WICKED

After 13 smash months in Melbourne WICKED must close 9 August. WICKED is now playing at Melbourne s Regent Theatre. The wit, spectacle and the wonderful score of this smash-hit musical provides spectacular entertainment for all. WICKED tells the untold story of two girls who meet in the Land of Oz. One, born with emerald green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. WICKED tells the story of how these two unlikely friends become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch. When WICKED opened on Broadway, it worked its magic on critics and audiences alike.

The Arts Centre Sunday Market

At the Arts Centre Sunday Market there is an endless array of one-of-a-kind gift ideas. With over 150 stalls under cover, you can shop until you drop no matter what the season. Many of the artisans are present so you can chat directly with the maker about their product, inspiration and techniques. Gift ideas include handmade ceramics, textiles, Australian timber woodwork, jewellery and stunning photography. Discover myriad treasures ranging from antique kaliedoscopes to organic teas, silks, sculptures, baubles, gems and pearls, scarves with flair and much, much more to capture the imagination. Established as Victoria's finest art and craft market and located over two levels just a short stroll from Flinders Street Station - just over Prince's Bridge, beside the Yarra - the Arts Centre Sunday market is a shopper's delight.

Fed Square Laughter Club

Join in a 30-minute laughter session at Federation Square at 11:00am on the 1st Sunday of each month. Laughter Clubs come together for a session and people laugh for no reason without having to resort to jokes or humour. The sessions last about half an hour and are mostly held outdoors. They are run along the lines established by Dr Madan Kataria, who founded the global laughter movement 12 years ago with one club, and there are now over 5,000 clubs worldwide. Everyone is welcome to experience first-hand the fun of a laughter session, and gain the benefits of laughter, which improves the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social health of individuals, workplaces, and society.

South Melbourne Market

The South Melbourne Market is one of Melbourne's oldest and most popular Markets. The Market has been serving customers since 1867. The South Melbourne Market has 144 permanent undercover stalls: * Modern deli, meats, poultry and seafood aisle * Organic butcher, organic fruit and vegetables and healthfood store * Fresh fruit and vegetables * Delicious take-away foods and great coffee * Newly updated and constantly evolving Cecil Street Cafe strip including Italian, Spanish, Asian yum cha, Char-grill and our famous Dim Sims, complete with outdoor dining areas * Homewares and kitchenware s * Fashion and accessories * Travel goods * Plants and flowers * Hair salon * and a whole lot more The market is easy to reach by public transport and has plenty of free parking.

Car Club Showcase at Fed Square

See your favourite cars up close and meet the proud owners at the Fed Square Car Club Showcase. On the last Sunday of every month car aficionados transform the Flinders St frontage of Federation Square into the most glamorous carpark in town. Classic cars one month, vintage the next and modern sports cars another. All lovingly restored and cared for. WHEN: Last Sunday of every month TIME: 11am to 2:30pm WHERE: Flinders St, Federation Square 2009 CAR SHOWCASE PROGRAM January (25th) Classic & Rod Club of Victoria February (22nd) Rover Car Club of Australia March (29th) FE FC Holden Car Club of Vic Inc.

Fracture Gallery @ Fed Square

Accessible all year round, this unique exhibition space consists of twin parallel glass walls extending the full length of the Atrium, complimented by fractured glass shards and a web of cross bars. Curated by RMIT Gallery, the Fracture Gallery showcases the work of new and established local and international artists from around the globe. Fracture Gallery @ Fed Square 2009 Program Another World Wide Web - Shane Waltener 29 January - 29 March Acclaimed London artist, Shane Waltener transforms the Fracture Gallery into a delicate web of hand-knitted shirring elastic, stretching across the steel beams and fractured glass shards.

Victorian Wine Regions Showcase Series at Fed Square

Fed Square Book Market

Love books? Join Melbourne's bibliophiles at the city's largest weekly book market every Saturday in The Atrium at Fed Square. Each week you can immerse yourself in over 5000 new and pre-loved titles, including literature, history, gardening, travel, art and kids stories. The Book Market regularly features around 15 of Melbourne's most experienced book dealers as well as authors and illustrators. Find that elusive book you've always wanted to read, learn about the authors or purchase the perfect gift - a book. In between the browsing, you can sit down and enjoy a coffee or wine in The Atrium, and afterwards visit the many related attractions at Federation Square such as the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Champions Australian Racing Museum and the Melbourne Visitor Centre.

