The evenings are getting longer, the weather is warming up and the flowers are in full bloom, which can only mean one thing – October is here! 

Melbourne always comes alive in Spring, with a whole host of family-friendly events and activities taking place across the city. From spooky Halloween events to family-friendly festivals, there’s something for everyone.

Check out this post to find out what’s on in Melbourne this October!

This post is updated regularly, so check back in to see what’s on in Melbourne today and this weekend, as well as what’s happening for the whole month.

WHAT’S ON MELBOURNE – CBD/DOCKLANDS

• Leonardo Da Vinci (Sat 16 Mar – Sun 29 Oct) – Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius promises to be THE LUME Melbourne’s most ambitious, immersive and breathtaking experience yet.
• KABOOM! (Wed 2 Oct – Sun 20 Oct) – Explosive Science Show with Magnus “Danger” Magnus!
• Docklands Community Market (Sun 13 Oct) – Grab your early morning coffee, enjoy a lovely stroll & support your local producers at this lovely market.
• BEINGS By Universal Everything​ (Wed 22 May – Sun 6 Oct 2024) – A playful family adventure at ACMI filled with vibrant and playful digital art.

• Storytime by State Library Victoria (Wed 11 Sep, Wed 18 Sep, Wed 9 Oct, and Wed 16 Oct) – Share the delight of stories, songs and picture books with your preschooler on Wednesdays at the Library. Read the State Library of Victoria Review.
• Melbourne Boat Show (Thu 17 Oct – Sun 20 Oct) – From fishing boats to cruising yachts, paddle boats to jetskis, the Melbourne Boat Show is your opportunity to discover your boating lifestyle with the best and brightest in boating, watercraft and marine tech.
• The District Makers Market (Last Sunday of every month) – creative and colourful market stalls showcasing a variety of art, craft, jewellery, homewares, gifts and artisanal produce last Sunday of the month. 
• Shrine Kids (Daily) – The Shrine of Remembrance is the National War Memorial of Victoria and it makes for an educational (and sobering) outing for families. Read the Shrine Kids Review.

• Queen Street Plaza (Sundays) – find a rotating line-up of delicious street food, live music and entertainment, every Sunday from 9 am.
• The Story of the Moving Image (ongoing) – Journey through the past, present and future of the moving image through interactive experiences, digital innovation and captivating stories. Read the Story of the Moving Image ACMI Review.
• SEALIFE Melbourne Aquarium (Ongoing) – See some of the world’s most incredible animals, including penguins, a 6-metre-long crocodile and thousands of tropical fish, plus the newly reopened oceanarium.
• Escape the Gaol (Ongoing) – At Old Melbourne Gaol, kids can become inmates on a mission to hatch the perfect escape plan. Read my Old Melbourne Gaol review

• Kids Passport Queen Victoria Market (Ongoing) – Collect your passport, then journey around the Market collecting stamps from our friendly traders, before making your way to the Queen Victoria Market Visitor Hub to claim your prize.
• Into the Music – Composition Workshop 2024 (Ongoing) – Participants in Into the Music – Composition Workshop will explore technology and techniques used to create the music they hear every day.
• Polly Woodside (First Sunday of the Month) – Come aboard for a tour of the ship and discover what life was like on a tall ship sailing the seven seas. Read the Polly Woodside review.
• Melbourne Book Market (Saturdays & Sundays) – curated collection of more than 5,000 new and pre-loved titles selected and presented by 15 of Melbourne’s most experienced booksellers.

WHAT’S ON MELBOURNE – NORTH / NORTH-EAST

• T.REX 3D (Fri 21 Jun – Sat 21 Dec) – Narrated by Sam Neill, experience the iconic T. rex come to life on the world’s biggest, best screen in this thrilling IMAX 3D documentary!
• Hana Fiesta’s Disco Fiasco (Sat 12 Oct – Sun 20 Oct) – Come for the circus show, stay for the dance party! Part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival
• Queens Berry Cup (Sat 19 Oct) – a street festival and a celebration of the diverse communities of North Melbourne and West Melbourne.
• Regional Farmers Markets at Abbotsford Convent (Second Saturday of the month) – Explore a variety of stalls featuring seasonal fresh produce, tasty foods, and condiments from local Victorian farmers. Each month, you can enjoy the finest offerings from Victoria’s best producers at our market with over 45 stallholders.
• Heide Gallery Kids  (Fridays during school term) – Join Art Therapist Tanis Douglas, who supports pre-school children and their carers to gain confidence observing artworks in a small group.
• Tiny Tour Melbourne Museum (Fridays) – a 45-minute tour created for early-year audiences that will invite them to wonder, discover and be amazed.

