Wednesday nights in Melbourne are known for one thing and one thing only: Queen Victoria Market’s legendary Night Market. With the summer iteration officially finished for the season, Queen Vic has announced it will be bringing back its insanely popular Asian night market to tide you over until the winter version takes over during the chilly season.
The Hawker 88 Night Market brings Asian tastes, sights and sounds to Queen Vic’s sheds. Running every Wednesday night from April 8 until May 6, a tasty variety of stalls and trucks will be set up to sell authentic street food direct from China, Vietnam, Korea, India, Malaysia, Japan and beyond.
There's a line-up of more than 25 vendors selling tasty street eats like chicken and beef satay, handmade gyoza, spicy laksa bowls, pad see ew, moreish popcorn fried chicken, crispy wonton tacos, matchamisu and even durian (if you dare!). Quench your thirst at The Lucky Horse Bar with an Iced Watermelon Shochu or a non-alcoholic Lychee Lemonade.
Across the five-week stint there will also be lion dances, KPop Demon Hunters performances, martial arts demonstrations, taiko drumming, Squid Game-inspired challenges, Bollywood dance workshops and a closing-night cosplay parade. There's even a Korean-style photobooth, vintage Japanese kimonos and souvenirs like custom keychains, bags and 3D printed toys to browse and buy.
Each Wednesday brings a distinct cultural focus. April 8 is Pan-Asian Night with lion dances; April 15 showcases the...
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There are a bunch of markets on, including the delicious Hawker 88 Night Market, which will take place across five weeks and spotlight the sights, sounds and (most importantly) flavours of Asia. Expect street food eats, live entertainment, market stalls and more. Over at the Royal Exhibition Building is the Makers and Shakers Market, featuring more than 185 stalls selling homewares, food and drink, art, accessories, ethical fashion and beauty products.
Melbourne Museum's blockbuster exhibition Rome: Empire, Power, People is finally here, and it offers a portal into Ancient Rome via more than 150 artefacts that reveal the power, spectacle and everyday life of the Roman Empire. Over at Arts Centre Melbourne, Heathers the Musical – based on the 1989 cult movie starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater – is bringing its killer wit and soundtrack to the stage.
And if you've got a tank full of petrol that you're not afraid to use, hit the road to check out the Sorrento Writers Festival, the Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival, the Australian Sand Sculpting Championships or the Tesselaar KaBloom Festival.
When in doubt, you can always rely on our catch-all lists of Melbourne's best bars, restaurants, museums, parks and galleries – you're welcome!
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