Tai Chi @ Fed Square

Start each week feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and energised with Tai Chi, the Chinese martial art that promotes health and relaxation. Join expert instructors from Tai Chi Australia for a free class in The Square every Tuesday morning. Exercise your mind, body and soul in this inspiring location. Where: Main Square (The Atrium when it rains) When: Every Tuesday, 7.30am - 8.30am

The Satrical Eye: comedy and critique from Hogarth to Daumier

The Satirical Eye will feature works ranging from political satires which were aimed directly at prominent public figures, to scenarios that highlight fashions, fads and social manners as subjects of mockery. The exhibition will feature over one hundred prints and drawings from the NGV Collection. These works have been selected to highlight the role and power of satire in Europe during this period. The Satirical Eye will include seven works by William Hogarth which depict the chaotic underbelly life in eighteenth century London. Hogarth s narratives set the stage for the next generation of English satirists Thomas Rowlandson, James Gillray and George Cruikshank.

2009 Cicely & Colin Rigg Contemporary Design Award

In March 2009, the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) will present the fifth Cicely & Colin Rigg Contemporary Design Award. The Cicely & Colin Rigg Contemporary Design Award is a generous legacy of the late Colin Rigg (1895 1982), a former Secretary of the NGV Felton Bequests' Committee. This Award of Excellence focuses on contemporary design practice in the state of Victoria. This award is arguably the most prestigious offered to a contemporary designer in Australia, with a prize of $30,000. In 2009 the exhibition will be dedicated to contemporary furniture design.

John Brack

The National Gallery of Victoria will present a major retrospective of the work of John Brack, the first in more than twenty years. This exhibition will survey John Brack s complete career, incorporating over 150 works from all of his major series. John Brack will bring together a significant body of the artist s paintings and works on paper, including pictures that have developed an iconic status and others that have rarely, if ever, been seen publicly since they were first exhibited.

The Independent Type: Books and Writing in Victoria

The Independent Type: Books and Writing in Victoria is a free exhibition that celebrates Victoria's rich and diverse written culture, highlighting the stories, the voices and the spirit of independence that have made our literature unique. The Independent Type: Books and writing in Victoria celebrates the work of award-winning contemporary authors such as Booker Prize winner Peter Carey, crime writer Peter Temple and young-adult novelist Sonya Hartnett, as well as non-fiction authors including Manning Clark and Germaine Greer. It also features important early writers such as Marcus Clarke and Henry Handel Richardson, and embraces literary 'rascals' like left-wing novelist Frank Hardy and controversies such as the notorious Ern Malley hoax.

Craft Victoria

Housing 3 gallery spaces and a retail outlet, it s the very best place to see and buy handmade, local craft and design product. The gallery space exhibits an ever changing selection of cutting edge, experimental work from local, national and international practitioners. LEARN: Each year Craft Victoria presents a series of public programs and events to inspire, promote and educate, including the Craft and Design as a career seminar; the annual Professional Members exhibition; the monthly emerging designers market Craft Hatch; plus a range of workshops and artists talks. EXPERIENCE: Craft Cubed is the new annual Craft Victoria Festival held in August each year.

Light Years: Photography and Space

A fascinating exhibition featuring photographs of space travel and images inspired by space will open at the National Gallery of Victoria on 8 May. Light Years: Photography and Space will feature around 50 works drawn entirely from the NGV Collection. Focusing largely on the 1960s and 70s, the exhibition will include photographs taken during early NASA missions. The exhibition celebrates the International Year of Astronomy and the 40th anniversary of the first Moon walk.

Comedy@Spleen

Every Monday, Comedy@Spleen is the city's FREE weekly comedy hotspot, with a packed room every week! It's every Monday night starting at 8.30pm. With drop-in guests like Glenn Robbins, Jeff Stilson, Elliot Goblet, Lehmo, Mike Wilmot, Lawrence Mooney, Yon from Tripod, Fiona O'Loghlin, Dave Callan and Charlie Pickering, you'll never know which special guest you're going to get! And this is as well as all the hottest young acts in Melbourne that'll be household names tomorrow! And it's FREE! Come down to the hottest new comedy room in town!

Persuasion: Fashion in the Age of Jane Austen

Featuring over 70 works, with the majority from the NGV Collection, Persuasion will survey the period 1770 to 1830 and will include fashion, prints and drawings, decorative arts and paintings, with a focus on English women s dress from the early 19th century. Roger Leong, Curator, International Fashion and Textiles, NGV said that fashion plays an important, if often understated, role in the works and letters of Jane Austen. Jane Austen s life coincided with some of the greatest transformations in history including the Revolution in France, the American War of Independence, the Industrial Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars.

