Max your summer in Melbourne

When was the last time you hung out at the Abbotsford Convent? This spring the convent is giving you plenty of reasons to revisit, with a massive open day.  There is a program of live music, including Cool Out Sun, Senegambian Jazz Band, hip hop duo Aaron Choulai x Daichi Yamamoto and more. There will also be DJs playing a mix of, soul, reggae, dub and global music, with the discs spinning until 9pm on Saturday night.  Dancing certainly makes you hungry and thirsty, so there will be plenty of outdoor bars, market pop-ups and food trucks, including Taiwanese street food by Ghost Kitchen and the much‐loved Taco Truck. Get sweet treats at Billy van Creamy, including a flavour specially made for the convent. The convent's regular monthly markets – the Slow Food Market Farmers' Market and the Vegan Market of Melbourne – will also have a presence. Fancy a bit of art? Design Space market will be showcasing homewares, ceramics, jewellery, clothing, prints and more. And sister market Print Space will offer prints, artists' books and publications by the likes of Perimeter, Matters Journal, Uro Publishing, West Space and c3 Contemporary Art Space. Dog Photog Studios will be on hand to take pictures of four-legged visitors, dressed as everything from artists to sailors.  There will also be art installations, exhibitions, participatory art projects and open studios for people to watch makers at work.  There will also be free yoga, tai chi and meditation, as well as activities for the

How much do you know about your body, really? You know how it feels and acts, but what's going on beneath your skin? How do muscles, tendons and bone connect, how do they work together to help you move, and what happens when illness or injury prevents your body from working as it should? Body Worlds: Vital is an exhibition that will help you better understand your body and the way it works. An educational exhibit about human anatomy, it features 150 real human bodies, which have been 'plastinated' and put on display. There are whole bodies, individual organs and transparent 'body slices' that demonstrate the human body in all its forms – healthy, diseased and everywhere in between.  All of the specimens have been voluntarily donated for this express purpose, and the process of donation has been thoroughly documented.  The exhibition also includes an 'anatomical mirror', where visitors can see where organs are positioned within their own bodies. Visitors can also learn tips as to how to keep their bodies in alignment, see detailed brain scans to better understand diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, and read detailed infographics explaining systems of the body. The exhibition has travelled the world, having been seen by more than 40 million people in 130 countries. 

Get your party pants on, it's time to get wild at the zoo.  Melbourne Zoo is hosting a series of Saturday 'block parties' in November. You can boogie with the bears, dance with the dingoes and sashay with the seals from 6-9pm at the zoo.  The twilight sessions will include DJ sets from Animals Dancing, video projections from ACMI's permanent collection, food trucks, cocktails, carousel rides and lawn games.  What kind of lawn games? Giant Jenga and outdoor Twister will be on offer, and you can also challenge your mates to a game of Mario Kart on Nintendo 64. You can also take a spin through the National Geographic 50 Greatest Wildlife Photographs exhibition to see jaw-dropping pictures of nature.  Tickets are $20, and there are only 300 available for each block party. They're likely to sell out, so get in quick. 

Mornington Peninsula’s Vinehop festival returns this year to once again celebrate beer, wine and cider. Hop-on-hop-off shuttles will take you to over 10 venues in the region. Each bus stop will provide beverage tastings, live music and food trucks along the way.  The event is split over two days called Vinehop Saturday and Posthop Sunday. The Saturday is more like a pub-crawl and the Sunday is the recovery day. Sunday there is only one venue, a band and degustation picnic. Vinehop is on Saturday November 17 and Sunday November 18. Bring some cash to purchase food and extra drinks. Ticket options will be announced soon.

In 2018 the Dja Dja Wurrung are celebrating five years since the Recognition Settlement Agreement was signed with the state government of Victoria. The agreement acknowledges the Dja Dja Wurrung as the traditional owners of central Victoria, granting the Djaara (Dja Dja Wurrung people) more opportunities and access when it comes to managing their country. To celebrate the five-year anniversary of the agreement coming into effect, the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation is hosting Yapenya: a new ceremony featuring songs and dances created specifically for the event. Yapenya (which means place of song and dance in Dja Dja Wurrung language) is a free event happening at Rosalind Park, Bendigo. Come share in this celebration of new songs, dance and ceremony.   

On the third Saturday of March, May, September and November, the regional town of Newstead (a 15 minute drive from Castlemaine) hosts a community market to help raise funds for the Country Fire Authority. As well as supporting the men and women protecting us from bushfires, the markets are also a great way to pick up handmade goods from local creatives. At the long-running market you can find books, plants, clothes, tools, craft and produce straight out of the backyard. As with most markets in Australia the highlight will be the barbecue, which in this case will be run by the CFA. Pick up cold drink, a sausage sanga or maybe a homemade cake or slice to go with a coffee. CFA members will also be there on the day to answer any and all fire-related questions. Entry to the markets is free and if you want to host a stall it will only cost you $10. This event is part of the Regional Centre for Culture; a year-long celebration of the four buzzing Victorian centres of Bendigo, Daylesford, Castlemaine and Maryborough. Find out more about all the events happening in the Regional Centre for Culture in 2018.

