White Hat attended and enjoyed this festival over a number of years and watched it grow into the highly popular community event it has now become. Music, free activities and kite flying and food from around the world with plenty of free activities. Bring your own kite or buy one there or simply watch the amazing array of kites flying. This year, the festival has been incorporated into True North - Reservoir Arts Festival - and moved to Edwardes Lake Park.

The Moonee Valley Festival comes to an end in great style with a full day of food, art and entertainment in a grand cultural celebration. There will be live music, roving performances and pop-up activities for all ages!

Headline performances for the Illuminate the River event include the X Factor’s Isaiah Firebrace, Melbourne-based five-piece Dinner Suit Boogie, soul powerhouse Kattimoni, internationally renowned circus company Gravity & Other Myths, Trucked Up aerialist performers, and Melbourne-based all girl acoustic trio Harlow & Hart.

There's plenty on offer for kids with ‘Beasties’ interactive show, the True Fairies storytelling, hula workshops and roving entertainers all afternoon. 

The celebration will continue into the evening with the talented Djirri Djirri Dance Group who will use dance as an interpretation of their culture to share stories about creation, family and Country.

Enjoy the sculptural lanterns of Lantasia by illustrator/designer Tyson Savanah, laser lights, projection art and pyrotechnics as the 2019 Moonee Valley Festival in closes in style.

The Knox Festival is an annual free event with an emphasis on family-friendly activities. It features local artists and performers, markets stalls, rides, entertainment, cultural activities and plenty of food.

If you can only make it for part of the time, White Hat recommends the Saturday Evening Program from 5 until 9pm  where you can pay your respects to the Country Fire Authority Volunteers in their torchlight parade culminating in a fireworks display.

10am to 9pm Saturday 29th February 2020
10am to 5pm Sunday 1st March

Full details at Knox Festival.

The Yarraville Festival has been operating since 1981 and has steadily grown into one of Melbourne's liveliest community festival and White Hat feels that the location helps add to the genuine village atmosphere. There is music across 7 stages from local professional and community performers, everyone will find something that they enjoy.. Kids of every age, from toddlers to teenagers, will hear music suitable for their age group, and a range of activities and rides are available for them. From jumping castles to carnival rides to bungee jumping, with many of the rides free.

The Yarraville Festival also features its annual market with plenty of stalls. Selling everything from vintage clothing, food and handmade gifts the market is a great opportunity for visitors to pick up a bargain.

Further details at Yarraville Festival

Our rating - 4 Hats

The Glenferrie Festval has grown to be one of Melbourne’s largest community festivals with over 250 stalls and over 100,000 visitors each year (White Hat reminds you that number is a full MCG crowd.) Set in a popular and extensive shopping strip and easily accesible from the local Glenferrie Railway Station, this is great opportunity to check out the offerings of the local traders and join in the atmosphere of this popular destination. There will be live music, activities and the signature Glenferrie Festival Deconstructed Parade. Further details at the Glenferrie Festival website.

An annual event with stalls, entertainment and refreshments.

The festival celebrates Australian heritage, environment and community. To find out more about the significance of Wattle Day in Australia's history go to Another Date for Australia Day. Lots of family activities including steam train rides.

The popular Rosebud Kite Festival has been running for 15 years, and this year will feature international kite specialists as well as the usual stalls, family entertainment, carnival rides and kite making classes. Full details at Rosebud Kite Festival.

Held in the heart of North East Victoria’s High Country region, this Festival has fun, food, fine arts, live music, and plenty of free things to see and do. There is a large program of activities for families, party-goers, travellers, and all comers.  White Hat can thoroughly recommend the Myrtleford Festival as a great extra-long weekend activity for locals or special excursion for those wanting to get out and about for the long weekend.

The Sunday parade will also be held at the Recreation Reserve, marching down the tree lined avenue and finishing up in a central point which will give everyone the opportunity to have an up close look at the hard work our schools, clubs and organisations put into their float. The Myrtelford Festival Market operates at the Showgrounds on the Monday with both a street market and a food court. The weekend culminates with a spectacular fire works display.

Harcourt Applefest The Harcourt Applefest is a community festival celebrating everything apple related.

The popular Rosebud Kite Festival has been running for 15 years, and this year will feature international kite specialists as well as the usual stalls, family entertainment, carnival rides and kite making classes. Full details at Rosebud Kite Festival.

White Hat often has to remind visitors that Victoria is a state with four seasons - unlike some of those boring northern states - and we recommend that one of the best ways to experience spring in the Victorian countryside is to visit the Bright Spring Festival.

Bright has a natural beauty complemented by fine cafés and restaurants, marvellous local wineries, accommodation to suit all budgets, adventure sports, walking tracks and bike trails and shopping. The festival offers street and river markets, theatre events, art exhibitions, fireworks, plenty of entertainment and open gardens. For a full list off the open gardens see the White Hat Open Gardens page.

For the full itinerary, visit the Bright Spring Festival website at www.brightspringfestival.com.au

Celebrate the nut harvesting time in the Victoria Alpine valleys in Wandiligong. Nestled among heritage trees & gums near Morses Creek, at the historic Alpine Park becomes a hive of nut-based activities such as chestnut, hazelnut and walnut growers, nut-cracking tables, chestnut roasting and nut-based cooking demonstrations. ​

The Wandiligong Nut Festival is a family friendly event. ​ Walking through gaily coloured market stalls, you will be able to discover local art & craft stalls, local products (olive oil, pasta, preserves), local food, local drink (coffee, beer, cider, gin and wine), and local community groups. ​ During the day, you will find activities for everyone: a petting zoo and face painting for children, cooking demonstrations by local chefs, live music, and more.