Hello May!

If you’re a Star Wars fan – May the 4th be with you! And if you’re Mexican – Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Don’t forget that this year Mother’s Day is on Sunday 12 May. Get organised by booking a high tea in Melbourne, organising a high tea delivery, treating yourself (or someone else) to a luxurious experience for a day spa in Melbourne or taking a day trip to visit the best day spas in Victoria.

Other dates to note:

• Thursday 23 May – support Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea to raise money for cancer research.
• Friday 10 May is Walk Safely to School Day
• National Simultaneous Storytime on Wednesday 22 May. This year the book is Bowerbird Blues by Aura Parker. Look out for events happening at your local library, school and council locations.

This post is updated regularly so check back in to see what’s on in Melbourne today, this weekend as well as what’s happening for the whole month. 

THE ART OF THE BRICK

Featured Event

With a global audience of 10+ million and earning spot on CNN’s “must-see” list, The Art of the Brick arrives in Melbourne! This immersive LEGO® exhibit by Nathan Sawaya promises an unforgettable experience. Explore original collections, over 100 sculptures created from 1 million+ bricks, a LEGO® safari, dynamic installations, 360° projections, and much more!

Highlights:

• Explore the new version of the popular LEGO® sculpture exhibition
• Dive into Nathan Sawaya’s colorful world with moving sculptures, bright lights, cool videos, and awesome sound
• See famous animals made of LEGO and watch them on a big screen
• Find 7 lifelike human sculptures in every color of the rainbow
• Check out more than 250 moving LEGO® skulls with cool lights and sounds
• Have fun and learn, suitable for guests of all ages

The Art of the Brick Immersive Experience, Melbourne Showgrounds, Epsom Rd, Ascot Vale VIC 3032 (Entrance via Gate 5 on Langs Road)

Prices starting at $31.90 for adults and $22.90 for children. Kids under 4 enter for FREE!

Until Sunday 30 June 2024

Melbourne Events May

What’s on in Melbourne CBD / Docklands

• The NBA Exhibition (Various dates from Wed 3 Apr – Sun 2 Jun) – The NBA’s first and only global touring exhibition takes you on a journey through the lifestyle, culture, and rich history of the NBA with rare items on display, unique activities and much more
• Leonardo Da Vinci (Sat 16 Mar – Sun 16 Jun) – Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius promises to be THE LUME Melbourne’s most ambitious, immersive and breathtaking experience yet.
• Exhibition: Wild City At ArtPlay (Sat 20 Jan – Sun 16 Jun) – Come and visit a mini city landscape that has been transformed into a wild, thriving, green metropolis – where humans and animals share their habitat.
• Stellar Nights (Mon 18 Mar – Mon 20 May) – Embark on a captivating journey through time and space with our guided tours at the Melbourne Observatory.
• Hawker 88 Night Market (Wed 10 Apr – Wed 8 May) – The Hawker 88 Night Market returns to Queen Vic Market, bringing the sights, sounds and tastes of Asia to Melbourne’s favourite market every Wednesday until 10 May.
• Storytime at the Library (Wed 17 Apr & Wed 8 May) – Children and families will be able to join their favourite Library storytellers at the Pauline Gandel Children’s Quarter every Wednesday at 10:30am
• Buddha’s Day & Multicultural Festival (Fri 3 May – Sun 5 May) – Multi-media Fireworks Display, Multicultural Performances & Dance Workshops, Lotus Flower Sanctuary, Meditation at the Mindfulness Forest and many more.
• Melbourne Korea Festival (Fri 10 May – Sat 11 May) – Immerse yourself in Korean culture, food and music! Plus, enjoy lots of exciting activities such as games, crafts and a spectacular line-up of singing and dancing performances that you are sure to love!
• Monster Truck Mania Live 2024 Melbourne (Sat 11 May – Sun 12 May) – No other show in Australia lets you experience the thrill and spectacle of Australia’s best Monster Truck show this close to the action!