The French Brasserie - Taste of France

Taste of France - First Tuesday of the Month Starting in May Frederic Naud will prepare his own taste of France . Focusing on a different region each month. There will be no set menu, the meal will include 3 course degustation menu at a cost of $55 per person. A great way to experience the French Cuisine. Please check our website each month for region and menu. Instantly welcoming, the French Brasserie offers a relaxing sanctuary at the top end of town. Soaring ceilings and vast glass expanses achieve a chic contemporary atmosphere while friendly attentive staff anticipate your every need.

Next Wave Time Lapse

Next Wave Time Lapse, is an arresting program of new screen-based work by young and emerging artists for Federation Square s Big Screen and surrounding multimedia sites. Starting June 2009, Next Wave will present new work by twelve of Australia s most exciting young video and new media artists. Next Wave Time Lapse will occupy one of Melbourne s most visible and visited public sites, Federation Square, investigating the potential of screen-based art in public space, and building new audiences for this work.

The Light in Winter

In 2009 Fed Square gives us another bright reason to rug and up and head for the city. Directed by Robyn Archer, The Light in Winter is a light-based festival that brings together artists, designers and communities to explore their ideas of light, enlightenment and hope. The festival will include thirteen light installations created by Melbourne s multicultural communities as part of the Gift of Light along with a major international commission, Volume . Known for their work with U2, Massive Attack, The Arctic Monkeys and Kylie Minogue, UK-based United Visual Artists will launch their latest installation, Volume on 4 June.

Queen Victoria Market Winter Cooking School

Celebrate the beautiful, fresh, seasonal produce of Queen Victoria Market. At the Electrolux Cooking School, chefs, cookery authors and culinary professionals from Victoria and interstate conduct cooking classes in a range of cuisines, styles and techniques. Our seasonal program includes demonstrations of seafood, cakes, desserts, and special occasion cooking. Italian, Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, Japanese, Spanish, and Moroccan are just some of the cuisines featured in each program. The perfect gift idea for any avid foodie! Our children's cooking classes and school holiday classes are firm favourites.

Salvador Dali: Liquid Desire

The first comprehensive retrospective of the work of Salvador Dali ever to be staged in Australia is coming exclusively to the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) as the sixth exhibition in the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series. Salvador Dali: Liquid Desire will bring together more than 200 stunning works by Salvador Dali in all media including painting, drawing, watercolour, etchings, sculpture, fashion, jewellery, cinema and photography. The exhibition will be drawn from the two largest collections of Salvador Dali in the world, the Fundacio Gala-Salvador Dali in Figueres, Spain and the Salvador Dali Museum in St Petersburg, Florida.

Circus Oz 2009

Circus Oz 2009 now on sale! Under the Big Top, Birrarung Marr 17 June 12 July Whether you come to see Circus Oz every year, or hope to discover Melbourne s own internationally acclaimed contemporary circus for the first time, don t miss 2009 s rock-n-roll, animal free show that everyone can enjoy together. Expect two hours of breathtaking agility, death-defying stunts, awe-inspiring acrobatic performances, irreverent comedy and a spectacular live band. Circus Oz returns to wow home crowd audiences under the Big Top at Birrarung Marr in 2009 following a whirlwind world tour in Europe, USA and New Zealand to celebrate its 30th Birthday .

Burlesque Hour...Legends

The legendary, indefinable, genre-busting, burlesque-eats-its-young salon that has had critics raving and festival audiences around the world in raptures, comes home to Melbourne, in a last stop before Shanghai, with Burlesque Hour LEGENDS. From every facet of the showgirl spectrum, the Burlesque Hour creates LEGENDS. From London cult cabaret legend, star of the Olivier Award winning La Clique,purveyor of the internationally infamous hanky strip, performer at Salman Rushdie s stag night, and fresh from a six month run at London s Hippodrome, Ursula Martinez, to three time Helpmann and Green Room award winner, Australia s darkest singing angel, the man The Scotsman describes as being in possession of a voice that sounds like an act of God , Paul Capsis, to Miss Toni Lamond the legend of Australian variety, Order of Australia and Key...

JERSEY BOYS - The story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

Broadway s multi award-winning smash hit musical JERSEY BOYS - The story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons will rock the Princess Theatre, Melbourne this winter. JERSEY BOYS is the story of how four boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. The Four Seasons burst onto the international music scene in the 1960s to become one of the biggest names in music history. Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide, all before they were thirty! JERSEY BOYS features 20 Four Seasons hit songs including Sherry , Big Girls Don t Cry , Rag Doll , Oh What a Night and Can t Take My Eyes Off You .

