Two First Nations models blowing kisses at camera backstage at a runway.
Photograph: @melbfashionweek | ganbu marra Runway at Melbourne Fashion Week
Photograph: @melbfashionweek

Things to do in Melbourne in October

Your ultimate guide to all the fun things to do, eat, drink, see and experience this month

Alyssa Forato
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We've reached the pointy end of the year, which means daylight savings are here, our calendars are filling up real quick, and there are lots of exciting events in store! Halloween is less than four weeks away, which means it's basically Christmas. So, let's dive into some highlights, shall we?

October is for the fashionistas. Melbourne Fashion Week is back for another year of creativity, inclusivity, and plenty of inspiration to add to our shopping wishlists. The premium runways are always a hit and offer a sneak peak into what the commercial brands like Aje, Bianca Spender, Elka Collective and Oroton will be rolling out in stores for the upcoming seasons. There's also going to be a runway at Revs?! Kind of iconic, if you ask me (and the only time you'll catch me there, tbh).

But that's not all! Some beloved online-only Australian brands are hosting pop-ups in Melbourne this month. Tild's effortlessly cool aesthetic will be heading to Gertruse St from October 4 to November 1. If you like plaid and whimsy (who doesn't?!), Katharina Lou is taking over Fitzroy for just over a week with a pop-up shop, girl dinner, scavenger hunt and collaboration with Masses Bagels. And then we've got Itadaki, the Sydney-based brand crafting Japanese-inspired garments that are equal parts edgy and elegant – they'll also be coming to Fitzroy from October 16-25. One lucky suburb indeed.

If you're looking for something fun and free to do in Melbourne, the Rebel Heart: Love Letters and Other Declarations exhibition is still going on at the State Library of Victoria. I brought my partner along with me for a cute day date. We started off at the Flinders St photobooth, then wandered up and meandered through the exhibition. Afterwards, we sat on the steps of the library and wrote each other love letters of our own. Soppy? Perhaps. But a wholesome, sentimental date indeed!

Hoping for a dose of performing arts? A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical is still going strong. Or, if you want to see the dark side of the ballet, there's Dracula: ballet at its Darkest, the centuries-old story of the world’s most famous vampire and turns it into a tragedy told through dance.

So, what are you waiting for? We'll see you out there!

Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.

Keen to make the most of the spring? Here are the best places in Victoria to see wildflowers.

