Activities for Families and Children in Melbourne

Melbourne is one of the few cities that can pin-point the time, date and the people who first founded it. The Melbourne Regatta was first held on 30 August 1838, making it the first in Australia. In 2016 the Melbourne Passenger Boating Association will deliver a magnificent waterside spectacle to celebrate the connection between Melbourne and the sea.

Born out of a river settlement, developed through trade and immigration, stabilised by gold and farming, the city owes much to the ships who made that connection. The rivers and the great bay have been bountiful, providing food, leisure, relaxation and a highway to the rest of the world. Discover too, the land before it became Melbourne. Learn about the people and the natural landscape that existed long before, and why this made Melbourne a perfect place to build a village.

See a spectacle of cruising boats, dressed especially for the occasion. Hop aboard free ferry cruises around Victoria Harbour, be part of a Welcome to Country ceremony, and hear Father Bob bless the fleet.

You can also enjoy live entertainment with Normie Rowe, along with reggae, calypso, and blues bands. Plus there'll be walking tours, story-telling, roving entertainers, a mass choir and the Sunday market with many food stalls and local cafes. Everyone is invited to join in the fun and excitement and celebrate Melbourne's maritime and indigenous history.

There is much public art to be seen on the streets at any time of day as well as inside many public buildings. More information on public art in Melbourne. In addition, public bodies such as the City of Melbourne often sponsor temporary artworks and installations in laneways and other public spaces.

Fiesta Malaysia is a day of celebration attracting over 20,000 people. It aims to  introduce the rich Malaysian history, people, language and culture to those who attend and to enhance the bilateral and multilateral relationship between Malaysia and Australia. In addition it aims to foster, support and promote business and investment opportunities between Malaysia and Australia To introduce Malaysia as a land of diverse races, religions, festivities and cultural heritage. More information at Fiesta Malaysia.

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.

Commencing in 2007 the Gertrude Street Projection Festival has grown to become  one of inner Melbourne’s most visible and accessible free large scale arts festival. The festival celebrates projection art and lets us see familiar spaces and buildings in new, inspired ways. It’s a collaborative, volunteer effort of artists and traders, residents and community groups all brought together by The Gertrude Projection Association.

For 10 evenings in July and in over 38 sites, the length of Gertrude Street in Fitzroy is illuminated by the visions of talented projections artists for the Gertrude Street Projection Festival. Buildings, laneways, footpaths and tree trunks light up with site-specific, curated projections. The Festival’s diverse arts program celebrates and connects our diverse community.

White Hat can thoroughly recommend the festival as a showcase of the edgy, arty inner suburbs. more info >>

Our rating - 4 Hats

Discover Scandinavia in Melbourne at the annual Scandinavian Christmas Bazaar in the beautiful gardens of the Swedish Church, Toorak. Festive atmosphere with stalls full of gorgeous items from Sweden, Denmark and Norway, especially imported for the Bazaar. Handicrafts, Scandinavian food, entertainment and lots of fun activities for the kids. Full information at Scandinavian Christmas Bazaar.

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.

The Australian Ballet School presents its much-loved end of year performance with over 100 of their full-time artists in training taking to stage to perform a program of classical and contemporary works.

Bookings on Arts Centre Melbourne website

The annual Moomba Fireworks running over three nights.

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.

Melbourne Latin Summer Festival is a multicultural festival, free event in the heart of Melbourne that focus purely on varying aspects and different contributions of Latin Culture within Melbourne and Victoria. The event has been created to include all categories and genres of entertainment from Latin America including but not limited to;

• Cuisine, Art
• Kids Area
• Night Life {Bar/Fonda Atmosphere(s)}
• Family Entertainment/Activities

as well as differing hand crafts, jewellery, educational and other stalls will be exhibited at the festival.

It’s a Saturday evening in summer. You’re sitting in a park with family and friends, and a fabulous picnic dinner. The picture is complete when the glorious live music from Opera Australia begins.

Hear our brightest stars, under the stars, sing opera's most famous arias with the magnificent backing of Orchestra Victoria.

Dress up — or not — it's your night to enjoy the power of the human voice in the kind of communal, cultural celebration Melbourne loves best.

Melbourne's long running community festival featuring rides, activities and entertainment in Birrarung Marr and the Alexandra Gardens. The Moomba fireworks will occur from 9.30 to 9.45pm on Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights and the best viewing points can be had on the banks of the Yarra in Birrarung Marr or the Alexandra Gardens.

The parade runs northbound on St Kilda Road (on the park side of the road) between Dorcas St and Linlithgow Avenue.

Experience the magnificent Royal Exhibition Building Dome Promenade on a one hour guided tour. Discover the rich history of this iconic building while taking in uninterrupted views of the Melbourne city skyline.