The Best Free Things to Do in Melbourne This Summer

Swallow your disdain for crowds and curb your complaints about people who only go to exhibition openings for the complimentary drinks and get amongst these events, which you can attend gloriously cash-free.
Lauren Vadnjal
Published on December 21, 2018
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  • Event

    What's Your Story?

    Fri, 22 Feb 2019 and Fri, 1 Mar 2019 

    Various Melbourne locations, Melbourne

    Light installations have popped up around the city in a bid to change Melbourne's drinking culture.

  • Event

    RetroStar Warehouse Sale

    Sat, 23 Feb and Sun, 24 Feb 2019 

    RetroStar Vintage Clothing Warehouse, Brunswick

    Pick up bargains aplenty with 20,000 vintage tees, denim, hats and bags all under $10.

  • Event

    Chupa Chups Slurpee Giveaway

    Sat, 23 Feb, 2019

    7-Eleven Collins St, Melbourne

    7-Eleven's slinging Chupa Chups-inspired Slurpees for zero dollars — if you're quick enough.

  • Event

    Tanqueray Terrace

    Tue, 19 Feb - Sun, 17 Mar 2019

    Garden State Hotel, Melbourne

    A lush garden oasis in the CBD slinging frozen G&Ts.

  • Event

    Lavezzi Gelateria First Birthday

    Sat, 23 Feb, 2019

    Lavezzi Gelateria, Carlton

    The Lygon Street store is handing out free scoops of gelato and sorbet to celebrate its birthday.

  • Event

    South Yarra Flea Market

    Sun, 24 Feb 2019, Sun, 24 Mar 2019 and Sun, 14 Apr 2019 

    Bosozoku, South Yarra

    Score everything from books, antiques and bric-a-brac to vintage threads and must-have designer fashion at this new pop-up market.

  • Event

    Vertic Alley

    Fri, 8 Feb - Sun, 5 May 2019

    Imperial Hotel, Melbourne

    Sip potions, hang out in magic-themed booths and peruse spell books.

  • Event

    The Food Truck Festival 2019

    Wed, 20 Feb - Sun, 24 Feb 2019

    Melba Park, Lilydale

    Melba Park will be filled with food trucks for five nights.

  • Event

    Star Wars Trivia

    Mon, 18 Feb, 2019

    The Mill House, Melbourne

    The force is strong at this trivia contest.

  • Event

    Wandering Jungle Disco Plant Sale

    Wed, 6 Feb and Thu, 7 Feb 2019 

    The Mill Brewery, Collingwood

    After-dark plant sales in a Collingwood bar — with drinks and DJs.

  • Event

    Free Furphys

    Sat, 2 Feb and Sun, 3 Feb 2019 

    Federation Square, Melbourne

    Head down to Federation Square for a free brew.

  • Event

    Free Nutella Breakfast

    Tue, 5 Feb, 2019

    Brunetti, Melbourne

    Brunetti's Flinders Lane and Carlton stores are giving away free Nutella doughnuts, cannoli and croissants.

  • Event

    Box Hill Chinese New Year Festival 2019

    Sat, 2 Feb, 2019

    Box Hill Central, Box Hill

    Celebrate the new year with one of Melbourne's biggest Chinese communities.

  • Event

    Pimm's + Plants

    Sat, 9 Feb, 2019

    Bad Love Club, Footscray

    Footscray's Bad Love Club is hosting a one-day plant sale with booze and baked goods.

  • Event

    Chinese New Year Night Market

    Sat, 9 Feb, 2019

    Batman Market, Coburg

    Batman Market is throwing a CNY night market with dumplings, dancing and live music.

  • Event

    Chinatown New Year Festival 2019

    Sat, 2 Feb - Sun, 10 Feb 2019

    Chinatown Melbourne, Melbourne

    The nine-day festival features an outdoor cinema, pop-up hawker stalls, a lion parade and activities aplenty in the CBD.

  • Event

    Lunar New Year at the NGV

    Sat, 9 Feb, 2019

    NGV International, Melbourne

    Ring in the Chinese New Year with free workshops, gallery tours, music and food.

  • Event

    Murder Mystery Pub Trivia

    Thu, 7 Feb and Thu, 14 Mar 2019 

    The National Hotel, Richmond

    Channel your inner Sherlock Holmes or Miss Marple at this free sinister trivia night.

  • Event

    Aperol Tennis Club

    Fri, 4 Jan - Sun, 27 Jan 2019

    The Boatbuilders Yard, South Wharf

    Kick back in a deck chair with an Aperol spritz and watch the finals.

  • Event

    Weirdoughs' Ice Cream Giveaway

    Fri, 25 Jan, 2019

    Weirdoughs, Melbourne

    Beat the heat this Friday with a free scoop of vegan espresso martini (or eggplant and lavender) gelato.

  • Event

    Share the Spirit (Balit Narrun) Festival 2019

    Sat, 26 Jan, 2019

    Treasury Gardens, East Melbourne

    A free music festival in Treasury Gardens celebrating award-winning and up-and-coming Indigenous Australian artists.

  • Event

    Movies Under the Stars

    Thu, 7 Feb - Sat, 9 Feb 2019

    Point Park, Docklands

    Head down to the Docklands for three nights of free films by the river this summer.

