Royal Exhibition Building & Carlton Gardens

The Big Design Market returns to Melbourne with it's latest edition, easing us into the coldest season with plenty of pretty wares that'll warm our souls. The Royal Exhibition Building is set to be transformed into a shopper's haven for three big days in May for the market's 'Almost Winter' iteration, where shoppers will wander through a forest filled with twinkling lights as they browse stalls.  From May 24 to 26, you can peruse more than 200 stallholders from Australia and New Zealand selling ethically made ceramics, jewellery, homewares, clothing, lifestyle products, stationery, limited-edition art prints, pet wares and so much more. Plus, at midday on the second day of the event there's a full-on fashion show, with a choreographed parade showcasing more than 20 local designers.  All that shopping can be hungry work, so fuel up with treats from some of the country's best culinary connoisseurs, including the likes of Wonder Pies, La Tortilleria, Casa Nata, That's Amore Cheese, Claw and Tail, Wonderbao, Mork Chocolate and Billy Van Creamery. On the beverage front, St Ali will be slinging coffee to keep your energy levels up, while Pizzini Wines, Penni Ave Distillery, Marnong Estate Wines, Molly Rose Brewery and Archie Rose Distilling Co will be on hand to whip up something a tad stronger.  This time around, shoppers will also be treated to the vibrant works of Indigenous artist Emma Hollingsworth, with her brand Mulganai featuring contemporary Aboriginal art as the market's

Calling all fromage freaks: the team behind beloved booze festival Pinot Palooza has announced the return of Mould Cheese Festival. Since 2017, this tasty fest has been serving up a brie-lliant line-up of local cheesemakers, and for 2024, it's set to be bigger and funkier than ever before.  From June 28-29, Carlton's Royal Exhibition Building will be chock-full of Australia's finest producers. Whether you prefer tart blue-veined varieties and oozy camembert or hard cheddars and nutty gruyères, we can guarantee there will be something up your alley here. This year's line-up will showcase 100 varieties than span hard to soft, textured to earthy, strong to mild, with creamy raw milk curd nuggets and everything in between.  Event founder, Revel CEO Dan Sims says: "Over the years, this festival has really won the hearts of cheese lovers all over Australia. Their passion for cheese — and for getting behind local cheese makers — is our passion too, and it’s this enthusiasm that has pushed us all to go big and aim even higher this year, reimagining what Mould can be." Fan of the rare and exclusive? This year's events will also give cheese lovers special access to "The Grate Cheese Commission" — an exciting selection of artisan cheeses created solely for the festival and unavailable elsewhere. Tickets include a turn at all cheese tastings, a swanky cooler bag for keeping all your cheeses at the perfect temp, and a wine glass to take home (and taste from – sessions include matched wi