The Winter Village

Overview

UPDATE: AUGUST 1, 2019 — Because a magical wonderland filled with igloos, a skating rink and faux snow isn't quite enough already, The Winter Village is adding on another feature: a wine fountain. Yes, shiraz and rosé cascading gloriously from two taps is a thing you can now enjoy at Fed Square. But, only for a limited time. The boozy fountain — filled with wine from Victoria's St Huberts the Stag that you pour yourself for $11-12 — is taking over the Village's mega igloo for the month of August. If you prefer your wine hot, you'll be happy to know that the igloo will also be home to a mulled wine pop-up (it's $12 a glass). It's open every Thursday–Saturday night. For more info, head to the website.

This winter, Melbourne's Federation Square will transform into a magical wonderland to celebrating the chilly season for all its frosty glory; meaning one of Australia's cooler cities is about to get even more so.

From May until the end of September, Skyline Terrace at Federation Square (aka the top of the carpark) will host The Winter Village — a pop-up modelled on your typically picturesque European winter market. With an ice rink, an igloo village, a mega igloo dining hall (where it snows inside on the hour), city views, and plenty of faux snow, it'll be a quaint wintery escape in the very heart of Melbourne.

Dust off those skates and hit the ice, hire a private igloo where you can wine and dine in cosy solace or get festive listening to local DJs, bar-hop at the pop ups or dine inside the mega igloo where you can feast on pizza, grazing boxes and "the best fried cheese sandwich in Melbourne". There'll be espresso martinis on tap, too.

The frozen oasis will be open daily and free to enter, although ice skating, igloo hire and a couple of winter warming bevs will come at a cost. A full lineup of events and activities will be released later this month — we'll keep you posted.

The Winter Village will be open from 12pm Monday–Thursday and 11am Friday–Sunday.