• Mother’s Day Classic (Sun 12 May) – Australia’s most loved national fun run and walk for breast and ovarian cancer, the Mother’s Day Classic, returns on Sunday, 12 May.
• Good Food & Wine Show (Fri 31 May – Sun 2 Jun) – go on a foodie journey around the country’s top wine regions; pour tipples of over 500+ wines, plate up over 60 different cheeses from Queensland to France and so much more!
• Melbourne Design Week (Thu 23 May – Sun 2 Jun) – Celebrate design in the annual 11-day program of talks, tours, exhibitions, launches, installations, and workshops across Australia’s design capital.
• CoComelon Singalong at SEALIFE (Mon 27 May – Sun 16 Jun) – Daily meet and greets with JJ and a boogie to the brand new, exclusive CoComelon song made just for SEA LIFE Aquariums.
• Young At Art (Tuesdays) – With the guidance of an experienced early childhood educator, participants work on a different hands-on creative activity every week, using materials from the take-home art materials box supplied each session.
• Arts Centre Sunday Market (Sundays) – find unique, quirky and handmade items at the stalls. There’s always some yummy treats too!
• Kids Passport Queen Victoria Market (Every market day) – Collect your passport, then journey around the Market collecting stamps from our friendly traders, before making your way to the Queen Victoria Market Visitor Hub to claim your prize.
• Melbourne Book Market (Saturdays & Sundays) – a curated collection of more than 5,000 new and pre-loved titles selected and presented by 15 of Melbourne’s most experienced booksellers.

• Docklands Community Market (2nd & 4th Sunday of each month) – Grab your early morning coffee, enjoy a lovely stroll & support your local producers at this lovely market.
• The District Makers Market (Last Sunday of every month) – enjoy entertainment and shop fine arts, crafts, jewellery, and artisan goods.
• Punting on the Lake (Until Fri 31 May) – Settle back in an elegant wooden punt to enjoy a unique view of one of the world’s finest gardens as a professional guide tells you about its history and wildlife.
• Aboriginal Heritage Walk (Until Tue 31 Dec) – Journey into Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, a significant cultural site for the local Kulin Nation, with a First Peoples guide.
• Seek and Find Nature Cards (Until Tue 31 Dec) – Set your young ones on an adventure exploring nature with Seek and Find Nature Cards to be used at Melbourne Gardens or download the cards and explore your neighbourhood.
• The LUME (until Thu 30 Jun) – Immerse yourself in the work of Monet and Friends at Australia’s digital art gallery.
• The Explorer – Melbourne Gardens (Until Tue 31 Dec) Discover the beauty of this inner-city oasis and enjoy live commentary in the comfort of an open-air minibus.

• Arts Centre Sunday Market (Sundays until 21 Dec) – find unique, quirky and handmade items at the stalls. There are always some yummy treats too!
• Sonica Botanica: Stories and Sounds from the Gardens (Until Tue 31 Dec 2024) – Weaving together interviews, field recordings and a musical score, this evocative listening experience responds to collectors’ passions, botanical knowledge, favourite memories, childhood impressions, historical anecdotes and cultural viewpoints
• Into the Music – Composition Workshop 2024 (ongoing) – Participants in Into the Music – Composition Workshop will explore technology and techniques used to create the music they hear every day.
• The Story of the Moving Image (ongoing) – Journey through the past, present and future of the moving image through interactive experiences, digital innovation and captivating stories. Read the ACMI review.
• Shrine Kids (ongoing) – free discovery trail for children at the Shrine of Remembrance. Read the Shrine Kids review
• SEALIFE Melbourne Aquarium (ongoing) – See some of the world’s most incredible animals, including penguins, a 6-metre-long crocodile and thousands of tropical fish, plus the newly reopened oceanarium.
• Soft Play (ongoing) – Play with your child and make community connections in a safe and fun indoor environment.

