Five Things to Do This Summer When You Want to Spend All Day Outside
Sun's out, fun's out — here's where to make the most of the season's outdoor events.
Five Things to Do This Summer When You Want to Spend All Day Outside
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Sun's out, fun's out — here's where to make the most of the season's outdoor events.
How bloody great is summer? The sun is shining (most of the time), the nights are balmy and there are plenty of places around town to perch outside with a beer and while away an afternoon with friends. As summer kicks into full swing, there's no shortage of killer events happening around Melbourne. With a little help from our friends at Sunglass Hut, we've put together five things to do that are perfect for when you want to get outside and embrace the day. Crank out the linen shirt, make sure your water bottle is full and and pop on some shades to face your summer.
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The perfect pairing:
Over the past few years, Melbourne’s famed floating bar has become a summer staple — because soaking in the warm weather and partying on the Yarra clearly go hand-in-hand. Thankfully, Arbory Afloat has reclaimed its prime position in front of on-shore sister venue Arbory Bar & Eatery on the Yarra — and the bar is open every day from 11am–1pm until the end of summer. It’s even open on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.
This year, you can enjoy some extreme Miami aesthetics with palm trees, pastel hues and a 70s vibe, plus an upper deck, private cabanas and, if that’s not enough, an onboard swimming pool.
The bar’s open kitchen will be pumping out American-style woodfired pizzas, grilled meats, empanadas and lots of seafood — think oysters, ceviche and anchovies. You’ll also be able to sip your way through an extended rum menu, or take your pick from a curated gin offering.
Need new sunnies? Face summer head on with: Ray-Ban ($275).
Image: Simon Shiff.
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The perfect pairing:
Ever-popular one-day festival So Frenchy So Chic is waltzing back to Melbourne’s Werribee Park Mansion for its ninth year. If you haven’t been before, expect an entire afternoon of French-inspired joie de vivre, including (but not limited to) gourmet picnic hampers, good wine and croquet, all to a chill Frenchy soundtrack.
On the bill for 2020 is Corine and her brand of French disco-electronica, French pop royalty Lou Doillon playing tracks from her latest album, plus Senegal-born French folkster Tété, and Nouvelle Vauge, bringing their chilled-out covers of new wave hits to town for their third So Frenchy appearance.
There’ll be a huge banquet of seafood, charcuterie, pastries and more available on the day. And, of course, there’ll be plenty of Laurent Perrier Champagne, French beer, and rosé, red and whites wines as well.
Face summer head on with: Ray-Ban ($275).
Image: Liz Sunshine.
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The perfect pairing:
Now here’s a good way to make an entrance to a party: float in with a crew of 2000 boats. That’s exactly what the Inflatable Regatta is all about. Two-thousand blow-up boats will float for two kilometres down the Yarra on Saturday, February 1 then down the Maribyrnong on Saturday, February 29. Solo or with a mate, you’ll paddle down the river for about two hours before reaching the destination party.
Should you make it to the end, beers, food trucks and live music will be waiting for you (after all, what’s a regatta without a cold bev afterwards?). You can’t load your boat with beer, though — you may actually sink your vessel — and you can’t BYO vessel, either. Tickets cost $67 and include a life jacket and a waterproof bag for your stuff, and the boat, of course.
While the Inflatable Regatta has floated into Melbourne before — three times in fact — this is the first time it’ll be taking over two whole rivers. If you’re a keen bean, you could even sign up for both of them.
Face summer head on with: Oakley Frogskins ($234.95).
Image: Eugene Hyland.
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The perfect pairing:
BeerFest is set to descend on St Kilda’s Catani Gardens on Saturday, February 29, in a heady blaze of music, comedy, food and beer. For this year’s event, BeerFest will round up more than 40 artisanal breweries and deliver hundreds of craft drops, all alongside a stack of great ciders, cocktails and wines. You’ll finish off summer with tastings, food and beer matchings, and free, brewer-led masterclasses showcasing one-off creations.
While the brewer list is yet to be announced, last year’s event featured Melbourne’s Henry Street Brewhouse and Urban Alley Brewing, Sydney’s Young Henrys and Sauce Brewing Co, and the ACT’s BentSpoke.
What’s more, this little shindig also packs a serious punch in the entertainment department — Art vs Science will be headlining the whole thing. They’re also teaming up with Burnley Brewing and CryerMalt to create their own one-off beer, which you’ll be able to sample at the festival.
Face summer head on with: Ray-Ban ($215).
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The perfect pairing:
If you’re keen for a sunny day on the Yarra River, grab a GoBoat from Banana Alley near Flinders Street Station. Aimed at making the whole boating caper more accessible for everyday folk, the vessels are slow-moving, a breeze to operate and don’t require a boating licence, making for fuss-free sailing sessions. They also run on silent, pollution-free electric engines, and are made from recycled materials.
Each GoBoat clocks in at 18-feet long, boasting a central picnic table with room for eight people. Simply BYO food and drinks, find enough eager sailors to jump aboard and cough up less than $15 per person, per hour. You can book from one to six hours, with timeslots available in 15-minute increments from 11am. Yes, you can really make a whole day of it — just make sure the boat is back by sunset.
Oh, did we mention the boats are pet-friendly? Surely you’ve got a very good boy who deserves a river jaunt.
Face summer head on with: Prada ($440).
Image: Lean Timms.
Face your summer head on with new shades from Sunglass Hut.
Top image: Liz Sunshine.
