Cinnamoroll, Capybara, Hello...

NGV Friday Nights is back to kick-start your weekend with a glamorous glow-up. Taking place every Friday night until October 2, the National Gallery of Victoria will become the ultimate after-dark destination with the arrival of Cartier, the 2026 Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition – yes, that's the same French luxury brand known for its designer jewellery and watches. Adding to the experience, ticket holders will also get access to Ragnar Kjartansson: Mercy, a new exhibition showcasing eight distinct video and film works from the Icelandic artist. NGV Friday Nights is your chance to wander through the gallery and enjoy a rotating line-up of live music, film screenings, food and, of course, Champagne. Each Friday brings a completely different vibe, with music residencies hosted by some of Melbourne’s biggest cultural names including the MSO, Melbourne International Jazz Festival and Wax Museum Records. Expect everything from jazz and soul to classical performances and DJs, with artists including Marley Del Prete, Yunior Terry Quartet, Raleigh Williams, Plexus and the MSO Cello Quartet taking the stage. Opera lovers are also in for a treat. On July 24 and September 11, Melbourne Opera will present Diamonds for the Diva – a special tribute to legendary Australian soprano Dame Nellie Melba GBE, who was one of Cartier’s early clients. Some of Melba’s Cartier jewels and memorabilia are also featured in the exhibition. Adding to the glamour are film screenings of classics...

The perfect backdrop for your next Instagram pic awaits – and it's going to be blooming gorgeous. The Tesselaar Tulip Festival returns to the Dandenong Ranges from September 12 to October 11. Celebrating its 71st year, this much-loved festival transforms five acres of farmland into a kaleidoscope of more than one million bulbs in full bloom. And in 2026, the Yarra Valley Floral Day Pass makes it easy to turn your flower-filled outing into a full-day adventure. Available on select midweek dates, the pass includes access to both the Tesselaar Tulip Festival and CherryHill Orchards' Blossom Festival, just a ten-minute drive away. For $50 per adult, you'll get entry to both venues, plus score a complimentary tractor ride through the tulip fields and a refreshing cherry Spritz. While the tulips are undoubtedly the stars of the show, there's plenty more to enjoy. There are themed weekends: Turkish (September 12-13), Dutch (September 19-20) and Irish (October 10-11); two children’s weeks featuring characters from The Octonauts and Peppa Pig; All That Jazz (September 25-27); and Rock the Fields (October 3-4). There are also food and market stalls, tractor rides and plenty of photo opportunities in those fields of tulips. Our tip? Make sure to check out Australia's largest wooden clog at the Clog Shop. The Tesselaar Tulip Festival runs daily from September 12 until October 11, 10am to 5pm. For more information on tickets, head here.   Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time...

What do you get when you combine the two things Melbourne does best – footy and a party? That’d be the Footy Fest. Returning to Yarra Park from September 23 to 26, the festival will transform Yarra Park and the MCG precinct into a mega four-day celebration for footy fans, families and event-goers. Spread across three hubs, there will be live entertainment, player appearances and some of the city's best food trucks and bars. Plus, entry is completely free, so there’s no better place to be during the most important weekend of the year. Some of our favourite parts: Score autographs from your favourite AFL and AFLW stars at the Telstra Player Hub Refuel at Taste of Finals area on the Main Stage Lawn or grab a drink to watch the footy on the big screen at the BWS Garden Bar Enter the immersive Our House, Our Rules experience – a blacked-out space starring colourful UV lightscapes and a graffiti wall, where you can test your skills against glowing targets and illuminated reaction tests There will be a new Bunnings Family Lawn main stage, featuring headliner The Mik Maks More interactive experiences like VR umpiring, designing your own footy shirt or just having a kick inside the all-ages AFL PLAY Clubhouse Exclusive Club and AFL merchandise available at the AFL Superstore  Plus so many more fun and free activations across site All of this sets the stage for the annual 2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final Parade on the public holiday on Friday September 25 – aka the best day of the...