Noche Flamenca

Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca with guest artists El Torombo and Juan Fernandez. Flamenco stripped bare in a sizzling Australian tour Frankston - Arts Centre - 30 June 03 9784 1060 or www.artscentre.frankston.vic.gov.au Geelong - Performing Arts Centre - 1 July 03 5225 1200 or www.gpac.org.au Melbourne - The Arts Centre Playhouse - 7-11 July 1300 136 166 or www.ticketmaster.com.au Fresh from a critically acclaimed US tour and world premiere in New York of a new work, Camino, sensational Madrid-based flamenco dance company, Noche Flamenca, appears in Australia for the first time in eight years, giving audiences a rare chance to experience the beauty and intensity of flamenco in its purest form.

BalletLab presents MIRACLE

15-17 July @ 8pm, 18 July @ 4pm and 8pm, 19 July @ 4pm BalletLab will celebrate its ten year anniversary with MIRACLE, an emotionally-charged dance performance that explores religious icons, myths and modern-day cults. Revolutionary evangelist groups from the 1960s and 70s are used to delve into the belief there is a gateway to the afterlife. This new work by Artistic Director Phillip Adams isthe first dance production to be included in Melbourne s State of Design Festival and featurescostumes by Australian fashion designer Toni Mati evski, a lighting installation by Bluebottle and a live soundscape by David Chisholm and Myles Mumford.

State of Design Festival

The State of Design Festival is Victoria s peak design event, held 15-25 July 2009. The Festival covers many cross-disciplinary design agendas relating to the profession of design and the marketplace that it provides to. The Festival offers both local and international conversations on design, with a focus on design from across Victoria. Through partner organisations and brand alliances, the Festival links Victorian design into the global design conversation, offering an understanding of the Victorian design context, the opportunities and the successes. Under one Festival umbrella the best local designers are honoured through the biennial Premier s Design Awards to be held again in 2010, whilst others are discovered at our trade fair, Design Made Trade.

Len Lye

LEN LYE An artist in perpetual motion Discover the art of Len Lye (1901 1980), one of the most radical creative minds of the modern age. This unforgettably exuberant exhibition surveys his work across film, sculpture, painting, poetry and more. Exploding with kaleidoscopic colour and pulsing with rhythmic beats, the exhibition is the largest survey of Len Lye s work ever presented. New Zealand-born Len Lye is a seminal figure in the history of the moving image. In his early twenties, Lye travelled throughout the South Pacific, and lived for extended periods in Australia and Samoa. Moving to London in the 1920s, and then New York in the 1940s, Len Lye s career unfolded amidst avant garde modernism on the international stage.

15/15 Film Festival

There are two components to the 15/15 Film Festival. Firstly, the filming day, where new and emerging film makers simultaneously make a film up to fifteen minutes in length within fifteen hours on the designated filming day. Secondly, the screening festival, which takes place from May to July around the country. All films are screened in their local communities and the best films are toured to other communities.

Melbourne International Film Festival

The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is an iconic Melbourne event with a devoted audience. MIFF hosts a feast of cinematic delicacies from over 50 countries for some 17 days each winter, heavily garnished with a range of parties and special events that envelop the CBD. In addition to screening the very best in world cinema, MIFF is Australia s largest showcase of new Australian cinema and most vocal champion of both emerging and established local filmmaking talent. MIFF has a rich history, celebrating 58 years in 2009 which makes it one of the oldest film festival¹s in the world (one year younger than Cannes!).

Beautiful Woman

Beautiful Woman exists to Impact, Inspire and equip women of varying ages, cultures and backgrounds to be all they can be. Beautiful Woman reaches thousands of women across our state, our nation and now New Zealand with a message of hope and inspiration. A beautiful women event is a special occasion like no other; a time of inspiration, fun and empowerment .These events aim to motivate, educate and support women individually as a group.

Craft Cubed Festival

Craft Cubed is a new national event presented by Craft Victoria. This annual festival promotes experimental, skilled and ideas-based craft and design. It will provide a platform for conversation and exchange across all spectrums of the craft and design communities. A key feature of the event is the thematic linking of current craft trends among local, national and international practitioners. There are three components to Craft Cubed: WHITE BOX showcases 50 international design projects in a virtual format. PERSPECTIVE is a curated exhibition of 50 new works by Craft Victoria s Professional Members.

Slava's Snowshow

Get your clowns together for this year s most extraordinary entertainment experience! Following a recent sold-out season on Broadway where it just been nominated for a Tony Award, Slava s Snowshow returns to Melbourne for a strictly limited season at the Athenaeum Theatre from August 12. Unlike anything you have seen on stage before, Snowshow starts where Marcel Marceau and Charlie Chaplin left off, with the world s best contemporary clowning delivering laugh-out-loud comedy and heart-warming emotion. Added to this, the show features the most breathtaking and beautiful visual effects you will ever experience in a theatre culminating in a sensational snowstorm which engulfs the entire audience in an atmosphere of joyful celebration.

