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What’s On in Melbourne: Your Ultimate Guide for September & Beyond
Everything to see and do this month in Melbourne (and beyond).
The best things to do in Melbourne in September 2026 and beyond begin with three cultural heavyweights: the Melbourne International Film Festival, Now or Never and NGV Friday Nights. MIFF takes over cinemas from 6 to 23 August with more than 200 films, premieres and special events, before Now or Never transforms city landmarks through art, sound, performance and technology from 19 to 30 August. Friday Nights at NGV keeps the Cartier blockbuster open after dark until 2 October, complete with live music, performances, food and drinks.
There is still time to catch the final weeks of Queen Victoria Market’s Winter Night Market, serving street food and drinks beneath the sheds every Wednesday until 26 August. Then September turns Melbourne’s attention to sport and spring: the NFL Kickoff Festival arrives from 10 to 12 September, AFL Finals fever builds towards the Grand Final at the MCG on 26 September, and the Melbourne Royal Show returns from 24 September to 4 October.
Melbourne Fringe takes over from 29 September, launching almost 500 independent performances, parties and creative experiments across the city. From major festivals and after-dark exhibitions to theatre, markets, food events and weekends worth booking ahead, this guide covers the best things happening in Melbourne now and next.
In This Guide
Editor’s Picks
Melbourne’s Quietest Rave Is Happening This Sunday
Melbourne has found a way to make staying home with a book a public event. Book Doof, the Melbourne-born “rave for readers”, is taking over Fed Square’s Atrium this Sunday for four uninterrupted hours of reading, writing, sketching and journalling to a curated soundtrack. Sink into a beanbag with whatever you’re halfway through, bring another book for the community swap and help yourself to free tea and coffee between chapters. There’s no dancing, no forced mingling and absolutely no requirement to make small talk, which may be our favourite interpretation of a rave yet. Entry is free, with registration requested.
Sunday 13 September, 10am–2pm; The Atrium, Fed Square; free
Everyday Wine Fair
Blackburn’s Natural Science is turning Sunday afternoon into a very persuasive argument for drinking local. Its Everyday Wine Fair is back for round two, with Muto Wines, Paracombe, Longhop, Alpha Box & Dice and Harvest Moon pouring across the afternoon, and every wine landing at $30 or under. It’s loose, neighbourhood-y and refreshingly unprecious about the whole thing, with a sharp line-up of independent Australian producers and $15 tickets making this one of September’s easiest calendar locks.
Sunday 13 September, 1pm–4pm
Natural Science Wine & Liquor, Blackburn
Tickets $15
Eat Your Way Through NFL Game Week
Melbourne has taken its first-ever NFL game and run straight to the fryer. Baker Bleu’s football-shaped s’mores cookie is on shelves through Sunday, while New Quarter is saving its five-spice duck-sausage hot dog for game day. At URBNSURF, Three Blue Ducks goes diner-mode Friday and Saturday with buffalo wings, fried chicken waffles and $8 bottomless waffle fries, while The Waterside stretches the feast across two days with Dorito-crusted mozzarella sticks and hot-honey BBQ pork ribs, NFL roaring across the screens nearby.
Sitchu Tip: The official NFL Kickoff Festival is also running at Melbourne Park from 10–12 September, including Friday’s 10:35am Rams v 49ers watch party.
NFL Melbourne Game: LA Rams v San Francisco 49ers
When: Friday 11 September, approx. 10:35am kick-off
Where: MCG
Baker Bleu NFL menu: Until Sunday 13 September; cookies at all stores, pizzetta at Caulfield and Cremorne
Three Blue Ducks American Diner: Friday 11 & Saturday 12 September, URBNSURF Melbourne, 309 Melrose Drive, Tullamarine
Check In to The Lobby by Ellison Studios
Sydney furniture and interiors brand Ellison Studios has landed in Melbourne with its first physical residency, transforming a first-floor space inside South Yarra’s landmark Conways Building into The Lobby. Part design showroom, part creative meeting place, it riffs on the mood of a great hotel lobby, with sculptural Float sofas, curated artworks from Hake House, rare books by Selected Objects and hand-restored parquetry underfoot. By day, designers can meet clients and explore the collection. By night, talks, performances, drinks and DJ sets draw the city’s creative crowd in.
Where: 1/249 Chapel Street, Prahran
When : Ongoing – check site for details
Cost: Free to view on Fridays and Saturdays
Best For: Design afficionados, interior designers, trade partners, and the wider creative community
Need To Know: You’ll need to book an appointment to experience the space
Festivals & Major Events
Melbourne Fringe Festival 2026
Melbourne Fringe returns with 20 days of theatre, comedy, cabaret, circus, dance, music and gloriously unpredictable performance across the city. Trades Hall and Meat Market are the major playgrounds of this year’s program, joined by bars, galleries and unconventional venues.
