Melbourne / This week
Worth leaving the house for.
RISING hits its stride this week — the city-wide festival of art, music and performance is in full swing across theatres, cathedrals and laneways through 8 June. Stack that against a classic Blues v Cats night match at the MCG on Friday, and the Good Food & Wine Show rolling through South Wharf all weekend, and you've got a genuinely stacked few days. It's proper Melbourne winter: cold enough to earn the fondue, warm enough to be out every night.
Updated 27 May 2026 · Next update 3 June · Archived edition
Melbourne's flagship winter festival takes over theatres, town halls, the Flinders Street Ballroom and public squares with 100+ events across music, dance, art and performance — including Lil' Kim at Festival Hall and free public installations citywide.
Round 12 opener under the roof at Marvel Stadium, Docklands — both sides chasing top-eight relevance.
Private Alpine chalets on the Fed Square rooftop with bubbling cheese fondue or raclette, mulled wine and fire pits — new for 2026, you choose fondue or raclette. Book a group of 6–8; from $99pp.
I'd do this.
Good Food Show then MCG under lights
The Good Food & Wine Show runs Fri–Sun at MCEC, South Wharf — 300-plus exhibitors, live cooking demos, Bakers Alley new for 2026, and the RIEDEL Drinks Lab. It's a 10-minute walk or one tram stop to Flinders Street, then a short stroll to the MCG for Carlton hosting Geelong at 7:40pm Friday night. Grab tickets to both via goodfoodshow.com.au and Ticketek — general entry to the show starts around $35, footy from ~$39. Book the food show session early; later slots sell out by Thursday.
Eat your way through 300+ producers at MCEC, then cross the river for Carlton v Geelong.
The stuff you'll be annoyed nobody told you.
The good stuff, with a reason.
Where I'd eat this week
Book something good.
Fondue Chalet at Fed Square. Private Alpine chalets on the Fed Square rooftop with bubbling cheese fondue or raclette, mulled wine and fire pits — new for 2026, you choose fondue or raclette. Book a group of 6–8; from $99pp.
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