Things to do in Melbourne in May

Rising is back for sixteen nights across three weekends from June 1-16. As a chill settles over the city, the festival returns with a nocturnal vengeance boasting a packed line-up of 116 events. Choose from a mix of free and ticketed options for performances and installations encompassing theatre, music, dance and art.  Wander through large-scale installations, micro-bars and everything in between as our landmarks and labyrinthine laneways are drenched in a new light. A whopping 651 Australian and international artists will gather to warm Melbourne’s spirits, in a festival celebrating contemporary creativity of all kinds. There’ll be eight Australian premieres, six global premieres and 32 new commissions – nice! This year, the festival’s action-packed Night Trade Hub will sprawl through the laneways around the Capitol Theatre to Howey Place, featuring interactive art, dumplings, dance and more — with free entry. The line-up for this area has also recently been expanded to include psychic readings, karaoke and a full club program. Night Trade Stage Door will host six different late-night DJ parties throughout the festival, for those who want to dance with somebody. Down the road, Fed Square will play host to The Blak Infinite, a vibrant free program of First People’s art and politics. Kimberley Moulton (the curator behind last year’s Shadow Spirit installation) and Kate ten Buuren (Taungurung) have curated the expansive exhibition, anchored by Embassy, Richard Bell’s installat

Combine your twin passions of art and literature this month at the Melbourne Art Book Fair. Hosted by the National Gallery of Victoria and running alongside Melbourne Design Week, the Melbourne Art Book Fair features more than 100 stalls selling art books from local and international publishers. It’s the perfect chance to pick up a gorgeous guide to your favourite creative, or discover an arty edition to spruce up your lonely coffee table. In addition to the art book bonanza, the Melbourne Art Book Fair will also include talks, workshops and events to celebrate art and design both local and international. FlexMami will present The Art of Good Conversation, inviting visitors to respond live to a question from her popular ReFlex converstation cards. For those with little ones, Future Press will give kids the chance to be the writers, illustrators and designers of their own eight-page book. There'll also be a focus on zine making thanks to the folks at the Sticky Insitute, with lots of hand-made goodies to discover. The Melbourne Art Book Fair is on from Thursday, May 23 until Sunday, June 2. Entry is free and tickets to selected workshops can be bought online at the NGV's website. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. Check out what else is happening at Melbourne Design Week.

The eighth edition of Melbourne Design Week will bring 11 days of exhibitions, talks and events to the city in late autumn and early winter. More than 300 inventive exhibitions will be presented during the festival, cementing its status as Australia’s largest annual design event. Each year brings a new theme for Melbourne Design Week and this year’s is ‘Design the world you want’. The theme is designed to encourage exhibitors and audience members alike to ruminate on the role of ecology, energy and ethics in combating complex global challenges.  Highlights of the program include a keynote speech from Nigerian architect Tosin Oshinowo, who will speak to her socially responsive urbanism, and a symposium exploring radical speculative designs for the Birrarung (Yarra River). The Melbourne Art Book Fair will also be celebrating its 10th year, and will run its popular stallholder fair in the NGV’s Great Hall during the first weekend of the festival.  Melbourne Design Week is presented by Creative Victoria and delivered by the NGV. You can view the full festival program and book tickets here. Inspired by the book fair? Check out the best independent bookstores in Melbourne.

Grab your wands and your Hogwarts house tie, because a brand new magical experience that is every Potterhead's dream is coming to Melbourne. Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience is apparating to the Mornington Peninsula in 2024, with a mystical encounter that will have you living out your witch or wizard fantasies in the muggle world. Follow in the daring footsteps of Harry himself through the infamous Forbidden Forest, where you'll meet hippogriffs and unicorns, as well as cast powerful spells. The outdoor trail adventure will lead you on a fully immersive journey, finishing with a Potter-themed village that has food, drink and merch on offer. Warner Bros is bringing this exciting experience Down Under after whirlwind success in the US, UK and Europe, with the Forbidden Forest making its Australian debut deep in the woods of Mt Martha next April.  Suitable for fans of all ages, tickets for this magical experience are on sale now. You can find out more on the website here.  Looking for more fun things to do in Melbourne? Check out what's on this week here. 