What’s on in Melbourne North / North-East

• One Fine Baby Expo (Sat 4 May – Sun 5 May) – One Fine Baby is Melbourne’s most stylish FREE to attend baby expo. With over 100 boutique pregnancy, maternity, baby and toddler brands for you to try and buy from, expert advice and hands-on courses, beautiful facilities and plenty of entertainment for the little ones, One Fine Baby Expo has it all!
• The Big Design Market (Fri 24 May – Sun 26 May) – Celebrate 200 of the country’s most coveted designers and makers all surrounded by an “Almost Winter” forest with twinkling lights. Prepare to be indulged with a new decadent selection of gourmet food and drinks.
• MELB: BFLF ANIMAL FANTASTICAL FAMILY RAVE w SCOTT ALERT + DANNY BONNICI (Sun 26 May) – Award-winning Family Rave Big Fish Little Fish is family fun for the post-rave generation of parents. Helping parents be responsibly irresponsible
• Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs (Daily) – An immersive voyage into a lost world, where visitors will explore the landscapes of the Cretaceous and get to know the creatures that thrived there.
• Diamond Valley Railway (Sundays) – miniature railway with a playground next door. Read the Diamond Valley Railway Review
• Dinosaur Walk (Ongoing) – Check out the real dinosaur bones at Melbourne Museum’s permanent exhibition featuring ten dinosaur skeletons, three pterosaurs, and other select megafauna artefacts such as huge teeth!
• Keeper Kids Melbourne Zoo (Ongoing) – Educator-led daily activities that promote learning through storytelling, craft, and play at Keeper Kids Melbourne Zoo.
• Mini Twitchers Heide (Ongoing) – Be a twitcher for a day and spot some beautiful birds in the Heide Sculpture park! Use a map to locate each area where the twelve painted birds are hidden in trees in the sculpture park.
• Tiny Tours (Ongoing) – A 45-minute tour created for early year audiences that will invite them to wonder, discover and be amazed.
• Sensory Tray Sessions (ongoing) – Sensory Tray Session (Various dates) – Pour, scoop, splash and more at our sensory tray sessions!
• Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery (ongoing) – Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery – A world-class immersive learning and play experience – and a wonderland for little learners! The exhibition combines hands-on exploration and discovery, open-ended play-based learning, extraordinary immersive environments and unique museum collection objects.
• Heide Gallery Kids (ongoing) – Join Art Therapist Tanis Douglas, who supports pre-school children and their carers to gain confidence observing artworks in a small group.
• Under 5s Art Classes (ongoing) – Sessions will explore the elements of art such as colour, shape, texture and pattern through material exploration and experimentation.

What’s on in Melbourne South / South-East / Bayside

• Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience (Sat 6 Apr – Sun 19 May) – Don’t miss Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience! Walk into the depths of an illuminated forest and discover magical creatures and iconic Wizarding World moments.
• South Side Festival Frankston (Fri 10 May – Sun 19 May) – Thought provoking performances, raucous comedy, dazzling installations, striking visual arts and fun for the whole family – the 2024 South Side Festival will delight, challenge and entertain.
• Botanica Festival 2024 (Tue 14 May) – Join in at Rippon Lea Estate for a day of botanical fun with an open-air market, informative garden tours and walks, displays, activities and more.

• Gasworks Farmers’ Market (Until Sat 21 Dec) – On Saturdays soak up the vibrant atmosphere and sample the very best of local Victorian produce, directly from Victorian farmers and specialty makers.

• Sonica Botanica: Stories and Sounds from the Gardens (Until 31 Dec 2024) – Weaving together interviews, field recordings and a musical score, this evocative listening experience responds to collectors’ passions, botanical knowledge, favourite memories, childhood impressions, historical anecdotes and cultural viewpoints
• Little Play Squad Legoland (Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays) – An interactive parent-child Play & Learn session based on LEGO® DUPLO®. Read the  DUPLO Farm Adventure Review.
• Prahran Market Mini Marketeers (Tuesdays) – Enjoy free, guided activities teaching toddlers the fundamentals of eating well and putting the ‘yum’ in healthy food choices
• Lilydale Rotary Craft Produce Market (First Sunday of the Month) – craft stalls, food, and fresh produce on the first Sunday of the month.
• Gembrook Market (4th Sunday of Each Month) – a country market with a sustainable living focus located only 20 minutes from the south eastern suburbs.
• Stories and Songs in the Square (Mondays and Wednesdays) – Stories help children to discover the world around them. Nurture your child’s early literacy skills by joining in to read aloud stories and sing action songs and rhymes.
• Gumbuya Wildlife Wanderers (Wednesdays) – Storytime, games, Nature Play-based activities plus the opportunity to meet some very special animals!