Wonder where Melbourne florists get their gorgeous peonies from? There’s a good chance they get them from Romswood, a working peony farm which you'll find in the town of Kerrie in the Macedon Ranges. Located about an hour from inner city Melbourne, Romswood Peony Farm is currently in the height of blooming season and the farmers have decided to hold a couple of open days for the general public. Visitors will be able to explore the gardens and wander through fields and fields of blooming peonies. You can even pick your own bunch to take home with you.   Pack a picnic or tuck into the gourmet burgers, cakes and beverages available at the food stall. Plus, there will be live music and Parker’s Mini Circus to entertain the kids. Romswood Peony Farm will be open Nov 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25 from 11am to 4pm. Tickets cost $10 for adults and kids under 18 are free.

A group of passionate volunteers run this inner western market (formerly known as the Maribyrnong Makers Market). Stallholders are all locals who share a passion for craft – whether that’s making jewellery, candles, cakes or toys.

Lygon Street is trading Italian pasta for Cypriot cheese this November. Over two days the strip famous for its Italian restaurants will play host to Halloumi Festival, a weekend celebrating the squeaky fried cheese. The Cyprus Community of Melbourne and Victoria is presenting the cheesy event, with a selection of halloumi dishes to devour. Grab a tasting plate from the Kantina kitchen, a glass of wine and enjoy the music and dancing. There will also be a display showing the way halloumi has been made for centuries (predominantly by women who passed the technique down generations). Included in the ticket price is your tasting plate and a glass of wine, as well as a recipe book on how to cook with halloumi. Come celebrate on of the only cheeses that (as the organisers put it) you can cook with fire.

When was the last time you hung out at the Abbotsford Convent? This spring the convent is giving you plenty of reasons to revisit, with a massive open day.  There is a program of live music, including Cool Out Sun, Senegambian Jazz Band, hip hop duo Aaron Choulai x Daichi Yamamoto and more. There will also be DJs playing a mix of, soul, reggae, dub and global music, with the discs spinning until 9pm on Saturday night.  Dancing certainly makes you hungry and thirsty, so there will be plenty of outdoor bars, market pop-ups and food trucks, including Taiwanese street food by Ghost Kitchen and the much‐loved Taco Truck. Get sweet treats at Billy van Creamy, including a flavour specially made for the convent. The convent's regular monthly markets – the Slow Food Market Farmers' Market and the Vegan Market of Melbourne – will also have a presence. Fancy a bit of art? Design Space market will be showcasing homewares, ceramics, jewellery, clothing, prints and more. And sister market Print Space will offer prints, artists' books and publications by the likes of Perimeter, Matters Journal, Uro Publishing, West Space and c3 Contemporary Art Space. Dog Photog Studios will be on hand to take pictures of four-legged visitors, dressed as everything from artists to sailors.  There will also be art installations, exhibitions, participatory art projects and open studios for people to watch makers at work.  There will also be free yoga, tai chi and meditation, as well as activities for the

How much do you know about your body, really? You know how it feels and acts, but what's going on beneath your skin? How do muscles, tendons and bone connect, how do they work together to help you move, and what happens when illness or injury prevents your body from working as it should? Body Worlds: Vital is an exhibition that will help you better understand your body and the way it works. An educational exhibit about human anatomy, it features 150 real human bodies, which have been 'plastinated' and put on display. There are whole bodies, individual organs and transparent 'body slices' that demonstrate the human body in all its forms – healthy, diseased and everywhere in between.  All of the specimens have been voluntarily donated for this express purpose, and the process of donation has been thoroughly documented.  The exhibition also includes an 'anatomical mirror', where visitors can see where organs are positioned within their own bodies. Visitors can also learn tips as to how to keep their bodies in alignment, see detailed brain scans to better understand diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, and read detailed infographics explaining systems of the body. The exhibition has travelled the world, having been seen by more than 40 million people in 130 countries. 

Get your party pants on, it's time to get wild at the zoo.  Melbourne Zoo is hosting a series of Saturday 'block parties' in November. You can boogie with the bears, dance with the dingoes and sashay with the seals from 6-9pm at the zoo.  The twilight sessions will include DJ sets from Animals Dancing, video projections from ACMI's permanent collection, food trucks, cocktails, carousel rides and lawn games.  What kind of lawn games? Giant Jenga and outdoor Twister will be on offer, and you can also challenge your mates to a game of Mario Kart on Nintendo 64. You can also take a spin through the National Geographic 50 Greatest Wildlife Photographs exhibition to see jaw-dropping pictures of nature.  Tickets are $20, and there are only 300 available for each block party. They're likely to sell out, so get in quick. 