What's better than a pasta and vino dinner? A pasta and vino dinner that won't break the bank, of course. So let's thank the spaghetti gods in the sky that in the midst of this cozzie-livs crisis, culinary maestro Adrian Richardson (La Luna Bistro) is hosting a winter pop-up restaurant where you can get dishes of slurp-worthy pasta squarely below the $22 mark, cocktails starting at just $12 and glasses of wine that won't cost you more than a tenner a pop.  Pasta Bambino has sprung up at Adrian's Bouvier Bar on the Brunswick East end of Lygon Street, and it's set to be your go-to cosy destination this winter for affordable northside date nights, get-togethers with friends and everything in between.  “Some of my fondest food memories are helping my Italian grandparents in the kitchen and making pasta from scratch. That’s how I first got my feeling for food,” says Richardson.  These memories are the inspiration behind Pasta Bambino's simple but humble rotating menu, which is comprised of beloved dishes his Nonna taught him to cook as a child. From traditional favorites like casarecce bolognese to indulgent delights like fresh ricotta gnocchi with pesto, there's something to suit every craving – and true to Richardson's ethos, each sings with locally sourced ingredients and ethically procured meats.  You'll also discover an enticing array of appetisers you can get stuck into, such as crispy fried mozzarella and stuffed arancini, perfect for pairing with a Spritz or glass of som

After acclaimed performances in Sydney last year, Melbourne Theatre Company is bringing Julia to the Southbank Theatre stage from May 31 until July 6. This production from Sydney Theatre Company and Canberra Theatre Centre documents one of the most pivotal moments in Australian political history: former Prime Minister Julia Gillard's famous 2012 'misogyny speech'. Demand for this play looks to be robust, so we recommend heading to the Melbourne Theatre Comany website to secure your tickets sooner rather than later. Time Out Sydney reviewed Julia when it played at the Opera House in 2023. Read on for that four-star review:  When Julia Gillard’s distinctive ocker voice first emerged from Justine Clarke’s mouth on Opening Night of Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Julia, the audience literally gasp-screamed. It was, without mincing words, pretty freaky.  STC’s production of Julia is a long-awaited response to one of the most iconic (and spicy) speeches made in Australian history. Written by Joanna Murray Smith, directed by Sarah Goodes, and starring national treasure Justine Clarke as Julia Gillard herself, this deeply Australian story is an amorphous re-imagining of all the forces that led up to that moment in 2012 when Julia Gillard so perfectly and viscously roasted Tony Abbott in the House of Representatives.  Julia is an intoxicating and fascinating experience that hits something deep and resounding within us We all know *that speech* (and if you don’t, watch it right

For most of us, Lego is a nostalgic hobby from bygone childhood years, but there are an exceptional few who took these tiny building blocks from a fun pastime to the next level. Lego artist Nathan Sawaya is one of these talented individuals who is showcasing his fascinating sculptures with a new exhibition that has to be seen to be believed.  The Art of the Brick Immersive Experience exhibition features more than 100 contemporary artworks, all crafted using more than one million Lego bricks to make large-scale, life-like creations.  After a sold-out season back in 2011, it's returning to our city as part of a huge world tour with brand new pieces, having already visited 100 cities across 24 countries. Sawaya is the only person in the world who has the double title of Lego Master Model Builder and Lego Certified Professional. Whoa.  Some of the works showcased in the exhibition include a giant version of Sawaya's most famous sculpture, 'Yellow', which stands at more than six feet tall, plus an installation with 250 kinetic Lego skulls, a piece called 'Infinity Rainbow' that features seven life-sized sculptures, the 30-foot long 'Big Swimmer', dazzling 360-degree digital projections and lots more. The Art of the Brick Immersive Experience opens on April 14 at the Melbourne Showgrounds. Tickets go on sale on March 21 at 7pm, and you can sign up for the waitlist here. Find out more about the exhibition at the website.  Looking for more things to do? Check out our guide to what's