Melbourne events in October

  • Things to do
  • Southbank
If your trick-or-treating days are behind you, what better way to spend Halloween this year than returning to the world of Disney’s haunting classic, Edward Scissorhands. Tim Burton’s 1990 tale of a man-made creature with shears for hands is back on the big screen – and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is performing the eerie score live.  Landing at Hamer Hall from October 30-31, Edward Scissorhands Live in Concert brings Danny Elfman’s acclaimed score to life under the baton of Nicholas Buc – delivering a perfectly spooky soundtrack for All Hallows’ Eve.  In the lead-up, there’s plenty happening in Melbourne that feels straight out of Peg Boggs’ pastel suburbia or Edward’s gloomy hilltop castle.  Throw some axes at Maniax Turn your hands into blades a la Edward’s scissorhands with a session at Maniax Axe Throwing. It’s more target practice than hedge trimming but you’ll be able to channel your inner Edward.  Skate at O’Brien Ice House Is there a movie scene more memorable (or romantic) than when Edward’s ice carving creates a flurry of snow that falls over Winona Ryder’s Kim? Recreate the magic at O’Brien Ice House while you glide around the rink and feel like you’re inside the movie. Go on, we know you want to.  Step into a magical world at Storyville Bar Slip into a fairytale at StoryVille Bar, where you can perch in golden birdcages, lounge under a huge tree or by a Narnian fireplace and feel like you’ve wandered into the pages of a Brothers Grimm story.  Get a fresh...
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  • Things to do
  • Food and drink
  • Melbourne
  • Recommended
What do you get when you cross cheese with high tea? You get High Cheese – an indulgent cheese-centric experience returning to the Westin Melbourne for its third year. Taking over the hotel’s Allegro Restaurant from May 26 to October 17, this ever-popular event sees executive chef Apoorva Kunte joining forces with Richmond specialty cheese shop Supercheese, plus Punt Road Wines for a celebration of cheese and wine. High Cheese gives your traditional high tea a delicious spin with a three-tiered menu that shines the spotlight on cheese. Think sweet and savoury bites with expertly paired wines – all designed to showcase the versatility of great (or should we say, ‘grate’?) fromage. It’s a brie-lliant excuse to spend an afternoon grazing. Supercheese owner Jeremy Spradbery has selected cheeses for their quality, provenance and personality, drawing from niche local and international producers. Guests will move through a  progression of creations by chef Kunte, including a shared centrepiece and a final sweet offering, paired with a glass of Punt Road wine. “Supercheese has an incredible eye for producers with real character,” says Kunte. “For us, it’s about showcasing cheese in a way that feels elevated, unexpected and true to the ingredient.” To keep things fresh, the experience will evolve mid-season with a refreshed menu launching in August – which gives you a gouda reason to return. High Cheese at Allegro Restaurant is available every Tuesday to Saturday from 5pm onwards...
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  • Things to do
  • Fairs and festivals
  • Melbourne
  • Recommended
Get ready to ‘Turn Towards the Heat’ because that’s the theme for this year's Melbourne Fringe Festival. Returning from September 29 to October 18, it’s three weeks of audacious art, kooky performance and out-there experiences at venues across Melbourne and beyond.  Best of all, it gives independent artists a platform to experiment, take risks and tell stories from the margins.  Given this year’s theme, expect boundary-pushing performances and genre-defying works that challenge expectations and spark curiosity. And it all kicks off with the Opening Night Gala at the Capitol Theatre on September 29, hosted by Michelle Brasier.  Celebrating its 10th season, Deadly Fringe showcases bold new First Nations work. Don't miss Dhandha/Campfire by Joel Bray Dance, a free participatory installation at Fed Square combining light, sound, sculpture and daily performance rituals around a sculptural campfire. Also look out for Ocker by Na Djinang Circus, a free roving circus spectacular, and Estuary by Ngioka Bunda-Heath, a dance duet exploring identity and connection to Country. Accessibility takes centre stage with Radical Access, which challenges artists to rethink how art can be made and experienced. Among the highlights is Manifesto of Silences by Irene Holub, a deaf-led work that combines sign language, movement, projection and immersive sound to explore deaf histories. The Passport program allows you to travel the world without leaving Melbourne. Featuring international artists...
  • Things to do
  • Fairs and festivals
  • Melbourne
  • Recommended
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...
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  • Musicals
  • Melbourne
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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...
  • Dance
  • Ballet
  • Melbourne