Arts Centre Melbourne isn't only great for the odd show or even for a meal and a tipple at The Barre, every Sunday the grounds of the arts precinct's hub comes alive with market stalls selling everything from handmade leather wallet to locally made art by the city's designers and small business owners.  Situated a short walk away from Flinders Street Station, everything on offer at the market has been locally made, and the market also features a great range of food stalls if you want to shake up your Sunday brunch. Head over to the Arslan gozleme stall for some Turkish pastry layered with delicious spicy lamb or cheese and spinach, or make a stop at the poffertjes stall for some  Dutch pancakes.

Mornington Peninsula’s Vinehop festival returns this year to once again celebrate beer, wine and cider. Hop-on-hop-off shuttles will take you to over 10 venues in the region. Each bus stop will provide beverage tastings, live music and food trucks along the way.  The event is split over two days called Vinehop Saturday and Posthop Sunday. The Saturday is more like a pub-crawl and the Sunday is the recovery day. Sunday there is only one venue, a band and degustation picnic. Vinehop is on Saturday November 17 and Sunday November 18. Bring some cash to purchase food and extra drinks. Ticket options will be announced soon.

East Malvern’s leafy Central Park will be packed with stalls selling Victorian gourmet produce, food trucks, craft beers and local wines at the second annual East Malvern Food and Wine Festival.  Melbourne restaurants will open pop-up stalls for the one-day festival on Sunday, November 18, and you'll be able to sample wines from wineries scattered across Victoria’s northwestern region including Turners Crossing, Red Edge, Linnaea Vineyards and more. You can also get amongst tastings from Four Pillars gin and Mr Black cold brew coffee liqueur.  Peckish? Dive into food from Richmond Oysters and Seafood Tapas, Rivera Wine Store, Nepal Dining, Assaggi Italani, 48h Pizza Gnocchi and more. You can even stock the Christmas pantry early with locally produced cheeses, gourmet condiments and Christmas puds. Entertainment comes by way of Alex Hughes Dou, Tanya George Trio and Nicky Kurta Trio.  The festival is a family-friendly event – kids can check out roving entertainers and pick up a few tricks from a visiting master magician's classes. Bring the fur kids, too – the Canine Wellness Truck will be offering healthy treats for your #cleaneating pooch.  Entry to the event is free, but wine tasting packages are available from $20. 

In 2018 the Dja Dja Wurrung are celebrating five years since the Recognition Settlement Agreement was signed with the state government of Victoria. The agreement acknowledges the Dja Dja Wurrung as the traditional owners of central Victoria, granting the Djaara (Dja Dja Wurrung people) more opportunities and access when it comes to managing their country. To celebrate the five-year anniversary of the agreement coming into effect, the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation is hosting Yapenya: a new ceremony featuring songs and dances created specifically for the event. Yapenya (which means place of song and dance in Dja Dja Wurrung language) is a free event happening at Rosalind Park, Bendigo. Come share in this celebration of new songs, dance and ceremony.   

On the third Saturday of March, May, September and November, the regional town of Newstead (a 15 minute drive from Castlemaine) hosts a community market to help raise funds for the Country Fire Authority. As well as supporting the men and women protecting us from bushfires, the markets are also a great way to pick up handmade goods from local creatives. At the long-running market you can find books, plants, clothes, tools, craft and produce straight out of the backyard. As with most markets in Australia the highlight will be the barbecue, which in this case will be run by the CFA. Pick up cold drink, a sausage sanga or maybe a homemade cake or slice to go with a coffee. CFA members will also be there on the day to answer any and all fire-related questions. Entry to the markets is free and if you want to host a stall it will only cost you $10. This event is part of the Regional Centre for Culture; a year-long celebration of the four buzzing Victorian centres of Bendigo, Daylesford, Castlemaine and Maryborough. Find out more about all the events happening in the Regional Centre for Culture in 2018.

Wonder where Melbourne florists get their gorgeous peonies from? There’s a good chance they get them from Romswood, a working peony farm which you'll find in the town of Kerrie in the Macedon Ranges. Located about an hour from inner city Melbourne, Romswood Peony Farm is currently in the height of blooming season and the farmers have decided to hold a couple of open days for the general public. Visitors will be able to explore the gardens and wander through fields and fields of blooming peonies. You can even pick your own bunch to take home with you.   Pack a picnic or tuck into the gourmet burgers, cakes and beverages available at the food stall. Plus, there will be live music and Parker’s Mini Circus to entertain the kids. Romswood Peony Farm will be open Nov 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25 from 11am to 4pm. Tickets cost $10 for adults and kids under 18 are free.