The full lineup lands on 7th August, with hundreds of independent shows running from late September into October.
Best for: Culture seekers, adventurous date nights and discovering emerging talent
When: Tuesday 29 September to Sunday 18 October 2026
Where: Venues across Melbourne
Price: Varies by event
Eat & Drink
Basque Txoko at Nobody’s Baby, South Yarra
The Basque pop-up Melbourne wasn’t quite ready to give back is staying put. After selling out its original three-month run, Michelin-starred chef Aitor Jeronimo Orive’s Basque Txoko will now take over Nobody’s Baby in South Yarra through the end of 2026.
The extension comes with fresh reasons to book: gildas and cod croquetas, a 28-day dry-aged Wagyu chop carved at the table, burnt Basque cheesecake and a Basque-inspired martini with a pintxo riding shotgun. Tuesdays now belong to the Hamburguesa Basque Txoko, a smash burger made with aged Vintage beef and Wagyu, Basque chilli mayo and pickles, with 20% off selected wines. Frankly, Tuesday has been underperforming for years.
When: Tuesday–Thursday, 4pm–11pm; Friday–Saturday, 4pm–12am
Where: Nobody’s Baby, 19–21 Toorak Road, South Yarra
Need to know: Basque Txoko has been extended through to the end of 2026. Tuesday Burger Night features the Hamburguesa Basque Txoko from $24, alongside 20% off selected wines.
Burgs at the Bowlo
Fitzroy Bowls Club already has the bones of a great winter afternoon: greens beside Edinburgh Gardens, cold drinks, barefoot bowls if you’re feeling brave and enough Northside looseness to turn one quick pint into a minor life choice.
Tommy Two Buns has taken over the kitchen with thick, charcoal-grilled cheeseburgers made from beef minced in-house, best eaten with a beer while Sunday drifts by on the green. Check the team’s Instagram before heading in, as dates and serving hours change each month.
Where: Fitzroy Bowls Club, 578 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy North
When: Selected dates; check Instagram for current sessions
Price: Burgers priced individually
Best for: Casual Sunday lunches, groups and low-stakes bowls
High Cheese at The Westin
The Westin Melbourne’s cult High Cheese is back for winter, turning the polite ritual of high tea into a three-tiered cheese parade at Allegro Restaurant. Executive Chef Apoorva Kunte has teamed up with Richmond’s Supercheese and cheesemonger Jeremy Spradbery on a menu that moves from truffle-laced Mepunga Gruyère soufflé and Pyengana cheddar arancini to baked Normandy Camembert, Comté with smoked almond scones and Basque cheesecake with Alphonso mango. A glass of Punt Road wine is included, with optional flights for anyone taking the cheese-to-wine ratio seriously.
Where: Allegro Restaurant, The Westin Melbourne, 205 Collins Street, Melbourne
When : 26 May to 17 October 2026, Tuesday to Saturday, 5pm to 9.30pm
Cost: From $91 per person
Best For: Cheese tragics, wine-first catch-ups, winter date nights and anyone who likes the ritual of high tea but would rather swap finger sandwiches for baked Camembert, Gruyère soufflé and cheddar arancini.
Need To Know: This is an evening experience, not a daytime high tea. High Cheese runs Tuesday to Saturday from 5pm to 9.30pm, with bookings essential. The $91 ticket includes the High Cheese menu and a glass of Punt Road wine, with optional wine flights available for those keen to make a night of it.
Art, Culture & Performance
Church For Mums: The We Don’t Have Time For This Podcast’s Final Live Show, Know Thyself
Fire up the group chat and book the babysitter because this is one night of theatre you won’t want to miss. After four years of live shows, the hosts of the hit podcast We Don’t Have Time For This, Gemma Pranita and Kate Reeves, are calling time on touring, making Know Thyself your last chance to experience their self-described “church for mums” IRL. Far from your standard live podcast show, expect SNL meets cabaret meets stand-up comedy, all wrapped around hilariously relatable takes on millennial motherhood, identity, ageing and what it means to be a woman in 2026.
And you don’t need to be one of the 50,000-plus listeners who tune in each week to get amongst it. The show tackles universal themes that’ll resonate whether you’re a die-hard fan or have never listened to an episode in your life. Come for the LOLs, stay for the sisterhood and the glorious excuse for a girls’ night out.
Tickets purchased here
Where: Merlyn Theatre, Malthouse, Southbank
When: Friday 18 September at 7pm & Saturday 19th September 2026 at 7pm
Cost: From $131, plus transaction fee
Best For: Girls’ nights. Mums’ nights out, comedy and music lovers, pop culture fans
Need to Know: This is Gemma and Kate’s final live tour. The show runs for approximately 120 minutes with no interval and is recommended for ages 18+
Friday Nights at NGV: Cartier
Melbourne’s winter blockbuster is getting the after-dark treatment. Every Friday night, NGV International opens Cartier beyond gallery hours, pairing nearly 400 jewellery objects and archival pieces with live music, film screenings, drinks, dining and a rotating program of city-wide collaborators. This is the rare winter night out that works for art lovers, date nights and anyone who likes their culture with a glass in hand.