Melbourne Specialist Cheese Show

Visitors are encouraged to roam the room to find their favourite curds and whey amongst the soft oozing camemberts, creamy blues and crumbling cheddars. Specialist cheeses on show will include varieties produced from cow, sheep, buffalo and goat milk, coming from prime cheesemaking regions across the country and includes producers from Yarra Valley Dairy, Shaw River Dairy, Boosey Creek Cheese Company and Hunter Belle. Cheese enthusiaits wanting to braoden their knowledge have a rare opportunity to meet with 30 of Australia's dedicated specialist cheesemakers who devote their time and energy into creating world class cheese and will be on hand at the show to guide you through your tastings as well as answer those tricky cheese questions.

Terri Brooks: New Paintings

Returning from her recent show at Germany's Neubrandenburg Museum, abstract painter Terri Brooks' latest exhibition further explores her formalist interest in the makeshift and everyday. Inspired by the weathered textures of the inner city environment - flaking paint, rusted metal, cracked and marked concrete - Brooks' paintings discuss the physical nature of a site, its cycles of disintegration and renewal. I am a city based landscape artist, the walls and graffiti scrawled laneways, creek tracks and old industrial areas of Melbourne are my hills and valleys. I am intrigued by the traces of nature left to manifest in the built world." For more information please visit our website.

Melbourne Writers Festival

Ten days of chat, banter and provocation with the world's top writers, the Melbourne Writers Festival is where the ideas come alive and words are made flesh. Whether you want to take flights of fancy or be bought down to earth, there's bound to be session or two in the more than 250 events that you will want to hear. Check out our festival marquee, where you can buy your books, have your favourite author sign them and stay on for music, debates and fun and games. The Age Melbourne Writers Festival: 21 August to 30 August 2009 at Federation Square, Flinders Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000 For more in formation and full event program please visit our website.

Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes in Billy Twinkle, Requiem for a Golden Boy

World renowned Canadian puppeteer Ronnie Burkett returns to Melbourne with a provocative new show - Billy Twinkle, Requiem for a Golden Boy. A sole performer accompanied by a multitude of marionettes, Ronnie has been credited with producing some of the world s most elaborate adult puppetry. Previous shows at the Melbourne International Arts Festival (2002 & 2004) have sold out book now to avoid disappointment! About the show: Billy Twinkle is a middle-aged cruise ship puppeteer who dazzles audiences with his Stars in Miniature marionette nightclub act. He is the best in the business and on top of the world, until he is fired.

Australian Football League Finals Series

Don t miss the spectacular crescendo of 22 weeks of fantastic competition in the 2009 AFL Finals Series. From March to September Australian Rules Football (AFL) teams fight it out to make the top eight and qualify for the final series. This titanic contest is between two teams with one emerging as the premier side for the year. Close to 95,000 fans pack the stands of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for the grand final while millions watch it worldwide on cable, satellite and free to air television. The final series offers sheer atmosphere and excitement and is a truly unique Australian experience.

Melbourne Fringe Festival

Melbourne Fringe celebrates every corner and crevice of arts space in Melbourne. Made up of three major components the festival is your guide to the most cutting edge art in the city. Fringe Program - In 2008 almost 4000 artists independent artists created over 290 shows in spaces across the inner city. The range is astonishing from circus to visual arts, cabaret to dance, theatre to comedy. Many of Australia s finest talents, including Lano and Woodley, Barrie Kosky, Santo Cilauro, Rachel Berger, Rachel Griffiths, Tiddas, Patrica Piccinini, Julia Zemiro and Sammy J, have experimented with new ideas in Melbourne Fringe.

Mid Autumn Lantern Festival

Mid Autumn Lantern Festival is celebrated on 3rd October 2009 (Saturday) and the Chinese Museum will celebrate with moon cake and lantern making, story telling, riddles guessing and colouring exercise. Come and join us with your kids and family on 3rd October to celebrate with mooncake and tea tasting. A living part of Melbourne's modern Chinatown, the Chinese Museum was brought into being in 1985 to document, preserve and display the history of Australians of Chinese descent. An exciting range of changing exhibitions, heritage tours and public seminars are some of the ways by which the Museum shares the past, culture, and values of Australia's Chinese community.

Refugee Camp In Your City

Replica Camp to bring refugee life close to home. Very few Australians get the chance to hear, feel and see what life is like in a refugee camp. REFUGEE CAMP IN YOUR CITY, M decins Sans Fronti res 1000 square-metre replica camp, will give people the chance to walk into a camp site modelled on refugee camps in countries such as Chad and Sudan. Experienced field staff will be on-hand at the camp to lead the guided tours and tell their stories about refugee camp life and the vulnerability of life for people who have fled their homes. Field staff will also be available to talk to people interested in working for M decins Sans Fronti res at information nights held in Adelaide on Wednesday 23 September and in Melbourne on Thursday 15 October.

