A view of Fed Square on a sunny day with yellow umbrellas in the foreground and the city skyline in the background.

What's free in ³Ô¹ÏÍø this month

Gone a bit too hard on the wallet lately? These awesome activations, pop-ups and exhibitions won't cost a cent.

Rows of iced and fruit-topped pastries.

Baker's Dozen

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Calling all pastry lovers. A pop-up market is taking over Fed Square for ³Ô¹ÏÍø Food and Wine Festival. Held over two days, it brings together ³Ô¹ÏÍø's best bakeries. Entry is free and includes demonstrations, tastings and entertainment on the main stage. Factor in budget for all the amazing scrolls, hot cross buns and bagels on offer.

Chicken skewers on an open flame barbecue.

Indonesian Festival

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Celebrate Indonesian culture at a free two-day festival at Queen Vic Market. Feast on authentic street food from sizzling satay to sambal noodles. Browse the market stalls then catch live music and traditional dance performances.

Crowds jumping up in the air while throwing colourful powders at a city Holi festival.

Holi

Celebrate India's festival of colours at three vibrant free events. Wear something you don't mind getting dirty and prepare to be showered in rainbow-bright powders. There'll also be traditional dance performances, live music and authentic street food to keep the vibes high. Join the celebrations at Fed Square, Treasury Gardens and Docklands.

Three people interacting with a neon light installation in a gallery.

Distraction

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Ponder the art of time wasting at this exhibition dedicated to distraction and doom-scrolling. Pledge back the time you’ve spent buried in your phone. Then explore weird and wonderful installations. See through the eyes of a cat in Japan. Play custom-built arcade games. Or join one of the workshops and lose yourself in creative flow. 

More of the best free events

A person spooning food from a large salad bowl onto a plate they hold in their hands.
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Local Lunch Club

Live well, eat well, together at Kathleen Syme Library.

The industrial style space at The Angry Dog, with exposed pipes on the ceiling, and a bar area to the right.
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Off Leash Comedy

A weekly Wednesday comedy night where you can bring your dog.

Two First Nations individuals sitting back to back on the ground outdoors, engaged in a traditional weaving activity near a body of water.
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FUTURE COUNTRY: Country Road + NGV First Nations Commissions

The second iteration of the Country Road and NGV First Nations Commission initiative.

Male mannequins dressed extravagently in embroidered denim outfits.
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Party Hard: After the Party

An exhibition exploring celebrations from Edwardian times to the first Sydney Mardi Gras and beyond.

Painting of two individuals in a parking lot setting. A woman in a red top is perched on the roof of a vehicle, while a man stands nearby looking toward her.
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Top Arts

Top Arts 2026 offers a captivating look into the inventive and imaginative spirit of young artists.

Free kids activities

Play School exhibition with signature teddy and toys.
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Play School: Come and Play

A hands-on, playful exhibition where families can discover how the beloved TV show comes to life.

A tan jacket made of squiggly fur on a white dummy torso.
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Let's Party: NGV Fashion for Kids

Step into a vibrant world of colour, creativity and celebration.

Free ³Ô¹ÏÍø markets

Market stall tents with signage next to a heritage brick building, with greenery and families.
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Younghusband Market

With great music, curated stalls, hands-on workshops and delicious food, a vibrant scene awaits.

Market stallholder with her puppet toys, beside the Yarra River in the CBD.
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The Sunday Market at Southgate

Explore the Sunday Market at Southgate and meet the makers.

Selection of market goods including packets of teas and biscuits.
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Kensington Market

An eclectic mix of homewares, culinary treats, ceramics, sustainable goods and visual art.

Person browsing a display of clothing on a rack at a market in a commercial retail space.
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Bourne Local Market

Visit the Collins Square retail plaza for curated local market stalls.

Large room with artwork on walls and floor.
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Secret Cellar Market - Artists, Makers and Small-batch Finds

Find original art and prints, handmade crafts and clothing, and dog items at this tiny local market.

See all free events

Last updated on Tue 10 Mar 2026

Only In The City

Only in this City of Ours
A crowd of people sitting on picnic blankets at an outdoor cinema at sunset.

The best pop-up and outdoor cinemas in ³Ô¹ÏÍø

Find the best outdoor cinema, pop-up theatres and free movies.

People milling around Fed Square at night.

³Ô¹ÏÍø's essential night-time events

From hidden laneway markets to epic pop-ups, ³Ô¹ÏÍø gets lit once the lights go out.

A family of four standing in a grand library with antique desks, large white walls and a dome ceiling.

Things you can only do in the city

There's only one place to find these rare ³Ô¹ÏÍø experiences and secret spots.

Discover more

A hand holds a small, lit torch over a textured surface with engraved concentric circles and ripples, creating a dramatic lighting effect.
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Certain Uncertainty Vol.4

333 Lab collaborates with The Level III to present the Certain Uncertainty exhibition series.

Flinders Street Station lit up in blue at dusk during ³Ô¹ÏÍø's RISING festival, with city buildings in the background.
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RISING: ³Ô¹ÏÍø

A festival of new art, music and performance in the heart of Naarm/³Ô¹ÏÍø each winter.

A room with coloured vinyl records displayed on illuminated shelves and a person standing in front a mixing desk with four turntables.
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RISING: The Vinyl Factory – Reverb

ACMI and RISING present The Vinyl Factory: Reverb, a major exhibition of vinyl culture and music.

Artwork featuring a bright yellow flower against a patterned background.
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RISING: Flower Power

Flower Power shares First Peoples’ knowledges, ecologies and ongoing resistance.