Melbourne's Best Wintry Events That Will Get You Out of the House Even When It's Freezing
Ditch your doona to do a spot of ice skating, peruse stalls at a European-style night market and lock yourself into a cosy fondue-filled 'igloo'.
Yes, we know: it's getting cold. Melbourne tends to get that way — and, really, the only thing you can do is try and cover every exposed part of your body in fleece and embrace it. It's business as usual on Melbourne's event calendar, with the city chock-a-block with winter-themed happenings worth waiting at a chilly tram stop for. The city has ice skating rinks, winter night markets and several venues with super cosy set-ups (fondue-filled igloos and crepe-hawking rooftops included).
You might have to pull out those gloves from the back of your sock drawer, pop your biggest scarf in the wash and wear your thickest, wooliest socks, but there will be a hot cup of boozy hot chocolate, mulled wine or steaming cider waiting for you.
Image: Queen Victoria Night Market.
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Event
Mulled Wine and Hot Cheese Party 2023
Sat, 3 Jun, 2023
Welcome to Thornbury, Northcote
Welcome to Thornbury's ever-popular food festival serves up a winning combination guaranteed to warm your cockles.
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Event
Mulled Wine and Hot Cheese Party 2022
Sat, 28 May, 2022
Welcome to Thornbury, Northcote
Welcome to Thornbury's ever-popular food festival serves up a winning combination guaranteed to warm your cockles.
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Event
Madame Brussels Lane European Night Market 2019
Multiple single dates
Madame Brussels Lane, Melbourne
Embrace winter with fried cheese, pierogi, gluten-free cannoli and mugs of warm mulled wine.
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Event
Winter Wonderlights at Sovereign Hill
Sat, 29 Jun - Sun, 21 Jul 2019
Sovereign Hill, Golden Point
Road trip to Ballarat for European night markets, large-scale light projections and 15-kilometres of fairy lights.
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Event
Winter Wine Fest
Sat, 8 Jun, 2019
Red Hill Recreation Reserve, Red Hill
A one-stop wine hotspot showcasing the Mornington Peninsula's best winemakers.
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Event
High Cheese 2019
Fri, 24 May - Tue, 31 Dec 2019
The Westin Melbourne, Melbourne
Swap cucumber sandwiches for gooey camembert this winter.
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Event
Port Fairy Winter Weekends 2019
Fri, 7 Jun - Sun, 21 Jul 2019
Port Fairy
Port Fairy is turning it on with live jazz, dachshund races and winter solstice swims.
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Event
Lulie & Rita's Sunday Pizza Party
Multiple single dates
Lulie Tavern, Abbotsford
Bottomless booze and all-you-can eat pizza to wrap up your weekend
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Event
Low Light Festival 2019
Fri, 3 May - Sun, 30 Jun 2019
Various locations in Queensclifff, Queenscliff
The eight-weekend celebration will bring the seaside town to life with film screenings, gigs, workshops and walks.
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Event
Whisky, Wine & Fire
Thu, 18 Jul - Sun, 21 Jul 2019
Caulfield Racecourse, Caulfield East
Sip whisky cocktails — and mugs of hot wine — as you explore many sculptures made from fire.
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Event
Queen Victoria Winter Night Market 2019
Multiple single dates
Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne
Melbourne's cosy outdoor situation of fondue, hot cider and lots of snow.
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Event
The Provincial Hotel's Winter Rooftop 2019
Sat, 1 Jun - Sun, 2 Jun 2019
The Provincial Hotel, Fitzroy
Embrace winter with a Deep South-style brunch on a Fitzroy rooftop.
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Event
Mulled Wine and Hot Cheese Party
Sat, 1 Jun, 2019
Welcome to Thornbury, Northcote
A combination guaranteed to warm your cockles.
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Event
Winter Igloo Garden 2019
Thu, 2 May - Sun, 1 Sep 2019
Auburn Hotel, Hawthorn East
Escape the winter chill inside a cosy igloo with cocktails and chocolate fondue.
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Event
The Winter Village
Fri, 3 May - Sun, 29 Sep 2019
Federation Square, Melbourne
A European-style winter village with an ice rink, private igloos and fried cheese.
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Event
WinterWild 2019
Multiple single dates
Apollo Bay Foreshore, Apollo Bay
Victoria's after-dark arts festival returns to the coastal town of Apollo Bay for two weekends in August.
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Event
White Night Reimagined 2019
Thu, 22 Aug - Sat, 24 Aug 2019
Various locations across Melbourne, Melbourne
This year, Melbourne's after-dark arts extravaganza is part of a three-day city-wide festival happening in winter.