  • Event

    Rooftop Yoga

    Sat, 19 Jan 2019, Sat, 2 Feb 2019 and Sat, 2 Mar 2019 

    Rooftop Bar, Melbourne

    Do a Saturday morning yoga class at Rooftop Bar.

  • Event

    Huge Indoor Plant Warehouse Sale: Rare Plant Party

    Sat, 19 Jan - Sun, 20 Jan 2019

    The Jungle Collective, Abbotsford

    Fill your home with new green babies from this warehouse sale.

  • Event

    Vitra 100 Miniatures

    Fri, 21 Dec 2018 - Fri, 25 Jan 2019

    Living Edge Melbourne Showroom, Richmond

    A curious German exhibition of classical chair designs is heading to Melbourne — and they're all fun-sized.

  • Event

    Quick Bites Comedy

    Mon, 16 Oct, 2017

    Boney, Melbourne

    A free weekly comedy night at Boney.

  • Event

    Sunset Sounds 2019

    Sun, 6 Jan 2019, Sun, 13 Jan 2019 and Sun, 20 Jan 2019 

    Various parks in Prahran and Malvern

    A series of free outdoors gigs held in parks across Melbourne. BYO picnic.

  • Event

    Ken Unsworth: Truly, Madly

    Fri, 14 Sep 2018 - Tue, 19 Feb 2019

    The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Melbourne

    The 87-year-old sculptor's first major Melbourne exhibition.

  • Event

    Designing Women

    Fri, 28 Sep 2018 - Sun, 24 Mar 2019

    NGV International, Melbourne

    The NGV brings together its diverse range of female-designed works into a free dedicated exhibition.

  • Event

    Frida Kahlo: Her Photos

    Sat, 8 Dec 2018 - Sun, 10 Feb 2019

    Bendigo Art Gallery, Bendigo

  • Event

    The MSO's 2019 Sidney Myer Free Concerts

    Fri, 8 Feb 2019, Sat, 16 Feb 2019 and Wed, 20 Feb 2019 

    Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne

    A Melbourne summertime tradition.

  • Event

    Polly Borland: Polyverse

    Fri, 28 Sep 2018 - Sun, 3 Feb 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.

  • Event

    Rigg Design Prize 2018

    Fri, 12 Oct 2018 - Sun, 24 Feb 2019

    The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Melbourne

    Ten intricately designed rooms arrive at the NGV for Australia's leading interior design competition.

  • Event

    Muir Architecture and Openwork: Doubleground

    Thu, 22 Nov 2018 - Sun, 24 Mar 2019

    Grollo Equiset Garden, NGV International, Melbourne

    As the 2018 NGV Architecture Commission, this sleek bamboo garden, maze and deck will sit in the gallery's Grollo Equiset Garden.

  • Event

    Festival21

    Sat, 2 Feb, 2019

    Meat Market, Melbourne

    A festival on the future of food.

  • Event

    St Kilda Festival 2019

    Sun, 10 Feb, 2019

    St. Kilda, St Kilda

    A free multi-stage music festival by the beach.

  • Event

    The Garden of Forking Paths

    Wed, 7 Nov 2018 - Sun, 17 Feb 2019

    Buxton Contemporary, Southbank

    See two artists' worlds collide at this compelling exhibition.

  • Event

    Breathe. Sweat. Stretch. Free

    Sat, 17 Nov 2018 - Wed, 27 Mar 2019

    Grollo Equiset Garden, NGV International, Melbourne

    The NGV, in collaboration with Lululemon, is hosting free fitness and yoga classes in its garden this summer.

  • Event

    MPavilion 2018

    Mon, 8 Oct 2018 - Sun, 3 Feb 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.

  • Event

    Julian Opie

    Fri, 9 Nov 2018 - Sun, 17 Feb 2019

    NGV International, Melbourne

    Towering skyscrapers, virtual carp and a urinating statue are all part of the NGV's latest (free) exhibition.

  • Event

    Christian Marclay: The Clock

    Wed, 23 Jan - Sun, 10 Mar 2019

    ACMI, Melbourne

    ACMI's new award-winning installation is a mesmerising collage of time — that runs for 24 hours.

  • Event

    Auburn Hendrick's Gin Garden

    Mon, 26 Nov 2018 - Thu, 28 Feb 2019

    Auburn Hotel, Hawthorn East

    Settle into this inner city summer oasis for seafood feasts and gin cocktails galore.

  • Event

    William Wegman: Being Human

    Mon, 10 Dec 2018 - Sun, 17 Mar 2019

    NGV International, Melbourne

    The first major Australian exhibition of the famed American photographer and his many dog muses.

  • Event

    Stomping Ground La Boca

    Tue, 4 Dec 2018 - Sun, 24 Feb 2019

    Arts Centre Melbourne Forecourt, Melbourne

    An Argentinian-inspired beer garden has popped up at the Arts Centre Melbourne for summer.

  • Event

    Picasso: The Vollard Suite

    Sat, 23 Feb - Sun, 28 Apr 2019

    Art Gallery of Ballarat, Ballarat Central

    Dive deeper into the Spanish artist's output when this travelling exhibition comes to the Ballarat Art Gallery.

  • Event

    The 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art

    Sat, 24 Nov 2018 - Sun, 28 Apr 2019

    GOMA, South Brisbane

    GOMA's three-yearly survey of Asia Pacific art returns.

  • Event

    Heath Ledger: A Life in Pictures

    Fri, 10 Aug 2018 - Sun, 10 Feb 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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