Overview
Melbourne's eclectic calendar of activities might bubble all year round, but it takes on a new level of excitement once the summertime heat arrives. Of course, there's no shortage of peaceful destinations to soak up the warmth or simmer down in the shade, whether in the pool or by the beach. Yet things get even more interesting when you add live sport, stage shows, food festivals and fashion exhibitions to your weekend agenda.
When you're keen to make the most of the long, hot and sunny days, there are few better places than Melbourne. While the city is renowned for its cultural happenings, it's also a world-leading hub for sports lovers, meaning you don't have to choose one or the other this summer. Instead, check out these enlightening events, then head to the KFC Big Bash League with your best pals to finish your day with some fireworks.
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Launch into the Christmas holidays with a heart-pounding clash between the Melbourne Renegades and the Perth Scorchers at Marvel Stadium. Held on Monday, December 23, an enormous crowd of loyal supporters will be in the house supporting the Renegades, as they look to get revenge over the Scorchers for last season’s loss.
With live music, fireworks and drama-filled action whipping up the crowd into a frenzy, heading to the Big Bash League guarantees a sporting spectacle.
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Sister Act: A Divine Musical Comedy is showing now at the Regent Theatre. The Sister Act musical features original tunes, with Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid) doing the honours. The production follows Deloris, who witnesses a murder and has to go into protective custody. Her hideout: a convent. It’s there that the nightclub singer finds a struggling choir, which she begins to help. For the Australian run — which is answering prayers in Sydney, too — Casey Donovan (& Juliet) is leading the cast, while Genevieve Lemon (Billy Elliot) co-stars as Mother Superior.
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It’s no secret Melburnians are a passionate bunch about sport. So, when the Stars Derby descends on the MCG on Saturday, January 4, it’s bound to be a raucous affair both from the stands and on the pitch. With the underdog Renegades claiming two wins from two last season, the Stars are itching for a victory against their bitter rivals.
Live entertainment at the event is none other than Synthony, the dance anthem act fantastically colliding a live orchestra with DJs, vocalists, and the biggest EDM bangers you know and love.
With a huge crowd catching all the action, getting your closest friends organised and showing your loyalties in fiery Renegades red or bright Stars green means you’re bound to get caught up in the excitement.
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In 2019, a horrible goose wandered around a quiet village, then chaos ensued — and instigating it became one of the most-entertaining ways to mash buttons. Untitled Goose Game first released in September that year. The Aussie screen museum is hosting a world-premiere exhibition dedicated to the title. Honk! Untitled Goose Exhibition features different versions of the game from its various development stages that you can play, plus sketches, concept art and design material for attendees to check out. It’s going to be a lovely five months in Federation Square from Tuesday, September 17, 2024–Sunday, February 16, 2025.
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It’s that glorious time of year again, when cherries are ripe for the pickin’. CherryHill Orchards is hosting its annual cherry-picking festival, running until late December at its Coldstream location, and until early-January at its OG Wandin East orchard. Booking in for a cherry-picking timeslot means getting two hours to pick and eat your fill of delicious fruit straight from the tree, with any extra take-home haul charged by the kilogram. Adult tickets clock in at $21.50 on weekdays, and $25 on weekends and public holidays, with packages and extras available to add on at the time of booking.
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Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum invites visitors into the world of First Nations fashion and textile design. Piinpi: Contemporary Indigenous Fashion runs until January 19, 2025 and reveals the depth and diversity of cultures across Australia. The title of the exhibition, Piinpi, is an expression from the Kanichi Thampanyu people (East Coast Cape York Peninsula) that reflects ‘seasonal changes’ and regeneration of Country.
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Put a jig in your step and head over to The Quiet Man Irish Pub as they welcome back fan favourites Double Shot Maggie. Once a month, you can catch this quintessential Irish rock band with a high energy punk flavour. Entry is free, leaving you more gold coins for a pub feed and a pint.
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Keeping your emotions in check won’t be easy as the next instalment of the Renegades Derby turns up the heat in the Big Bash League. As cross-town rivals Melbourne Renegades take on Melbourne Stars, these long-standing foes have gone toe-to-toe since the league’s foundation. With bragging rights up for grabs and live music from Australian DJ Cyril, this January 12 match is the best time to attend as the bowling gets faster and the swinging harder when local pride gets put on the line.
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Over the past 47 years, in this very galaxy, how much Star Wars merchandise has been collected? Not even a Jedi could probably give a definitive number. Making its Australian premiere, The Fans Strike Back: Exhibition doesn’t answer that question either, but it is giving fans of the space-opera franchise a glimpse at a hefty range of Star Wars memorabilia — one of the planet’s largest private collections of replicas, in fact.