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Must see Winter Festivals in Melbourne and regional Victoria 2023
Get ready to experience some of the must-see Winter Festivals in Melbourne and regional Victoria in 2023. Immerse yourself in the heart of Melbourne’s vibrant nighttime culture with the 2023 RISING Festival, which promises an exciting program of events.
The Firelight Festival is set to return to the Docklands with a lineup of fire installations, live music, and performances. For a night of art and illumination, head to the free Glow Winter Arts Festival. The Eynesbury Winter Festival offers two weeks of snow-filled fun with ice skating, winter treats and free activities for kids.
Finally, don’t miss the Korumburra Southern Lights Festival at the Coal Creek Community Park & Museum, the stunning East Gippsland Winter Festival, which will present over 100 spectacular events throughout the region and the Ballarat Winter Festival a true celebration of the city’s signature season.
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RISING Festival
The 2023 RISING Festival is set to be an unforgettable experience for families, featuring a series of events that encourage reflection, reckoning, raving, and revelry.
Discover Melbourne’s art, culture, food, and music scene like never before, with 185 events featuring over 400 artists, including 35 commissions and 12 world premieres. And for families, the program is bigger and better than ever before, with 12 incredible nights of large-scale installations, performances, and even ice skating.
Date: 7 – 18 June 2023
Location: various locations around Melbourne CBD
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Firelight Festival
Get ready for an exciting weekend of free entertainment as the Firelight Festival heads back to Docklands over three nights. This much-loved annual winter celebration will feature stunning light installations, gigantic inflatable neon mushrooms, pop-up entertainment, laser and light activation and much more.
Date: 30 June – 2 July 2023
Time: Friday and Saturday: 5 pm – 10.30 pm, Sunday: 5 – 10 pm
Location: Docklands, Melbourne
Price: FREE
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Glow Winter Arts Festival
The Glow Winter Arts Festival returns to Central Park in Malvern East from 15 – 18 June 2023. This four-night event features an immersive experience of light, colour and art. Families can explore the illuminated artworks scattered throughout the gardens, walk amidst the installations and enjoy an intriguing performance inside a conservatory.
Date: 15 – 18 June 2023
Time: Thu 5 pm – 10 pm, Fri – Sun 5 pm – 11 pm
Location: Central Park, Malvern
Price: Free
Eynesbury Winter Festival
Embrace winter at the Eynesbury Winter Festival, returning on Friday 23 June 2023, for two weeks of snow-filled fun. Strap on your skates and glide across the ice rink while indulging in delicious winter treats from Ms Peacock and Birdy & Co. With plenty of free activities for kids and a winter market, this festival offers something for the whole family.
Date: 23 June – 9 July 2023
Time: Sun – Thu 10 am – 8 pm, Fri & Sat 10 am – 9 pm
Location: Eynesbury Estate Homestead and surrounds, 487 Eynesbury road, Eynesbury
Price: Ice-skating Child (3 – 14 years): $18, Adult (14 years & up): $26, Family pack (4 people): $79. Entering Eynesbury Quarter is free.
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Winter Festivals in regional Victoria
Ballarat Winter Festival
The Ballarat Winter Festival is a true celebration of the city’s signature season, featuring a range of events, activities, and unique offerings. From June 24 to July 16, 2023, families are invited to embrace the winter chill and experience Ballarat as it transforms into a magical wonderland filled with warmth, wonder, and delights for the senses.
Date: 24 June – 16 July 2023
Korumburra Southern Lights Festival
Gather your loved ones and bask in the cozy warmth of the fire drums and bonfire at the Korumburra Southern Lights Festival. There’s something for everyone at this year’s festival, with free activities including lawn games and face painting. Families can enjoy live music and DJ performances on two stages, fire twirlers and mouth-watering food and drinks from the market stalls. There will light displays that feature laser-cut light drums bouncing off the historic Coal Creek buildings. And to top it all off, you can enjoy a stunning fireworks finale that will light up the sky.
Date: Sunday 11 June 2023
Time: Gates open at 3 pm, Entertainment kicks off at 4 pm, and Fireworks at 8.30 pm
Location: Coal Creek Community Park & Museum, 12 Silkstone Road, Korumburra, South Gippsland
Price: Adults $15, and Children under 18 years are free (a ticket must be purchased for everyone attending)
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East Gippsland Winter Festival
The East Gippsland Winter Festival will present over 100 spectacular events throughout the region, making it one of the largest and most diverse winter festivals in Australia. Running from 9 June to 9 July 2023, this month-long celebration of regional art, food, culture and nature features plenty of free family-friendly events, showcasing the stunning landscape of mountains, rivers, lakes, beaches, forests, and valleys. Expect beautiful hand-made lanterns, projection art, live music, wellness experiences, creative workshops, and more.
Date: 9 June – 9 July 2023
Location: various locations in East Gippsland
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We try our best to provide accurate information on kid-friendly events around Victoria but do recommend parents check details directly to confirm dates, times, prices as some details may be subject to change.