Where: NGV International, Melbourne
When: Fridays, 12 June – 2 October, 6pm to 10pm
Cost: From $50 adult; member and concession pricing available
Best For: Art lovers, Couples, Cultural experiences, Exhibitions, Nightlife
Need To Know: Advance bookings recommended — Friday night sessions are expected to sell out.
Markets & Shopping
Collingwood Ceramics Market at Chotto Motto
Ceramics and dumplings are a pairing we can very much get behind, and this Collingwood market makes a strong case for clearing your Sunday. Hosted at cult Japanese diner Chotto Motto, the Collingwood Ceramics Market brings together a line-up of local makers for a browse-and-buy afternoon with far more personality than your standard stall setup, from Yolk Eye Ceramics to Naru Kubota.
Each edition lands on the third Sunday of every month, from 12pm to 6pm, with Chotto Motto’s retro surrounds making the whole thing feel especially charming.
Where: 287 Wellington Street, Collingwood
When: Sunday 20th September
Cost: Free to view
Best For: Design lovers, pottery collectors, handmade homewares, market wanderers, and Sunday browsers
Need To Know: Runs monthly on the third Sunday
Geelong Fragrance Fair
Geelong is about to smell extremely good. The Geelong Fragrance Fair returns from 11 to 13 September, bringing 29 independent perfumers to Deakin’s Waterfront Campus for three days of scent, talks, workshops and wonderfully niche diversions. Browse the Makers Marketplace, pair Australian novels with local perfumes, explore First Nations aromatherapy, then catch John Waters’ Polyester with its original scratch-and-sniff “Odorama” experience. Consider your usual weekend plans thoroughly out-scented.
When: Friday 11 to Sunday 13 September 2026
Where: Deakin University Waterfront Campus, Geelong
Cost: Various; tickets available via Humanitix
Need to know: The Makers Marketplace runs all day Saturday and Sunday morning; some workshops and events require separate or limited tickets.
Outdoor & Active
Taste the Wild Side of Mallacoota at Wild Harvest Seafood Festival
Fresh seafood, coastal adventures and three days beside the water await when the Wild Harvest Seafood Festival returns to Mallacoota from 25–27 September 2026.
The Wild Harvest Market sits at the centre of the weekend, serving oysters, mussels, abalone, sea urchin and other seafood harvested from the surrounding waters alongside regional produce, local makers and live music. Beyond the market, the program spans guided rockpool rambles, family fishing clinics, art exhibitions, a cruise aboard the historic M.V. Loch-Ard, the much-loved Pizza Picnic and the Divers Appreciation Dip.
Turn the festival into a full coastal escape by paddling the calm waters of Mallacoota Inlet, walking through Croajingolong National Park, seeking out secluded beaches and spotting native wildlife along the way.
Sitchu Tip: Mallacoota Foreshore Holiday Park is also offering 10 per cent off minimum three-night stays between 25–28 September using the code Wild26, subject to availability.
When: 25–27 September 2026
Where: Mallacoota, East Gippsland
Cost: Prices vary; some events are free, while selected experiences require bookings or entry fees.
Best for: Seafood lovers, families, nature escapes and spring road trips.
Need to know: Accommodation and ticketed experiences should be booked early. The full festival program is available via the Wild Harvest Seafood Festival website.
Free Things to Do
Treaty at State Library
State Library Victoria’s free Treaty exhibition is a powerful stop for anyone wanting to better understand Victoria’s past, present and future. Held in the South Rotunda, the exhibition explores the 1835 Batman Treaty through original documents, maps, John Wesley Burtt’s painting of the signing and video perspectives from Victorian Aboriginal communities. As Victoria continues its path towards Truth and Treaty, this is a rare chance to sit with the archive, the contested history and the conversations still shaping the state today.
Where: South Rotunda, State Library Victoria, 328 Swanston Street, Melbourne
When: Until Sunday 18 October 2026
Cost: Free
Best For: History buffs, thoughtful city wanderers, students, culture seekers and anyone wanting a deeper understanding of Victoria.
Need To Know: No bookings are required. The exhibition is open daily from 10am to 6pm.
Coming Soon
Bolobek Garden Fair
The Bolobek Garden Fair returns to Macedon on the first weekend in October, opening one of Victoria’s most beautiful private gardens for a rare spring weekend of plants, food and horticultural inspiration.
