What’s On in Melbourne in August (Updated for 2023)

While you may still be shivering away in August in Melbourne, there’s still plenty to do to keep you entertained, informed and warm!

Here’s a curated selection of the must-dos happening this August in Melbourne.

Melbourne weather in August

It’s still chilly! The average temperature in Melbourne in August hovers between 8°C and 16°C during the day, but it can get a lot colder than that.

There’s usually not many huge rainfalls, but you can expect a little rain on around 9 days of the month.

Check the upcoming Melbourne weather forecast online, and read my full guide to winter in Melbourne.

Public holidays in Melbourne in August

Another month without a public holiday, sadly!

Major events and festivals in August

Check back regularly throughout the month – I’ll keep this page updated as I hunt down more events!

Melbourne International Film Festival

From blockbusters to indie flicks, check out the best of the international cinema scene.

Theatre, film and music

Cirque du Soleil: Crystal

Cirque du Soleil brings its magical performances to the ice for the first time.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical

Clearly a fan favourite, because this musical spectacular is returning to Melbourne!

2:22 – A Ghost Story

This award-winning supernatural thriller is London’s must-see theatre event and is coming to Melbourne for a limited 4-week season.

Kings of Comedy: Underground, Uncensored, Unrivalled

Laugh the night away with a mix of professional comedians and up-and-comers.

Museums and art

Connection at The Lume

The Lume – the incredibly immersive art experience – welcomes a stunning First Nations exhibition called Connection.

Lightscape

Be mesmerised by an eight-metre sphere filled with over 20,000 moving LEDs, singing trees and a flickering fire garden among colour-changing installations, soundscapes and large-scale illuminated sculptures.

Pierre Bonnard: Designed by India Mahdavi

Curated by Paris’s Musée d’Orsay, see the works of the great French painter Pierre Bonnard at NGV as part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces.

NGV Friday Nights

Music, eating and drinking plus late-night exclusive access to the Pierre Bonnard exhibition = a perfect night out.

Melbourne Now

Celebrate new and ambitious local art and design. Everything from fashion and jewellery, painting, sculpture, architecture and ceramics, to video, performance, printmaking and publishing will be on display.

Sutr Santati: Then. Now. Next.

Curated by Lavina Baldota of the Abheraj Baldota Foundation, this brand-new exhibition brings together diverse and stunning textile traditions of India. 

Goddess: Power, Glamour, Rebellion

Marilyn Monroe. Geena Davis. Halle Berry. Margot Robbie. Michelle Yeoh. These – and more – screen goddesses are recognised in a new exhibition at ACMI.

Gandel Gondwana Garden

Gondwana – the huge supercontinent that formed a mere 500 million years ago and connected Australia to much of the Southern Hemisphere – is brought to life in a new exhibition at Melbourne Museum.

Imaginaria

Part game, part gallery, part journey, Imaginaria is great for the whole family. Immerse yourself in shimmering light sculptures, enter the interactive cave or the multi-dimensional light maze, or step inside a giant infinity bubble.

Temple of Boom

Created by Adam Newman and Kelvin Tsang and an “evocative reimagining of The Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens”, the Temple of Boom is the latest NGV Architecture Commission.

Experience the Dome Promenade

One of Melbourne’s most iconic buildings has opened a hidden part that hasn’t been accessible to the public for 100 years.

Thor: Love and Thunder at ACMI

Catch the incredible costumes and props worn by the all-star cast of Taika Waititi’s blockbuster Thor: Love and Thunder.

Food events in August

Winter Night Market

The Winter Night Market is back at Queen Vic Market every Wednesday evening, with street food trucks and stalls, local brewers and distillers, shopping and lively entertainment.

Indian Festival

Eat your way through a glorious Indian feast at this delicious event.

Community events, festivals and shopping

Drag Expo

Have a fun day out at Australia’s biggest celebration of drag, pop culture and beauty.

Boho Threads

Pick up some new threads at this two-day shopping festival with a focus on handmade and ethically sourced brands.

Affordable Art Fair

Pick up a piece of art for your walls at this art fair, with everything under $10,000.

What are you most excited to see and do in August in Melbourne?