• Bentleigh Sunday Market (Sundays) – plants, clothing, cosmetics, jewellery, books, videos, tools, antiques, crafts, pre-loved goods, and more! Every Sunday. 
• Mornington Railway (Sundays) – Climb aboard the Mornington Railway steam train for a fun-filled outing.
• Camberwell Sunday Market (Sundays) – secondhand retro, vintage, antique, fashion and collectible goods you just can’t find anywhere else
• National Steam Centre (Sundays) – A visit to the National Steam Centre will delight a wide audience from the pre-schooler obsessed with Thomas and train rides, to train enthusiasts of any age!
• The Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne (Wednesday – Sunday) – A dedicated, fully fenced space for families featuring plants, water, structures, and pathways that reflect Melbourne’s changing seasons.
• LEGO Friends (Ongoing) – Visit LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Melbourne to meet your new Friends, receive fun show bags, join in a scavenger hunt activity and more!
• Little Lunies at Luna Park (Ongoing) – Discover a fantastic world of rides, attractions, and games to suit Little and Big Lunies! There’s something for everyone from old favorites like The Great Scenic Railway, Ghost Train, & Carousel to the big thrill rides like the Power Surge, Sky Rider, Twin Dragon, and more!
• St Kilda Breakwater (Ongoing) – Spot the Little Penguin colony just before dusk coming ashore from the promenade. FREE.
• Nature Play (Ongoing) – Come along to Alex Wilkie Nature Reserve for Nature Play, an outdoor, child-led playgroup session facilitated by a qualified ranger.
• WIIILD Wednesdays, Gumbuya World (Ongoing) – Dive into Wildlife Wanderers, the trail of free-roaming wildlife, savor two interactive shows, and hop on junior rides! Get up close with exotic animals, connect with nature, and enjoy exciting entertainment every week!

What’s on in Melbourne East

• Afternoons of Awesome at LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre (Mon 26 Feb – Fri 6 Dec) – Young builders can blast out of the classroom into a world of creativity, hop on electrifying rides, and set off on epic afternoon LEGO adventure!
• Musikfest Kew (Fri 5 May – Sun 28 May) – Enjoy 21 acts scheduled in various venues over the month of May
• Kalorama Chestnut Festival (Sun 5 May) – Savour the abundant chestnuts, gourmet food, Devonshire tea, coffee, artisan beer and mulled wine.

• Melbourne Tram Museum (Wed 15 May & Sat 26 May) – Visit a Melbourne icon at this quirky museum. Read the Melbourne Tram Museum review
• ECOSS Valley Market (Fridays) – Experience the vibrant Valley Markets, connecting local growers, artisans, and musicians in the heart of the Yarra Valley.
• Heide Makers Market (Until Sat 11 May) – eclectic mix of art, design and handcrafted goods.
• Heide Art Babies (Until Tue 17 Dec 2024) – 30 minutes of sensory play in the gallery, looking, thinking and talking about art. Read the Heide Art Babies review.
• Spirits of the Sky (Unil Fri 5 Jul) – See the natural behaviours of a variety of native birds which may include the Wedge-tailed Eagle, Black-breasted Buzzard, Barking Owl, magnificent parrots and more.
• Belgrave Big Dreams Market (2nd Sunday of the Month) – discover original and bespoke design pieces, some of the yummiest and freshest produce the area has to offer, live music, a bouncy castle and face painting for the kids.

• Box Hill Miniature Railway (3rd Sunday of the Month) – Ride this wonderful Miniature Railway, the track winds through the picturesque surrounds of Elgar Park. Read the Box Hill Miniature Railway Review
• Mooroolbark Miniature Railway (Runs 4th Sunday each month) – miniature rail running every 4th Sunday.
• Gembrook Market (4th Sunday of each month) – a country market with a sustainable living focus. Find crafts, plants, fresh produce, hot food selections fresh coffee and more.
• Auburn Kids Sunday Funday (Sundays) – Petting zoo, Fairies, mermaids, superheroes, face painting and balloon animals galore!
• Yarra Valley Railway (Sundays) – take a trip on the historic Walker RM22 Railmotor from Healesville to Tunnel Hill. Read the Yarra Valley Railway review
• Bounce Playdates (Weekdays During Term Time) – Extended toddler sessions offer little adrenaline hunters time to explore and play, while parents can choose to join in, or watch on from nearby.
• Eastland (Ongoing) – Sign up to the free mini & me kids club at Eastland (for kids 4 and under) and receive exclusive offers, invites to free events, and $5 valet parking! FREE.

