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Winter School Holidays Activities and Events in Melbourne
Are you wondering what to do in the Winter School Holidays with your kids in Melbourne? The holidays are filled with festivals, exhibitions, workshops, performances and Christmas in July celebrations.
The winter school holidays run from Saturday 25 June to Sunday 10 July 2022.
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Roola Boola Children’s Arts Festival
Roola Boola Children’s Arts Festival presented by Stonnington presents an interactive and dynamic program featuring performance and workshops in magic, puppetry, circus, dance, music, theatre and craft. Suitable for kids aged 2–12 years. With 30 events across the Festival including the Victorian State Ballet – Beauty and the Beast, Circus Trick Tease – Brass Monkeys, Hoopla Clique – Chores, The Listies and Critical Stages Touring and much more.
Date: 28 June – 8 July 2022
Time: various times
Location: Chapel Off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel Street, Prahran
Price: Free – $16 + BF
Lightscape
Lightscape will take families on a 1.8km journey of light and sound through Melbourne’s iconic Botanic Gardens. Stroll down luminous walkways and vistas, see vibrant bursts of colour that run up trees like fireworks and large-scale installations, such as the Winter Cathedral, comprising more than 100,000 tiny lights.
Date: 24 June to 7 August 2022
Time: every 15 mins
Wed, Thu & Sun: 5.15pm – 8pm
Fri & Sat 5.15pm – 9pm
Location: Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne. Entry via Observatory gate near the Visitor Centre, opposite the Shrine of Remembrance.
Price: from $32
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Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella is now playing at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre. Experience the modern adaptation of the much-loved story of Cinderella. The musical has infused the story’s classic elements including the glass slippers, pumpkin and masked ball, along with some interesting and unexpected contemporary twists.
Date: playing now until 22 July 2022
Time: various times
Location: Regent Theatre, 191 Collins Street, Melbourne
Price: $69 – $179
ACMI Workshops
ACMI is running fun and engaging workshops these School Holidays. Kids can learn the skills behind creating a successful YouTube video, learn the secrets of special effects for amazing TikTok videos or explore how to make a film masterpiece. Younger kids can join us to learn how to create blockbuster movies using iPads.
ACMI will also be showing its latest exhibition Light: Works from Tate’s Collection from 16 June – 13 November 2022.
Date: 27 June – 8 July 2022
Time: various times
Location: Gandel Digital Future Lab 2, Level 1 ACMI, Fed Square
Price: various prices
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Winter Wonderlights
Sovereign Hill is once again hosting its magical Winter Wonderlights from 25 June – 17 July 2022. During the day there will be hands-on activities, delicious treats, and colourful decorations. Once the sun goes down the spectacular light and sound show illuminates the facades of the iconic streetscape.
Date: 25 June – 17 July 2022
Time: 10 am – 7 pm
Location: Sovereign Hill, Bradshaw Street, Golden Point
Price: $29 – $146.40 (children under 5 years are free)
Family Fiesta
Family Fiesta invites families to a jam-packed program of literature, live art and performance. Presented by Monash University Performing Arts Centres (MPAC), Family Fiesta will get children reading, dancing, singing, learning and making art these school holidays from 29 June – 2 July 2022. Festival highlights include Children’s literature, Grug and the Rainbow, Sensory Concerts® and Mobile MESS Workshop.
Date: 29 June – 2 July 2022
Time: various times
Location: The Ian Potter Centre for Performing Arts, 48 Exhibition Walk, Clayton
Price: Free – $15
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Puffing Billy Railway – Train of Lights
Experience the magic of Puffing Billy Railway at night with the Train of Lights; a mesmerising train travelling light show. Train of Lights will take passengers on a return journey from Lakeside Station to Gembrook, immersing families in bright colours, hypnotic patterns, and native wild animal projections that leap from open-side carriages and onto the passing dark Wright Forest, historic timber trestle bridges, and open rolling hills of the Gembrook countryside.
Date: 24 June – 10 July 2022
Time: 6 pm – 8.20 pm
Location: Emerald Lake Park, Emerald
Price: $25 – $75
EVENT HAS SOLD OUT
EMERGE Festival
EMERGE Festival will take over the magnificent Mount Waverley Community Centre gardens from 24 – 28 June 2022. Over 5 nights EMERGE will feature dazzling projections and lighting, impressive soundscapes and installations as well as entertaining roving performers.
Date: 24 – 28 June 2022
Time: 5pm – 9.30pm
Location: Mount Waverley Community Centre, 47 Miller Crescent, Mount Waverley
Price: FREE
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The Cornucopia Garden
Bunjil Place has partnered with London based creative studio, Bompas and Parr to present an immersive garden in Bunjil Place Plaza as part of Casey’s Winter Arts Festival. The Cornucopia Garden features oversized sculptures hidden amongst a swirl of the world’s first edible mist.
For those who prefer a low-sensory environment, the Garden is open to view without sound, lighting and fog daily between 9 am – 10 am for a ‘quiet hour’.
Date: 25 June – 17 July 2022
Time: 10 am – 10 pm (Daily)
Location: Plaza, Bunjil Place, 2 Patrick Northeast Drive, Narre Warren
Price: Free. The launch party on Friday 24 June 2022 is $15.
Melbourne Magic Festival
The Melbourne Magic Festival is back these School Holidays with over 130 performances of 30 different shows that will feature the best magicians from around Australia. Be amazed as Melbourne becomes a magical hub for 14 days only with special events, workshops, and live shows for everyone.
Date: 27 June – 9 July 2022
Time: various times
Location: Arrow on Swanston and venues around Melbourne
Price: $16 – $110
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The Quizzical Mr Jeff
The Quizzical Mr Jeff will transport audiences to a state of wonder and play at Gasworks Theatre these School Holidays. In this highly visual fusion of circus and magic, Mr Jeff explores a mysterious room packed with marvels – think ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ meets Charlie Chaplin – using novelty and circus skills to create moments of hilarity and captivating imagery.
Date: Thursday 30 June 2022
Time: 11am – 12pm
Location: Gasworks Theatre, 1-35 Graham Street, Albert Park
Price: $20 – $23
Disney On Ice presents Into the Magic
Disney On Ice is bringing their new show Into the Magic to Melbourne these School Holidays. This much-loved family favourite ice spectacular returns with Disney’s favourite characters Moana, Frozen, Coco and Beauty and the Beast and many more. Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse will take audiences on an expedition across raging seas, snow-covered mountains and the marigold bridge.
Date: 30 June – 4 July 2022
Location: Rod Laver Arena, Olympic Blvd, Melbourne
Price: $30 – $124
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Making Art: Imagine Everything is Real
Coinciding with the world-premiere The Picasso Century is a free NGV children’s gallery exhibition titled Making Art: Imagine everything is real. Families are invited to explore a range of hands-on activities and multimedia experiences inspired by methods of working invented by some of the most recognised European artists.
Date: until 9 October 2022
Time: 10am – 5pm daily
Location: NGV International, Ground Level, Children’s Gallery
Price: FREE
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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.