Melbourne International Arts Festival

Indulge in the cream of Australian and international cultural events. Melbourne International Arts Festival has an outstanding reputation for presenting unique international and Australian attractions in the fields of dance, theatre, music, opera, visual arts, free and outdoor events. In 2009, the event runs for 17 days from 9 25 October, with performances throughout Melbourne. First staged in 1986, the festival became the third in the Spoleto Festival series joining Spoleto, Italy, and Charleston, United States. The name was changed in 1990 to the Melbourne International Festival of the Arts. The Artistic Director for 2005 - 2008 is Kristy Edmunds. Photo's captured by: Carla Gottens and John Sones

St.George Melbourne Marathon

Over 25,000 people are expected to sign up for the 2009 St.George Melbourne Marathon, to be held on Sunday 11 October. The Melbourne Marathon offers a choice of four distances, and features one of the most memorable finishes of any running event in the world, with all participants having the opportunity to run a lap of the mighty MCG before crossing the finish line in front of the MCC Members Stand. 7.00am St.George Melbourne Marathon (42.195km) 7.30am The Coffee Club 10km 8.00am Melbourne Half Marathon (21.1km) 10.30am ASICS 5km Run 10.45am ASICS 5km Walk The courses take in some of Melbourne s most famous landmarks, including Federation Square, the Victorian Arts Centre, St Kilda Road, the Tan, the Shrine, Albert Park Lake and Beaconsfield Parade.

BuildGreen Expo

Victorian householders and businesses are set to be offered the keys to creating a new era of sustainability. With over 100 exhibitors and growing daily, showcasing products and services which save water, save energy, reduce waste, increase recycling or provide cleaner energy for use in the home or business. Visitors will be able to save money by comparing and buying hundreds of amazing products to cut water, energy and bills. The best eco technologies on the market will be demonstrated and experts available to answer questions. Practical free seminars on how to positively impact the planet will also run continuously over the three days.

Around the Bay in a Day

Around the Bay in a Day is Australia's premier mass participation bike ride. Leading into it s seventeenth year, the event is experiencing significant growth, with over 16,300 riders participating in 2008. With a final figure yet to be finalised, it is anticipated that these riders will raise a record tally for the official charity partner, The Smith Family. The event offers a choice of five ride distances: 50km, 80km School Challenge, 100km, 210km and 250km. With the exception of the 100km ride, which starts in Sorrento, all rides start and finish at the same location Alexandra Gardens in the heart of the city of Melbourne. You can also look forward to another bumper weekend of cycling activities with the Melbourne Cycling Festival.

Victorian Microbreweries Showcase

Meet the brewers. Enjoy their beer. The idea is simple but there's nothing 'simple' about the boutique beers featured in our regular Victorian Microbreweries Showcase. With your 'tasting ticket' you can enjoy 20 uniquely crafted beers from Melbourne and regional Victoria. What better way to celebrate the pioneering spirit of our thriving boutique brewing industry?

Pottery Expo @ Federation Square

The Pottery Expo project was created in 2001 by Jane Annois, an internationally exhibited Australian ceramic artist and teacher. The project aims to promote high quality innovative studio ceramics created by Australian ceramic artists, bringing these art works to the public at various venues. Expo's are held in Warrandyte, Federation Square and Gapsted. The first Pottery Expo @ Federation Square in Nov 2005 was a great success and it has now become a popular annual event. The Potter Expos are a great opportunity to meet and see the work of not only local potters but also those from around Victoria and interstate.

Opera Australia - Season 2009

Opera Australia 2009: The Power of the Voice Celebrate the power of the voice through the sounds, sights and sensations of opera. Seven different productions come to the stage in Melbourne in 2009, ranging from the sparkling wit of Mozart's Cosi fan tutte in a new production directed by Jim Sharman, the grandeur of Verdi's Aida, directed by Graeme Murphy, to the gripping drama of A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Bruce Beresford and starring Yvonne Kenny. All seven productions are new, and all of them are brought to the stage brilliantly by Opera Australia's ensemble of singers, dancers, actors, costumiers, wigmakers, designers, painters, technicians, directors and orchestral musicians.