What’s on in Melbourne West

• Steve McCurry. ICONS: An Extraordinary Photography Exhibition (Fri 5 Apr – Thu 23 May) – Steve McCurry. ICONS is an extraordinary exhibition in Melbourne showcasing the work of Steve McCurry, one of the greatest photographers to date.
• Incy Wincy Babies (9 Feb, 15 Mar, 26 Apr, 17 May, 14 Jun, 19 Jul, 16 Aug, 6 Sep, 11 Oct, 8 Nov) – Barking Spider Creative artist guides carers with their babies through a visual art experience at the Gallery.
• Rocky Road Festival Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie (Mon 1 May – Wed 31 May) – enjoy a special menu of Rocky Road-inspired pastries, create your very own Rocky Road block and more!
• Enterprize One Hour Day Sails (Wed 1 May – Fri 31 May) – sail from five locations in Port Phillip Bay and occasionally in other ports along the southeastern coast of Australia.
• SloFo WeFo Farmers’ Market (Sat 11 May – Sat May 25) – We support real local Victorian farmers and artisanal producers by filling your baskets, bags, bike panniers and trolleys!
• Ballarat Heritage Festival (Fri 17 May – Sun 26 May) – celebrate Ballarat’s rich heritage, iconic landmarks and vibrant community over a ten-day festival!
• Cirque du Soleil (Wed 22 May – Sun 26 May) – Cirque du Soleil is celebrating its 25th anniversary in Australia with critically acclaimed and jaw-dropping production LUZIA, opening in Melbourne on 24th March 2024.

• Heritage Harvest (Sat 25 May – Sun 26 May) – A foodie takeover of Sovereign Hill where you can sample rustic food while enjoying our region’s best produce and wares.
• Art in the garden (Last Friday of the month) – It’s a combination of nature play, sensory play, process art, and playgroup. Run by ‘The Fun In Art’.
• Yarraville Village Farmers Market (3rd Saturday of Each Month) – enjoy a wonderful, relaxed community environment and sample the freshest products direct from the farmers and producers as you shop in the open.
• Bulla Railway (3rd Sunday of each month) – Ride the dinosaur trail on the miniature railway. Read the Bulla Railway Review.
• Altona Miniature Railway (3rd Sunday of the month) – between 10 am and 3 pm, ride this wonderful Miniature Railway. Read the Altona Miniature Railway review.

• Grazeland (Fridays – Sundays) – huge dining precinct with city views and 50 stalls to choose from. Read the Grazeland Review
• Essendon Traffic School (Saturdays) – Essendon Traffic School is a mini road set up for kids aged two to ten years, complete with road signs, railway bells and traffic lights. Read the Essendon Traffic School review.
• Sunday Funday Station Hotel (Sundays) – Every Sunday, The Station Hotel prepares an animal farm and other entertaining activities to keep the little ones busy while you sit back and relax. Read the Station Hotel Review
• Enterprize One Hour Day Sails (ongoing) – sail from five locations in Port Phillip Bay and occasionally in other ports along the southeastern coast of Australia.
• Werribee Open Range Zoo (Ongoing) – Stroll through the Zoo spotting lions, hippos, cheetahs, monkeys, gorillas and more, catch the safari bus tour or explore the Ranger Kids indoor play space and Village Kids outdoor playground.
• Air Playground (Ongoing) – Air Playground has launched at Scienceworks. Levitate objects, engineer paper planes, & learn the physics of airflow.
• Melbourne Planetarium (Ongoing) – Sit back and enjoy the wonder of the stars regardless of the time of day – or the weather!
• Ground Up: Building Big Ideas, Together (Ongoing) – An exhibition for babies to five-year-olds where curiosity is rewarded around each bend with surprising and intriguing sights, sounds and touch sensations.
• Playnastics (Ongoing) – Casual open play sessions using a selection of Preschool Gymnastics equipment and resources, as well as puzzles, blocks and more. ​Read our review here.
• Toddler and Kids Art Classes (Ongoing) – The Fun In Art’ provides art classes for toddlers and kids where they’re more about the fun of creation and less about the outcome of the artwork.
• Clocktower Centre Children’s Space (Ongoing) – Parents and carers can sit back and relax with a coffee and a snack from the Clocktower Café while the kids explore the space, watch the trams go by or listen to their favourite book with the interactive Storytime Pod.

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