Light Up Melbourne Festival

Overview

The Yarra will be transformed thanks to a hefty dose of colour next month, as it scores a brand new autumn light festival and market. In a nod to the lantern festivals of Asia, Light Up Melbourne will descend on Birrarung Marr's Lower Terrace from April 6–9, seeing it come alive with huge custom-built lanterns and a multicultural array of market stalls.

Nine striking light installations will be installed by the river, including the hero creation: a 27-metre-long work dubbed Eternal Dragon. In between the lanterns, you can expect a jam-packed lineup of cultural performances, main stage entertainment and even a mini amusement park. And, of course, there'll be plenty of great Asian-inspired eats to help set the mood, with a solid selection of market and food stalls, including a Little Sichuan zone dedicated to the Chinese region's gutsy fare. Expect it to be like a smaller version of the Night Noodle Markets.

The market is free to enter, and will run from 11am–11pm on Saturday and 11am–10pm on Sunday, then for dinner from 5–10pm on the Monday and Tuesday.

Second image: Kimberley May Moore.