Polish Festival @ Federation Square

Polish Festival @ Federation Square - bringing a Taste of Poland to Melbourne. Stop counting calories and indulge in the exquisite flavours that are the essence of Poland at the Polish Festival @ Federation Square on Sunday the 15th of November 2009. Stalls at this year's festival will feature delicacies such as pierogi which many translate as filled dumplings or ravioli but neither term really does the pierogi justice - you just have to try it. Or you can try some bigos, Poland's true national dish. But don't miss out on the placki ziemniaczane (Potato Pancakes) think of them as the Polish version of hash browns, but far tastier and even more tantalising when had with sour cream and sugar.

Australian Corporate Games

National multi-sport event for businesses and organisations. Now in its 17th year attracting more than 11,000 participants from 350 organisations over 4 days at venues in and around Melbourne. Twenty team and individual sports on the programme such as: AFL, Badminton, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Cricket 8's, Golf, Indoor Karting, Netball, Outrigger Canoeing, Poker, Running, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Swimming, Tennis, Table Tennis, Tenpin Bowling, Touch, and Volleyball. Corporate Games is an annual multi-sport championship founded to provide every athlete of every ability the opportunity to remain active in sport.

Darwin to Melbourne Thank You Camel Expedition 2008-2009

The Darwin To Melbourne "Thank You" Camel Expedition will leave on Easter Sunday 2008 from Darwin City through the Western Deserts, Northern Territory Deserts, South Australian Deserts, Country Victoria and through the City of Melbourne from Government House on the 22/11/09 to the Royal Children's Hospital, as a show of thank you to Moira Kelly and the Children First Foundation, it's associated bodies and volunteers. The expedition will end at the Children First Foundation residence in Kilmore, Victoria for the children in residence to meet the camels. The camel expedition will: * Take approximately one and a half years to complete * Cover approximately 6000 Kilometres * Trek through some of Australia's remotest deserts * Cross the continent from north to south * Find those who can say "thank you" to Moira Kelly and her...

Suzuki Night Market

The Suzuki Night Market 2009/10 Season commences on Wednesday 25 November 2009 and runs every Wednesday until 24 February 2010, except 30 December 2009. We look forward to seeing you there! Location: Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne Pedestrian entry from corner Queen & Therry Streets and Peel Street Cost: FREE ENTRY Bookings: You can reserve a table in advance by calling us on 03 9320 5830. Tables seat 10 people and bookings incur a $25 fee per table. Food: Take a tour of world flavours. Over 30 stalls prepare fresh food on-site from a range of cuisines, including: Indian, Vietnamese, Ethiopian, Spanish, Dutch and Middle Eastern.

2009 Great Victorian Bike Ride

In 2009 it travels along the Great Ocean Road! Starting in Portland, participants ride 550 kilometers over nine days along the Great Ocean Road and through beachside and country towns. For all ages and cycling abilities this is your chance to escape to 'A week in another world.' This years marks the 26th year of the Ride and is the longest running event for Bicycle Victoria. Starting in Portland, the Ride travels out and back to Cape Bridgewater, before heading to Macarthur, down to Port Fairy, along the Great Ocean Road to Port Campbell and Apollo Bay where it stops for a rest day. A road closure gets riders from Apollo bay to Anglesea along the ocean road, then onto a final night party in Queenscliff, before finishing in Geelong for a heroes finish!

Advent Calendar

Celebrate the spirit of Christmas as the East Shard at Federation Square is transformed into a magical Advent Calendar! Enjoy a free performance at 9pm every night in December as talented aerialists perform in front of a magical animation on the side of the building and unveil a new window each night. Bring the kids along and explore an Fed Square's exciting display of Christmas installations throughout the Square. From brightly lit cellophane fish in the Fracture Gallery to giant parrots suspended from the ceiling of the Atrium, there's a surprise around every corner! Time: 9pm nightly, with an extra finale performance at 11:30pm on 24th December Duration: 20 minutes

Vision Australia's Carols by Candlelight

You are invited to celebrate the magic of Christmas with song at the 2009 Vision Australia Carols by Candlelight. This year the iconic event turns 72 and it is expected to be as vibrant and magical as ever. Held in the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, the night will feature an array of contemporary and traditional performers that is sure to delight and entertain the whole family. All proceeds raised from the event go towards children who are blind or have low vision. Tickets go on sale November 2009 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster. On Wednesday the 23rd of December 2009 you can experience much of the fun and splendour of Vision Australia's Carols by Candlelight rehearsal at a significantly reduced rate.

3 MOBILE Boxing Day Test

The traditional Boxing Day Test at the MCG is the most anticipated cricket match each year in world cricket and this year will be no exception. The last time the Proteas played Australia in Melbourne 72,000 spectators were on hand for Day 1 to see the fiery clash and another big crowd is expected to be on hand for one of Melbourne s major annual sporting events. As well as the action on the arena there will be plenty of activities in and around the MCG. The Outfield precinct will provided interactive cricket displays for families in Yarra Park, Federation Square again hosts a live site including all the action on the big screen. Merv Hughes will also be returning to host Merv s Walk to the G on the morning of Day 3. For fixtures, match information and ticket prices, please visit our website.