Melbourne’s stages have seen a slew of jukebox musicals tread the boards over the past few years. They’ve ranged from the powerful (Tina – The Tina Turner Musical) to the cheesy-yet-crowd-pleasing (Mamma Mia! The Musical) and the glossed-over tributes (MJ the Musical). Thankfully, at a time when it feels more important than ever to encourage people to get out and support the local arts industry, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical arrives at the Princess Theatre full of razzle-dazzle, an abundance of infectious energy and a stacked setlist guaranteed to appeal to the masses. What is A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical about?  Written by Anthony McCarten, directed by Michael Mayer and created in collaboration with Neil Diamond himself, A Beautiful Noise opens on a dour therapy session between an older Diamond (played with commanding gravitas by Terence Crawford) and his doctor (Monica Sayers). It’s an unflinchingly sharp first introduction to the musical legend – all the more surprising given the heavy involvement of Diamond and his wife Katie – who is being particularly stubborn about revealing anything about the “clouds” that darken his demeanour. Enter the doc whipping out a book of all his lyrics, and suddenly, in true musical theatre fashion, the songs are quite literally spilling onto the stage in the form of the ensemble singing a teasing medley of hits to come.   From there we’re transported back in time as a young Diamond (Will Swenson) gets his big...

You’ve probably heard about the Rs of living more sustainably: refuse, reduce, recycle, repair and reuse. Now it’s time to reset. Fed Square’s free sustainability-focused RESET Festival returns to Melbourne this spring, running across September into the school holidays. The program is designed to make greener living a whole lot more fun – think live music, workshops, swaps, outdoor cinema, family activities and plenty of creative ways to live better every day. Get to the Planting Party on September 5, featuring live music, food, a plant market, workshops and hands-on activities at the Skyline Car Park and Test Garden. It’s also marks the end of a month-long effort to plant thousands of native plants across different Victorian sites. On September 12, the Zero Waste Festival brings repair and mending sessions, clothes, book and fabric swaps, sustainable cooking and creative activities for kids. It culminates in the first ReWear Runway, showcasing garments transformed through repairing, reclaiming and repurposing. Then there’s Book Doof on September 13 – essentially a daytime rave for readers. Bring a book, grab a free tea or coffee and settle in to read, journal or sketch while a DJ spins vinyl from the Atrium balcony.  The school holidays bring even more sustainable fun, including the Big Toy Swap on September 23 and upcycling workshops. Kids can also enjoy free outdoor screenings of classics including Flipper (September 30), Free Willy (October 1) and Fly Away Home...

If the words “it’s just a flesh wound!” ring a bell then you’ve likely come across the extremely funny 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail or the Eric Idle-penned musical Monty Python’s Spamalot based on the cult hit.After picking up three Tony Awards and 14 nominations during its original Broadway run in 2005, the cheeky Arthurian spoof went on to conquer stages around the world, including a Melbourne season in 2019. Now, the knights of the Round Table are saddling up once again for a limited run in Melbourne from September 16 to October 4.  Produced by Drew Anthony Creative, this latest iteration delivers all the original over-the-top musical numbers from composer John Du Perez, mediaeval mayhem and fourth-wall-breaking gags that made the show a hit. Plus, plenty of Monty Python silliness including the beloved anthem “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”.  “After celebrating 20 years since the original production last year, it is a great honour to restore Monty Python’s Spamalot’s place on Australian shores for fans who have longed for its return and for new audiences to meet the Knights of the Round Table for the first time,” said producer Drew Anthony.  Legendary Australian actor and comedian Stephen Curry is making his musical theatre debut as King Arthur. Joining him on stage is Jaz Flowers (Hairspray) as The Lady of the Lake for the Melbourne run with Marney McQueen (Titanique) taking over for Sydney. To round out the crew, Nick White is taking on the Man...

Hello, possums! Would you like to see one of Dame Edna Everage's costumes? How about those iconic gold hot pants that Kylie Minogue wore in ‘Spinning Around’? Perhaps the maracas that Peter Allen shook in his 1977 performance of ‘I Go To Rio’ or Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst’s beloved drum kit? You’re in luck because 50 extraordinary pieces of Australian performing arts history are back in the spotlight at Encore! 50 Objects. 50 Years. One Collection. This exhibition at the Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA) runs from September 16 to May 9, 2027. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Australian Performing Arts Collection, it showcases the people, performances and productions that have shaped Australia’s cultural history. It is the country’s largest specialist collection of its kind, preserving more than 850,000 objects spanning circus, dance, music, opera and theatre. You’ll also find Helen Reddy’s Grammy Award for ‘I Am Woman’; a personal visual journal compiled by Nick Cave in 1987; the original neon-red L’Amour sign created by Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin for Opera Australia’s La Bohème; costumes worn by Olivia Newton-John and Hugh Jackman; signed pointe shoes worn by the first Indigenous person to join the Australian Ballet, Ella Havelka; Archie Roach’s custom-made performance vest; and Dame Nellie Melba’s jewel-encrusted silk cloak – and that's just to name a few. From the tulle gown worn by legendary performer Dame Joan Sutherland to cheeky...