Theatregoers, ballet fans and lovers of all things gothic, there’s a union of all your interests out there, and it’s making a bloody return to Melbourne this September and October. Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest takes the centuries-old story of the world’s most famous vampire and turns it into a tragedy told through dance. The Australian-made BIG Live production has played sold-out seasons in London’s West End, Edinburgh, San Francisco and Singapore, breaking the all-time record for the largest attended single production of Australian-made ballet. But it’s back on familiar hunting grounds now, and will spread its tale of dark romance and bloodlust, thanks to acclaimed performances by an alumni cast. That starring cast includes returning performers Ervin Zagidullin as Dracula and Abbey Hansen as Mina Harker, supported by renowned guest artist Adamzhan Bakhtiyar as Dracula in select performances. They’re choreographed by BIG Live Co-Founder Joel Burke, who, with Dracula, wanted to create a ballet that could be enjoyed by veteran and newcomer audiences alike. And as for the music, core to any ballet show, Dracula is scored by the Emmy Award-winning composer Jason Fernandez, and features classical works from maestros like Bach, Rachmaninov, Mozart, Mendelssohn and Debussy. The performance will play at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne from September 10-19, and after a brief Sydney stint, again from October 1-25. Expect fiery passion, bared teeth, captivating physicality and the...
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  • Musicals
  • Prahran
It's time to don your sharpest business suit once again, because American Psycho – The Musical is back. After a sell-out 2025 season, this blood-spattered cult hit returns to Chapel Off Chapel from October 29, inviting audiences into the twisted mind of Patrick Bateman – the Wall Street golden boy who's as obsessed with status as he is with murder. Although set in the money-obsessed Manhattan of the 1980s and based on Bret Easton Ellis's infamous novel, the razor-sharp musical is seen through a 2026 lens. It holds up a mirror to our current world where status and success, capitalism and consumerism have such a strong hold over us. Conor Beaumont (recently seen in Heathers the Musical) reprises his acclaimed lead performance alongside a stellar cast of Australian musical theatre talent, including Mia Dabkowski-Chandler, Alexandra Cashmere, Harley Dasey, Jake Ameduri, Jordan Twigg and more. Directed by Mark Taylor (Next to Normal), the show blends a razor-sharp book by Riverdale’s Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa with an atmospheric score by Grammy and Tony winner Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening). Plus, there’s a banging '80s score peppered with hits from Phil Collins, Tears for Fears, New Order and Huey Lewis and the News. American Psycho – The Musical is showing at Chapel Off Chapel from October 29 to November 14. Find out more and get your tickets here. For more show-stopping numbers, check out the best productions in Melbourne this month.
  • Things to do
  • Food and drink
  • Melbourne
Prepare to enter the pearly gates of doughnut heaven, sweet Melburnians. Queen Victoria Market's free Donut Festival is making its delicious return on October 17 and 18. Back by popular demand, Melbourne's most dough-licious creators and bakers are returning this spring, with new faces and plenty more sugary delights that will have all your cravings satisfied. Find everything from hot cinnamon doughnuts and iced numbers, to jam donuts, mochi bites and loukomades. This free weekend-long fest is all about indulging in everybody's favourite deep-fried treat, whether you like yours simple and iced or loaded with decadent toppings. There will also be  roving performers, live entertainment, plenty of coffee and fun activations to keep the sugar high going. The Donut Festival is happening from 9am to 4pm, so all you need to do is head to the C and D sheds (Peel Street end) with your mates and a will to indulge.  For more info, head to the Queen Vic Market website. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. Still hungry? These are the best restaurants in Melbourne right now.
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  • Things to do
  • Fairs and festivals
  • Melbourne
It stretches 242 kilometres from the Yarra Ranges to Port Phillip Bay, winds through the heart of Melbourne and is home to an abundance of wildlife. Originally referred to as Birrarung, it became known as the Yarra River in the 1830s after a surveyor reportedly misunderstood local Aboriginal people saying ‘Yarro Yarro’, meaning ‘it flows’. For generations, it has been central to the lives and culture of the Wurundjeri and Bunurong Boonwurrung peoples. Yes, we’re talking about the Yarra River/Birrarung, whose catchment is home to more than one-third of Victoria’s population. And to celebrate it, Birrarung Riverfest is returning for a fourth year. Running from September 27 to October 18, it features more than 70 free events along the river, from Warburton to Westgate Park. And who better to champion the cause than comedian, author and broadcaster Sammy J, this year’s Riverfest ambassador.  Highlights from the program include an Open Day at Wandersloe Sanctuary and riverside picnic with Yarra riverkeepers on September 27, learn-to-paddle sessions for schoolkids on September 29, an eight-kilometre walk along the Birrarung on September 30, and an evening walk at Finn’s Reserve on October 2 to spot the elusive platypus. There’s also an opportunity to plant indigenous groundcovers and shrubs on October 4. And that’s just week one. Sammy J will MC and perform at River Rhythms, a singer-songwriter competition in Warburton on September 27, before leading the Big Birrarung Paddle on...
  • Things to do
  • Fairs and festivals
  • Melbourne
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...
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