More than 50 specialist stallholders will gather across the historic property, selling rare plants, bulbs, garden tools, gourmet produce and wine, while guided tours reveal the stories behind Bolobek’s celebrated landscape. This year’s keynote speaker is Brae head gardener Jo Lawson, sharing her approach to seasonal growing, cooking and life close to the soil.
All profits support horticultural, botanical and environmental projects across the Macedon Ranges.
Best for: Garden lovers, spring day trips and rare private-garden access
When: Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October 2026, 10am–4pm
Where: Bolobek, 370 Mount Macedon Road, Macedon
Price: $20; children under 16 enter free
Barbie: The Exhibition
Barbie: The Exhibition is making its Australian debut at Melbourne Museum this summer, charting 67 years of the world’s most famous doll through design, fashion, architecture and pop culture. Created by London’s Design Museum in partnership with Mattel, the blockbuster show features more than 250 objects, including 150 dolls, a rare 1959 first edition Barbie, Totally Hair Barbie, Ken, dream houses, vehicles, accessories and prototypes. It is bright, nostalgic and genuinely fascinating, whether Barbie was your childhood icon or your favourite 2023 personality test.
Where: Melbourne Museum, Carlton Gardens
When: From 28 November 2026
Cost: From $20 per child; $30 per adult
Best For: Barbie fans, design lovers, nostalgia seekers, families and anyone still emotionally attached to Totally Hair Barbie.
Need To Know: Tickets are on sale now, and this is the exhibition’s Australian debut after a huge run at London’s Design Museum. Expect more than 250 objects, including 150 dolls and a rare 1959 first edition Barbie.
What’s On This Month in Melbourne: FAQs
The top events in Melbourne in late July 2026 include Open House Melbourne from 24 to 26 July, Lightscape at the Royal Botanic Gardens until 2 August and the Winter Night Market at Queen Victoria Market every Wednesday until 26 August. August brings the Melbourne International Film Festival from 6 to 23 August, Now or Never from 19 to 30 August and NGV Friday Nights: Cartier every Friday until 2 October. Looking further ahead, Melbourne Fringe runs from 29 September to 18 October, followed by the Melbourne International Jazz Festival from 16 to 25 October.
As of late July 2026, Melbourne’s food calendar is led by Queen Victoria Market’s Winter Night Market, running Wednesdays until 26 August. This weekend, Crane Bar hosts its Winter Warmers Market with mulled Negronis, hot toddies, oysters and fondue. August brings Prahran Market’s Potato Party on 8 August, Longrain’s Silk & Spice dinner on 13 August, and the Melbourne Cheese, Wine & Spirit Festival at Seaworks on 22 August too.
Melbourne’s essential art and cultural experiences right now include Cartier at the NGV, featuring nearly 500 jewels, archival pieces and design objects, plus NGV Friday Nights with live music and drinks. Lightscape illuminates the Royal Botanic Gardens until 2 August, while Open House Melbourne unlocks hidden buildings from 24 to 26 July. In August, Now or Never brings large-scale art, sound and technology across the city centre.
Melbourne’s live calendar includes NGV Friday Nights: Cartier, pairing the exhibition with live music, food and drinks every Friday until 2 October. August brings Now or Never, a citywide festival of art, sound and technology from 19 to 30 August, plus Vivaldi’s Legacy by the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra from 20 to 23 August. Melbourne International Film Festival also runs from 6 to 23 August, too.
As of late July 2026, Melbourne’s best family activities include Lightscape at the Royal Botanic Gardens until 2 August, ACMI’s hands-on Play School exhibition until 26 July and the free Children’s Play exhibition at the NGV. August brings Little Kids Day In: Caring for Country at Scienceworks on 3 August, plus MIFF Fulldome planetarium screenings on 8 and 15 August. Melbourne Museum’s Children’s Gallery remains a reliable rainy-day option too.
As of late July 2026, Melbourne’s best free experiences include Open House Melbourne’s open-access buildings from 24 to 26 July, Queen Victoria Market’s Winter Night Market every Wednesday until 26 August, and NGV Australia’s FUTURE COUNTRY exhibition until 13 September. Rare Book Week brings free talks and tours, including World of the Book on 31 July, while State Library Victoria’s rare-book exhibitions offer a cultural stop throughout winter in Melbourne.
Melbourne’s next major events include MIFF from 6 to 23 August and Now or Never from 19 to 30 August. Spring brings the AFL Grand Final on 26 September, Melbourne Fringe from 29 September to 18 October, and the Melbourne Royal Show from 24 September to 4 October. October then welcomes the Melbourne International Jazz Festival from 16 to 25 October.
Looking for more fun things to do in Melbourne this winter? We have plenty to keep you entertained. From Melbourne’s best new restaurants and bars to friendly pubs, cafes and late-night cocktail haunts, here’s all you need for an epic weekend in the city and surrounds.