Australian Open - The Grand Slam of Asia/Pacific

AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2010 Where: Melbourne Park When: 18 - 31 January 2010 The world's best tennis players took centre stage at Melbourne Park for the first Grand Slam of the year. For the tenth consecutive year, Australian Open 2009 has attracted more than half a million patrons with an official tournament attendance of 603,160. A star-studded men's and women's singles draw included eight men's Grand Slam champions and six women's Grand Slam champions and 31 of the top 32 men and 29 of hte top 32 women. A total f 46 nations were represented in the singles main draws. American Serena Williams won her fourth Australian Open title and a dream final line up in the men's draw featured the world No.

2010 Chinese Lunar New Year Buddhist Blessing Ceremony

The air crackles with red firecrackers, the clanging of cymbals and the rhythmic bass beating of drums. The smell of gunpowder hangs in the air as the rainbow colours and fluid dance of the traditional Chinese Lion weaves through the crowds. Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations in Melbourne have begun; a vibrant yearly event full of ancient tradition, culture and excitement. Welcome the Year of the Tiger! To celebrate the Lunar New Year, Fo Guang Shan Melbourne (Buddha s Light Mountain), one of Victoria s largest Buddhist Temples, invites all to experience a fundamental aspect of Lunar New Year traditions the Chinese Lunar New Year Buddhist Blessing Ceremony on Chinese New Year s Eve.

FCA Melbourne Chinese New Year Festival

The Melbourne FCA 2010 - Year of the Tiger - Chinese New Year Festival will feature traditional and contemporary Chinese cultural activities, festivities, dances, Chinese opera and singing, karaoke competition, numerous stalls of culinary delights, arts and crafts, Chinese chess competitions, lion dances, dragon parades, calligraphy and children's events. The attractions are for young and old. In recent years the festival has been one of Melbourne's most celebrated festivals and is great for the whole family. The 2010 Festival will begin on Chinese New Year s Eve on Saturday 13th February at 5.

Melbourne Queer Film Festival

It s a queer, queer, queer, queer world and Melbourne will be its epicentre from March 17 to 28 when the 20th Melbourne Queer Film Festival takes over the town. Over 12 days an estimated 25,000 film lovers will watch over 140 gender bending films from around the world. The Festival will present a strong program of over 40 features, over 30 documentaries and 70+ short films selected by Festival Director Lisa Daniel and her trusty Selection Panel, who over the last 12 years have built the festival into one of the top five Gay and Lesbian film festivals in the world. As well as showcasing the best in Queer cinema, MQFF also supports emerging Australian filmmakers with a jury award for the City of Melbourne Best Australian Short Queer Film.

Thai Culture and Food Festival

Come and join the Thai Community as they celebrate and showcase their rich and historical culture: The Festival will begin with a traditional blessing by seven monks, and an opening ceremony. Federation Square will be transformed into a haven of Thai culture with booths showcasing Thai arts and crafts, Thai tourism, Thai kick boxing and offering Thai massage and information about Thailand and its people. There will be continuous entertainment on stage with performances of Thai dance, Thai kickboxing, a Miss Thailand beauty contest and a fashion parade featuring the best in Thai designs including famous Thai silk and Thai Product stalls will sell Thai produce There will be over 30 performers direct from Thailand.

Melbourne International Jazz Festival

With more than 55 events over seven days and nights, this year's Festival was a true celebration of the riches of jazz. The unparalleled 2009 Melbourne International Jazz Festival included six world-premieres and ten Australian premieres with a rich program to delight everyone from dedicated jazz enthusiasts to families and first-time concertgoers. Celebrating the dynamic spirit of jazz, the Festival hosted iconic masters including Charlie Haden, Bill Frisell, Cecil Taylor and Joshua Redman as well as Katie Noonan, Paul Grabowsky, Kate Ceberano and many more contemporary virtuosos from Australia and beyond.

Buddha's Day and Multicultural Festival

Proudly presented by Fo Guang Shan Melbourne (FGS) and Buddha s Light International Victoria (BLIA VIC), Buddha s Day and Multicultural Festival is a truly unique annual event which celebrates Melbourne s diverse multicultural society. Running over two days, the Buddha s Day and Multicultural Festival begins in the heart of Melbourne, at Federation Square. The Festival commemorates the birth of the Buddha, one of the most significant days of the Buddhist calendar, and highlights and promotes cooperation, community understanding and harmony in our inclusive and culturally diverse community.