• Fitzroy Market (Sundays) – a one-stop hub for everything produce, food, artisan, handcrafted, vintage, second hand and local.
• Rose Street Artists’ Market (Saturdays and Sundays) – Shop directly from Melbourne’s best artists, designers, crafters and makers at Fitzroy’s iconic Rose Street Market.
• Abbotsford Farmers Market (ongoing) – Shop local and seasonal produce and visit the Collingwood Children’s Farm which is just next door.
• Mini Mega Model Museum (ongoing) – an exhibition featuring small and big things at Melbourne Museum. Read the Mini Mega Model Museum review. 
• Keeper Kids Melbourne Zoo (Ongoing) – Educator-led daily activities that promote learning through storytelling, craft and play.
• Sensory Tray Sessions (Ongoing) – Pour, scoop, splash and more at our sensory tray sessions!
• Meet Victoria the T. rex (Fri 28 Jun – Sun 20 Oct) – Victoria the T. rex is a world-class, interactive exhibition starring the real fossil skeleton of a 66-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus named Victoria.

• Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery (Ongoing) – A world-class immersive learning and play experience – and a wonderland for little learners! The exhibition combines hands-on exploration and discovery, open-ended play-based learning, extraordinary immersive environments and unique museum collection objects.
• Mini Twitchers Heide (Ongoing) – Be a twitcher for a day and spot some beautiful birds in the Heide Sculpture park! Use a map to locate each area where the twelve painted birds are hidden in trees in the sculpture park.
• Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs (ongoing) – An immersive voyage into a lost world, where visitors will explore the landscapes of the Cretaceous and get to know the creatures that thrived there.
• Dinosaur Walk (ongoing) – Check out the real dinosaur bones at Melbourne Museum’s permanent exhibition featuring ten dinosaur skeletons, three pterosaurs, and other select megafauna artefacts such as huge teeth
• Diamond Valley Railway (Sundays) – miniature railway with a playground next door. Read the Diamond Valley Railway Review.

WHAT’S ON MELBOURNE – SOUTH / SOUTH-EAST / BAYSIDE

• JUNKLANDIA (Sun 1 Oct – Tue 3 Oct) – From JUNK to FUNK! Ordinary recycled materials are transformed into extraordinary instruments! As part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival.
• Melbourne Fringe Festival (Thu 10 Oct – Sun 20 Oct) – Stellar performances from comedy to cabaret, burlesque to circus and so much more.
• Belgrave Big Dreams Market (Sun 13 Oct) – discover original and bespoke design pieces, some of the yummiest and freshest produce the area has to offer, live music, bouncy castle and face painting  for the kids.
• Lloyd Street Primary School Community Fair in East Malvern (Sat 26 Oct) – This Primary School Community Fair is back for the first time in 4 years with games, rides, foods, stalls, arts and crafts.
• Young At Art (Tuesdays) – With the guidance of an experienced early childhood educator, participants work on a different hands-on creative activity every week, using materials from the take-home art materials box supplied each session.
• Tune in Time Out Music Playgroup (Tuesdays) – A pre-school music group plus time for play and parents to relax. The group runs weekly on Tuesday Mornings from 10:00 – 11:30am during school terms.
• Monster Party takes over LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre this Halloween (throughout October) – Dress up for a Monster Party! Create LEGO® monsters to add to the MINILAND monster takeover and discover a pumpkin patch built entirely of LEGO.

• Mornington Railway (Sundays) – Climb aboard the Mornington Railway steam train for a fun-filled outing.
• Bentleigh Sunday Market (Sundays) – plants, clothing, cosmetics, jewellery, books, videos, tools, antiques, crafts, pre-loved goods and more! Every Sunday. 
• Camberwell Sunday Market (Every Sunday) – second-hand retro, vintage, antique, fashion and collectible goods you just can’t find anywhere else
• Aboriginal Heritage Walk (Until Sun 31 Dec) – Explore the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne with a First Peoples guide, delving into the cultural significance of this site for the local Kulin Nation. Gain profound insights into the history, customs, and enduring bond with Country of Australia’s First Peoples through the identification of native plants and their traditional uses within the Gardens.
• Dingley Village Farmers Market (Third Saturday of every month) – a community market held on the THIRD SATURDAY of the month.
• National Steam Centre (Saturdays and Sundays) – A visit to the National Steam Centre will delight a wide audience from the pre-schooler obsessed with Thomas and train rides, to train enthusiasts of any age!
• Gasworks Farmers’ Market (Third Saturday of every month) – On Saturdays soak up the vibrant atmosphere and sample the very best of local Victorian produce, directly from Victorian farmers and specialty makers.

