The Best Things to Do in Melbourne This Month Under $20
You don't have to spend your salary to enjoy this city.
Getting out and about in Melbourne is, at a glance, an expensive escapade — the cost of a stadium show regularly hits us for six. But if you do a little research, you'll unearth quite the cornucopia of affordable events, from film screenings to exhibitions, outdoor markets to parties. All under $20, these top quality events won't exactly empty your wallet. One cheeky lobster will gain you entry to some exceptional culture, so spend your money wisely and get amongst it.
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Event
Free Messina and 8-Bit Burgers
Tuesday, October 23 - Monday, November 19, 2018
Various venues, Various locations
Tuck into free burgers and gelato for one more week (or year, if you're lucky).
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Event
Fenton & Fenton Warehouse Sale
Friday, October 26 - Sunday, October 28, 2018
Fenton & Fenton Warehouse, Oakleigh South
Get up to 80 percent off beautiful designer homewares this weekend.
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Event
Invert 2.0 Mini Living
Wednesday, October 17 - Friday, October 26, 2018
The Hellenic Museum, Melbourne
This free exhibition and architecture talks series looks at how we might be living in Melbourne in the near future.
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Event
Four Pillars Christmas Pop-Up Store & Bar
Friday, October 19 - Monday, December 24, 2018
Myer Melbourne, Melbourne
Shop for gin while sipping G&Ts.
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Event
Dolce House Gelato Giveaway
Friday, October 26 and Saturday, October 27, 2018
Dolce House Gelato, Moonee Ponds
To celebrate the launch of its new Moonee Ponds store, Dolce House is giving away 500 free scoops of gelato.
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Event
Darebin Music Feast
Thursday, October 18 - Sunday, October 28, 2018
Various locations across the City of Darebin
Over 100 parties, gigs and film screenings held all across this vibrant pocket of Melbourne's north
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Event
Federation Square Rock Wall
Saturday, October 20 - Sunday, October 21, 2018
Federation Square, Melbourne
Scale a tall wall in the middle of the city.
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Event
MPavilion x Christopher Boots Halloween Ball
Saturday, October 27, 2018
MPavilion, Melbourne
A bioluminescence-themed Halloween party within the Queen Vic Gardens' pop-up structure.
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Event
Rigg Design Prize 2018
Friday, October 12, 2018 - Sunday, February 24, 2019
The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Melbourne
Ten intricately designed rooms arrive at the NGV for Australia's leading interior design competition.
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Event
Ceramiques Camberwell's Free Pottery Classes
Monday, October 22 - Sunday, November 4, 2018
Céramiques Camberwell, Camberwell
Camberwell's new ceramics studio arrives with a fortnight of free classes.
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Event
Say Cheese Festival 2018
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Prahran Market, South Yarra
Prahran Market's day dedicated to cheese in all its forms.
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Event
Hophaus Annual Dachshund Race 2018
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Hophaus Bier Bar Grill, Southbank
See the tiny pups pump their stubby legs and donate some money to Dachshund Rescue Australia.
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Event
Free Serotonin Exercise Classes
Wednesday, October 10 - Thursday, October 11, 2018
Serotonin Eatery, Burnley
This Burnley cafe is hosting free biweekly workout classes for the rest of the year.
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Event
Polly Borland: Polyverse
Friday, September 28, 2018 - Sunday, February 3, 2019
The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Melbourne
See 60 works from one of Australia's most celebrated photographers — including portraits of Nick Cave and the Queen.
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Event
Dynamics of Air
Friday, September 14 - Saturday, November 17, 2018
RMIT Gallery, Melbourne
This group exhibition will explore how we consume air and — with climate change and population growth — how we might consume it in the future.
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Event
Pizza in the Park Party
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Victoria Gardens, Prahran
With free pizza, house-made soft drinks and games.
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Event
Open House Bendigo
Saturday, October 27 - Sunday, October 28, 2018
Various venues in Bendigo, Bendigo
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Event
White Night Geelong
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Geelong City Centre, Geelong
The festival of light arrives in Melbourne's cousin city.
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Event
Designing Women
Friday, September 28, 2018 - Sunday, March 24, 2019
NGV International, Melbourne
The NGV brings together its diverse range of female-designed works into a free dedicated exhibition.
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Event
Heide Makers' Market
Saturday, November 10, 2018 and Saturday, December 8, 2018
Heide Museum of Modern Art, Bulleen
Soak up the sun in Heide's sculpture park and peruse the handcrafted goods.
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Event
Holey Cheese Festival
Tuesday, October 23 - Sunday, October 28, 2018
Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne
Five days of cheesy goodness at Queen Victoria Market.
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Event
Garage Sale Trail 2018
Saturday, October 20 - Sunday, October 21, 2018
Various locations across Melbourne, Melbourne
Save your life's clutter from landfill or land yourself some bargains.
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Event
Hauntville
Friday, October 19 - Sunday, October 28, 2018
Burnley Circus Park, Burnley
This truly scary horror festival is coming to Melbourne for the first time.
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Event
Ken Unsworth: Truly, Madly
Friday, September 14, 2018 - Tuesday, February 19, 2019
The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Melbourne
The 87-year-old sculptor's first major Melbourne exhibition.
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Event
Oktoberfest at Hofbräuhaus
Saturday, September 22 - Saturday, October 27, 2018
Hofbräuhaus, Melbourne
Melbourne's German 'bierhall' is holding five weeks of beer festival shenanigans.
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Event
Hawker 88 Night Market
Wednesday, September 19, 2018, Wednesday, September 26, 2018, Wednesday, October 3, 2018 and Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne
A new Wednesday night hawker-style food market heroing mooncakes, Filipino food and durian.
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Event
American Masters 1940–1980
Friday, August 24 - Sunday, November 11, 2018
National Gallery of Australia, Parkes
The National Gallery of Australia will pull out works by Andy Warhol, Yoko Ono, Jackson Pollock and more.
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Event
MPavilion 2018
Monday, October 8, 2018 - Sunday, February 3, 2019
MPavilion, Melbourne
This year's amphitheatre-like temporary structure has two timber floating roofs and grass-covered grandstands and will host over 400 free events over summer.
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Event
Heath Ledger: A Life in Pictures
Friday, August 10, 2018 - Sunday, February 10, 2019
National Film And Sound Archive, Acton
The National Film and Sound Archive's exhibition celebrating the too-brief career of local boy Heath Ledger.
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Event
Murder Mystery Pub Trivia
Thursday, August 9, 2018, Thursday, September 6, 2018 and Thursday, October 11, 2018
The National Hotel, Richmond
Channel your inner Sherlock Holmes or Miss Marple at this free sinister trivia night.
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Event
Japonisme: Japan and the Birth of Modern Art
Friday, May 25 - Sunday, October 28, 2018
NGV International, Melbourne
The NGV draws on its collection to display 19th century art from Japan, as well as the European works it influenced.
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Event
The Fitzroy Mills
Saturday, November 25, 2017
The Fitzroy Mills, Fitzroy
A new Fitzroy market showcase a top selection of local food producers each Saturday.
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Event
Quick Bites Comedy
Monday, October 16, 2017
Boney, Melbourne
A free weekly comedy night at Boney.