What's On This Week
Mid-July and Melbourne's winter calendar is firing on all cylinders — the MCG hosts a blockbuster Collingwood v Carlton under lights on Saturday, Lightscape is in full swing at the Botanic Gardens, and the Queen Victoria Market Night Market lands on both Wednesday nights this week. Layer up, get out of the house.
Plan this week with plansorted →Week at a glance
Collingwood v Carlton, MCG
Saturday night footy under the lights — Pies and Blues fighting for finals positioning, arguably the biggest crowd of Round 19.
Lightscape, Royal Botanic Gardens
Brand-new installations from world-class artists this year, and the 2.1km trail is best mid-week when it's less crowded — book Thursday or Wednesday for off-peak pricing.
Six Nations – Last Chance
The pop-concert musical closes at Arts Centre Melbourne on Sunday 19 July — if you haven't booked, this weekend is your final shot.
QVM Winter Night Market
Free entry both Wednesdays this week (15 & 22 July), with raclette, doner kebabs, mulled wine and roving performers under the historic market sheds.
Broadsheet Dine Out kicks off Monday 20 July
50 events across Melbourne's top restaurants and bars for one week — ticketed dinners will sell fast, so lock in your picks now at dineout.broadsheet.com.au.
Remo's, Richmond
The newly opened Little Collins Street offshoot brings its cult $8 tiramisu and sub-$20 Roman pasta bowls to Richmond — no bookings, just show up.
Lead Pick
Pies v Blues under the MCG lights
The two most passionate fanbases in the competition go head-to-head in a finals dress rehearsal — this is the one to be at.
Collingwood v Carlton hits the MCG on Saturday 18 July at 7:35pm — gates open from 5:30pm so arrive early, grab a pie and soak up the atmosphere before the bounce. Tickets via Ticketek; note that the Yarra Park car park is closed, so take the tram or train to Jolimont or Richmond. If you want a full day of it, North Melbourne v Melbourne at Marvel Stadium kicks off at 4:15pm earlier in the afternoon — two games, one Saturday.
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Sort my week →Worth Knowing Before You Plan
The Yarra Park car park at the MCG is closed for both Saturday and Sunday Round 19 matches — take the train to Jolimont or Richmond, or tram route 48/75. Also: Lightscape sessions run Wednesday to Sunday only (not Monday or Tuesday), so don't show up on a Monday expecting entry.
What's On
The pop-concert musical retelling of Henry VIII's wives is in its final stretch — Catherine of Aragon to Catherine Parr, 80 minutes of electrifying pop history.
⚡ Final shows this week — book immediately via Ticketek
Grab dinner at Southbank before the show; the precinct is easy from the CBD.
Two kilometres of world-class light installations through the Botanic Gardens — this year includes the Australian premiere of Bifröst's 20-arch tunnel and a Firefly Field of 200 glowing points.
⚡ Book via Ticketek; timed entry in 15-min increments — weekday sessions are quieter and cheaper
Grab a mulled wine or hot chocolate on the trail. Just moments from the new ANZAC Station.
The classic mid-week ritual — global street food, open fire pits, mulled wine and roving performers under the iconic market sheds.
⚡ No booking needed; arrive close to 5pm to beat the queue and find street parking
Lobster chowder in a cob loaf from the Soup Factory, hot jam doughnuts from American Doughnut Kitchen — go hungry.
Australia's most gloriously chaotic singalong experience turns St Kilda's grandest venue into one massive choir — no experience, no shame required.
⚡ Check availability now
Pre-drinks on Fitzroy Street before the show; easy tram access on the 96.
Broadsheet's annual food festival kicks off Monday with 50 events — chef collabs, exclusive menus and one-off dinners across the city's best restaurants and bars.
⚡ Ticketed events selling fast — book now at dineout.broadsheet.com.au
Check the full program for walk-in specials you can enjoy without pre-booking.
A multi-sensory exhibition celebrating music's cultural impact through vinyl — large-scale video works, immersive sound installations and hands-on Technics turntables.
⚡ No booking required
Combine with a walk through Fed Square and lunch in the CBD.
Sport
The MCG's biggest rivalry of Round 19 — both clubs chasing finals spots, and Craig McRae's Pies potentially missing key players, making this one genuinely unpredictable.
⚡ Tickets on sale via Ticketek; Yarra Park car park closed — take public transport
The Demons, on a nine-game MCG winning streak, head to Marvel to face a Roos side that's won three straight — form clash of the round.
⚡ Kids 14 and under free (Kids Footy Month — final round of the offer)
A Sunday afternoon MCG game to ease into the weekend — Richmond's rebuilding year meets a Hawthorn side fighting for top-four.
⚡ Good availability for this one
Food & Deals
The cult Little Collins Street spot has expanded to Richmond with sub-$20 Roman pasta bowls and the famous $8 tiramisu — no bookings, just show up.
Already selling out before 10am daily, Daybaker has arrived and is living up to the hype — get there early or miss out.
Johnnie Walker cocktails from $15, vinyl DJ sets from 8pm till late at Chris Lucas's izakaya-inspired Windsor venue — the collab runs until 24 July so this is one of the last.
Free entry to Melbourne's best mid-week food ritual: lobster chowder, Berlin doner, fried pasta cups, mulled wine and fire pits, every Wednesday until 26 August.
Free This Week
Free entry, global street food, fire pits and roving performers every Wednesday 5–10pm at Queen Victoria Market — this week on both the 16th and 22nd.
Free immersive exhibition at ACMI celebrating vinyl and music culture, with hands-on turntables and large-scale video works — open all week at Federation Square.
Parts of Melbourne's iconic Exhibition Building not accessible to the public for 100 years are now open — from $29 for adults via Museums Victoria.
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