Midsumma Carnival 2018

As always, Melbourne's summer celebration of queer and LGBTQIA+ culture starts off with a bang with its annual Midsumma Carnival in Alexandra Gardens. There'll be 11 hours of live music and entertainment on the main stage, heaps of food stalls and bars, plus the return of the Midsumma Dog Show which is just an absolute delight. Then, once the sun starts to set, the park will be transformed into one enormous dance floor, with DJs and artists performing well into the night, led by Aussie hip-hop artist Miss Blanks. It's the perfect way to get into the Midsumma mood — and best of all, it's 100 percent free.