• Botanic Ridge Baby Pop-up Playgroup (Fridays) – Come along and enjoy a range of activities for babies aged 0 to 12 months. With singing, playing and sharing activities that you and your baby could do at home whilst connecting with other families.
• Cook it with Dad (Saturdays during school term) – For fathers and grandfathers to cook with their children. Have fun and eat tasty food!
• Australian Landscape Walk (Until Sun 31 Dec) – Join a Garden Ambassador as they guide you on a walking tour to showcase the features and highlights of the Australian Garden.
• The Explorer – Melbourne Gardens (Ongoing) – Discover the beauty of this inner-city oasis and enjoy live commentary in the comfort of an open-air minibus.
• St Kilda Breakwater (Ongoing) – Spot the Little Penguin colony just before dusk coming ashore from the promenade.
• Little Lunies at Luna Park (Ongoing) – Discover a fantastic world of rides, attractions, and games to suit Little and Big Lunies! There’s something for everyone from old favorites like The Great Scenic Railway, Ghost Train, & Carousel to the big thrill rides like the Power Surge, Sky Rider, Twin Dragon, and more!

• Stories and Songs in the Square (Ongoing) – Nurture your child’s early literacy skills by joining in to read aloud stories and sing action songs and rhymes.
• Nature Play (Ongoing) – Come along to Alex Wilkie Nature Reserve for Nature Play, an outdoor, child-led playgroup session facilitated by a qualified ranger.
• WIIILD Wednesdays, Gumbuya World (Ongoing) – Dive into Wildlife Wanderers, the trail of free-roaming wildlife, savor two interactive shows, and hop on junior rides! Get up close with exotic animals, connect with nature, and enjoy exciting entertainment every week!
• Mini Makers (ongoing) – Back for Term 3, Mini Makers provides masterclasses for kids ages 2 – 5, where they can explore science, craft, cooking, music, movement and more!
• The Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden (Ongoing) – A dedicated, fully fenced space for families featuring plants, water, structures, and pathways that reflect Melbourne’s changing seasons.
• Little Play Squad Legoland (Wednesdays) – An interactive parent-child Play & Learn session based on LEGO® DUPLO®. Read the DUPLO Farm Adventure Review.

WHAT’S ON MELBOURNE – EAST

• Tesselaar Tulip Festival (Sat 14 Sep –  Sun 13 Oct) – Tulip fields, live entertainment, market stalls and tempting foods. Read the Tesselaar Tulip Festival review.
• Yarra Valley Railway Ghost Train (Fri 25 Oct) – All on board the Yarra Valley Ghost train – a haunted carriage event that will take you to two spooktacular Halloween events!
• The Haunted Theatre (Sat 26 Oct – Sun 27 Oct) -Food trucks, haunted maze, market stalls, music, photo ops, spooky animatronics and more.
• Afternoons of Awesome at LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre (Mon 26 Feb – Fri 6 Dec) – Young builders can blast out of the classroom into a world of creativity, hop on electrifying rides, and set off on epic afternoon LEGO adventure!

• Lake Mountain (June – September but there might still be some snow in early Oct) – toboggan, cross-country skiing and snow play, 2 hours from Melbourne. Read my tips on visiting Lake Mountain with kids
• Mt Baw Baw (June – September but there might still be some snow in early Oct) – Melbourne’s closest downhill ski resort is open for the winter season. Read my tips on visiting Mt Baw Baw with kids
• Heide Art Babies (Tuesdays) – 30 minutes of sensory play in the gallery, looking, thinking and talking about art. Read the Heide Art Babies Review.
• Heide Gallery Kids  (Fridays during school term) – Join Art Therapist Tanis Douglas, who supports pre-school children and their carers to gain confidence observing artworks in a small group.
• Eastland (Ongoing) – Sign up to the free mini & me kids club at Eastland (for kids 4 and under) and receive exclusive offers, invites to free events and $5 valet parking!

• Spirits of the Sky (Ongoing) – See the natural behaviours of a variety of native birds at Healesville Sanctuary which may include the Wedge-tailed Eagle, Black-breasted Buzzard, Barking Owl, magnificent parrots and more.
• ECOSS Valley Market (Every Friday) – Experience the vibrant Valley Markets, connecting local growers, artisans, and musicians in the heart of the Yarra Valley.
• Wurundjeri Storytime (Fridays) – Join Rebecca from Wurundjeri Council in an interactive online storytelling session for kinders, early years groups and families aged 0 to 5 years. Children will learn about Wurundjeri culture, Woi-wurrung language and Dreaming stories through storytelling, rhyme and song.
• ECOSS Valley Market (Every Friday) – Experience the vibrant Valley Markets, connecting local growers, artisans, and musicians in the heart of the Yarra Valley.
• Yarra Valley Railway (Every Sun) – take a trip on the historic Walker RM22 Railmotor from Healesville to Tunnel Hill. Read the Yarra Valley Review.

