Festivals

• introduction
• festivals map

Melburnians love to entertain! There is always something going on in town, much to the envy of the rest of the country, here's REALMelbourne's pick of the best...
 

Melbourne Comedy Festival		April. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is one of the three largest comedy festivals in the world, alongside Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Montreal’s Just for Laughs Festival. An annual event, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival literally takes over Australia’s comedy capital, Melbourne, each autumn with an enormous program of stand-up comedy, cabaret, theatre, street performance, film, television, radio and visual arts. venues across the city, Melbourne, 3000 03 9417 7711
		Melbourne Fringe Festival September - October. The Age Melbourne Fringe Festival is the largest annual celebration of independent arts in Victoria. The Festival is entirely open access, meaning that artists are responsible for the creation and presentation of their own events. Melbourne Fringe Festival, the principal activity of the organisation, aims to bring the most contemporary, innovative and trend-setting work created and presented by independent artists, to the broader Melbourne audience, presenting the best in new, creative ideas. 25 Easey Street, Collingwood, Melbourne, 3065 (0)3 8412 8788
Melbourne International Arts Festival		October. Melbourne International Arts Festival is one of Australia's leading international arts festivals and has an outstanding reputation for presenting unique international and Australian events in the fields of dance, theatre, music, visual arts, multimedia, free and outdoor events over 17 days. @venues across the city, Melbourne, 3000 03 9662 4242
		Australian Grand Prix - Formula 1 March The Australian Grand Prix literally takes over the city in the 2nd weekend of march each year, but the building of all the stands in Albert Park begins months before. Call Ticketek for Tickets and don't forget your earplugs. Albert Park, Melbourne, 3000 131931(ticketek box office)
		Melbourne Food & Wine Festival 7 - 16 March 2008. The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival presented by The Age is a unique event which operates on a not for profit basis. The Festival's charter is to promote the quality produce, talent and lifestyle of Melbourne and the State of Victoria and to reinforce Melbourne as the pre-eminent culinary city of Australia. Office address: Rear of Prahran Market 163 Commercial Road South Yarra, Melbourne, 3141 03) 9823 6100
		Melbourne Queer Film Festival March. Annual film fest, dedicated to showing a hugely broad range of gay interest cinema. ACMI, Federation Square,, Melbourne, 3000 03 8663 2583
		Melbourne Fashion Festival February. Melbourne Fashion Festival continues to promote Melbourne as an epicenter of style as well as highlighting trends in design, innovation, business and the culture as they relate to fashion. This offering makes it the leading consumer and retail fashion event in Australia. The principal venue for the Festival’s Runway shows, Fashion Cube at Melbourne Museum Plaza. A space that reflects fashion’s contemporary desire for chic modernity providing a sense of drama as the high energy fashion shows inspire, excite and entertain audiences. @venues across the city, Melbourne, 3000 (03) 9654 5599
		Midsumma Festival January - February. Midsumma Festival, Melbourne's annual gay and lesbian festival, is a federation of arts and cultural events spread over six municipalities and located in over 60 different venues across Melbourne. Midsumma is presented over three weeks and four weekends from mid January to February. @venues across the city, Melbourne, 3000 (03) 9415 9819
		Melbourne Cup November. The Melbourne Cup is more than just a horse race – it is a 145-year old social and cultural tradition that literally brings Australia to a standstill. The race draws competitors from all over the world with the annual invasion of northern hemisphere-trained stayers making it a truly international event. The Emirates Melbourne Cup now attracts a worldwide television audience of around 700 million people in 120 countries and territories while millions more either view or listen to the event via the internet. The Cup is the linchpin of the Victoria Racing Club's annual four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival and the highlight of Victoria's statewide Spring Racing Carnival. Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, 3031 1300 136122 (ticketmaster)

key	mostly straight
	mixed
	mostly gay