Consider yourself formally invited to the Bridgerton Ball, courtesy of the Queen herself. Step back in time to the Regency era in London and dance across a grandiose ballroom with other esteemed guests at this immersive experience based on the hit Netflix TV show. The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience is coming to Melbourne for its Australian debut, after smashing success across the United States (and plenty of viral TikTok moments). At the Queen's Ball, prepare to be entranced by beautiful period costumes, live music (straight from the show's soundtrack) and elaborate theatrical performances. You will also get to meet enchanting characters and witness a love story unfold before your eyes.  Bridgerton's mysterious columnist Lady Whistledown will be your guide for the event as you learn Regency dance steps, visit Madame Delacroix's modiste for a fitting, uncover secrets and try to win Her Majesty's favour as she looks to choose her 'diamond of the evening'.  Plus, there are recreations of the show's set that are perfect for photo ops and special themed cocktails to enjoy at the after-party when you cut loose on the ballroom dancefloor. The attraction's arrival in Melbourne is almost perfectly timed for the highly-anticipated release of Bridgerton's third season on May 16, so there's no better way to get around the hype.  The Queen's Ball will waltz into Melbourne on May 24, with a party every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening until June 23. You can sign up for the waitli

The annual Good Food and Wine Show is returning to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre this year from May 31 to June 2 for a globally diverse foodtopia of epic proportions. You’ll get to hear from hundreds of local makers, producers and growers from across the country, see and meet your fave chefs, taste fabulous wines that you can take home, and the best part: eat! There'll be more than 300 exhibitors showcasing the best in local and international cuisine this year. From Kenyan barbecue and South African biltong to Swiss Gruyère and premium condiment samples, the show is set to be a food lover's heaven and the perfect opportunity to expand your culinary horizons. And over at the Cooking Main Stage, a stellar line-up of celebrity chefs will share their top secrets, including Miguel Maestre, Kirsten Tibballs, Sarah Todd, Jess Pryles (host of Aussie Barbecue Heroes) and Ready Steady Cook regular Alastair McLeod.  Also featuring on the jam-packed program is a fun range of masterclasses and events. Check out Dilmah's sensory journey through the world of luxury tea and tea-inspired cocktails, interactive wine tastings and cheese pairings, and lots more. It all goes down at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in South Wharf, so grab your ticket and a friend to tag along. You can buy tickets here. Prefer chocolate to cheese and wine? Hit the road to visit the Rocky Road Festival. And there's lots more happening around Melbourne this month – check out the best t

My first encounter with the viridescent power of Wicked was through the sliding door of a suburban dance studio. Face pressed against the glass, I strained to hear the optimistic refrains of ‘One Short Day’, eyes bulging and dopamine levels skyrocketing. So widespread is the pop-cultural impact of this fan favourite musical, that half of Melbourne likely has a similar memory of discovering Wicked.  This faithful revival of the bewitching blockbuster sees the show fly into Melbourne for the third time in 15 years with an abundance of pine-hued pizazz, after celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Broadway premiere at the Sydney Lyric Theatre. It’s also worth noting that the Gregory Maguire novel that forms the basis of the plot was published back in 1995. After all this time, it’s only fair to check in and ask: does Wicked remain evergreen? The costumes, choreography and sets are as slick as they come, which is exactly what’s expected from a show that’s had this many chances to get it ‘right’. This version of Wicked is not reinventing the wheel – instead it’s the cast who keep the cogs turning in a fresh way.   There’s no mistaking that these performers are magical. While Melbourne always loves to get a show before Sydney, our advantage here is that the cast has had time to fully take command of their characters – and they’re flourishing.  Courtney Monsma’s G(a)linda is slap-your-knees, let-out-a-squeal funny. She re-shapes the virtue-signalling mean girl role and makes Glinda