WHAT’S ON MELBOURNE – WEST

• Enterprize Sail Williamstown (Sat 14 Sep – Sun 15 Sep) – go for a one hour sail on tall ship Enterprize in Williamstown.
• Yarraville Village Farmers Market (1st & 3rd Saturday of Each Month) – enjoy a wonderful, relaxed community environment, and sample the freshest products direct from the farmers and producers as you shop in the open.
• Art in the garden (Last Friday of the month) – It’s a combination of nature play, sensory play, process art, and playgroup. Run by ‘The Fun In Art’.
• Playnastics (Wednesdays & Thursdays) – Casual open play sessions using a selection of Preschool Gymnastics equipment and resources, as well as puzzles, blocks and more.
• Toddler Jam (Thurs & Fridays) – getting toddlers active and learning through play, with a mixture of percussion, singing, dancing, story-time and mindfulness. 

• Animal Land  (Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays) – Children’s Farm in Diggers Rest offering an authentic farm experience for children and families.
• Incy Wincy Babies (Fridays) – Barking Spider Creative artist guides carers with their babies through a visual art experience at the Gallery.
• Story Time with JoJo (Tuesdays during school term) – Bring the kids along to a fun, inclusive, interactive and educational story time. Books are read by QB’s very own Creative Artist and Author in Residence JoJo.
• Bulla Railway (3rd Sunday of each month) – Ride the dinosaur trail on the miniature railway. Read the Bulla Railway Review.

• Altona Miniature Railway (3rd Sunday of the month) – between 10am and 3pm ride this wonderful Miniature Railway. Read the Altona Miniature Railway review.
• Altona Homestead (recurring 1st Sunday of the month) – Experience the renowned Devonshire Tea at Altona Homestead on the first Sunday of every month. Reserve your spot in advance for a delightful time.
• Altona Beach Market (recurring weekly every Tuesdays) – Experience Melbourne’s popular Altona Beach market, a weekly street market held on Pier Street, featuring fresh food stalls, unique crafts, and a scenic seaside backdrop, attracting both local residents and visitors from all over the city.
• Grazeland (Fridays – Sundays) – huge dining precinct with city views and 50 stalls to choose from. Read the Grazeland Review
• Essendon Traffic School (Saturdays) – Essendon Traffic School is a mini road set up for kids aged two to ten years, complete with road signs, railway bells and traffic lights. Read the Essendon Traffic School review.
• Sunday Funday Station Hotel (Sundays) – Every Sunday The Station Hotel prepares an animal farm and other entertaining activities to keep the little ones busy, while you sit back and relax. Read The Station Hotel Review
• Werribee Open Range Zoo (Ongoing) – Stroll through the Zoo spotting lions, hippos, cheetahs, monkeys, gorillas and more, catch the safari bus tour or explore the Ranger Kids indoor play space and Village Kids outdoor playground.

• Robotics and coding kit  (Ongoing) – Discover the power of mBot robots in this fun introductory workshop that explores how simple programs can control complex machines.
• Air Playground (Ongoing) – Air Playground has launched at Scienceworks. Levitate objects, engineer paper planes, & learn the physics of airflow.
• ​Clocktower Centre Children’s Space (Ongoing) – Parents and carers can sit back and relax with a coffee and a snack from the Clocktower Café while the kids explore the space, watch the trams go by or listen to their favourite book with the interactive Storytime Pod.
• Ground Up: Building Big Ideas, Together (Ongoing) – An exhibition for babies to five-year-olds where curiosity is rewarded around each bend with surprising and intriguing sights, sounds and touch sensations.
• Toddler and Kids Art Classes (Various dates) – ‘The Fun In Art’ provides art classes for toddlers and kids where they’re more about the fun of creation and less about the outcome of the artwork.
• Bounce Play Dates Essendon Fields (Ongoing) – It’s not just jumping and rock climbing for kids, enjoy a minibouncer zone exclusive for toddlers (for kids <110 cm in height).
• Melbourne Planetarium (Ongoing) – Sit back and enjoy the wonder of the stars regardless of the time of day – or the weather!

Halloween Food in Melbourne

17 Ideas for How to Celebrate Halloween

15 Best Picnic Spots in Melbourne for Families

The post What’s on in Melbourne for October 2024 appeared first on TOT: HOT OR NOT