By Najma Sambul
From sports to theatre to music gigs to winter festivals: there’s plenty to keep you occupied in Melbourne this month. Credit:
Now that we’ve well and truly rolled into winter, events throughout July in Melbourne (and surrounds!) will make even the coldest of days seem a little warmer.
From a slate of gigs coming off the back of Splendour in the Grass to Manchester United’s highly anticipated friendly matches with Melbourne Victory and Crystal Palace FC, the city has a lot to offer us this month.
Firelight Festival
Docklands | July 1 – July 3 | Free
Finding it hard to think of a reason to visit Docklands? Think no more, the annual Firelight Festival will run over three nights and feature food stalls, music and more than 40 fire pits and drums, 35 flame jets, two fire sculptures, and an eight-metre-high fiery phoenix centrepiece. The free family-friendly spectacle celebrates the longest night of the year, the solstice, and will be held across three sites at NewQuay Promenade, Victoria Harbour Promenade, and Harbour Esplanade.
Docklands’ Firelight Festival is making a comeback.Credit:Grace Petrou
Replay Festival
Comedy Club | Until July 22 | Tickets from $18
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival may be over, but the laughs aren’t. Catch some of the biggest names in Australian comedy, alongside the best breakthrough comedians at the Comedy Republic throughout the month. The July program features Rhys Nicholson, Greg Larsen, Michelle Brasier, Lloyd Langford, Lizzy Hoo, Alex Ward, Frankie McNair, Geraldine Quinn, Luke Heggie and more.
Melbourne Documentary Film Festival 2022
Cinema Nova | July 21 – July 31 | Tickets from $13
In the theme of Punks, Rebels, Mavericks and Renegades, the seventh edition of MDFF is back for another year of great films across feature lengths and shorts, featuring local Australian and international documentaries. There’s also an online festival component that runs from July 1 – July 31.
Fireside Yarra Valley
Yarra Valley | July 9 – July 24 | Tickets here
Returning for its fourth year, the Fireside Yarra Valley festival is back for a 16-day festival of events that celebrates the region’s finest food and wine.
World Food Championships
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre | July 8 – July 10 | Tickets from $23
The world’s largest food sports event is coming to town for three days with over 200 cooks across the country battling it out for a $300,000 cash prize and attendees able to taste an array of cuisine and beverages.
Winter Night Market
Queen Victoria Market | Wednesdays until August 31 | Free
Wednesday evenings in Melbourne mean one thing: The Winter Night Market. A staple in the Melbourne winter calendar, it features over 35 street food traders, a bustle of artisanal stalls and entertainers, and even a silent disco.
Faux snow falls at the Queen Victoria Market’s winter night market.
Disney on Ice: Into the Magic
Rod Laver Arena | June 30 – July 4 | Tickets from $30
Combining classic Disney stories with world-class ice skating was a stroke of genius when it first debuted in the ’80s, now almost three decades later, Disney on Ice is bigger than ever with new characters like Moana and Elsa mesmerising audiences.
Disney On Ice celebrates Mickey and Friends.Credit:Must Do Brisbane.
Electric Fields and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Hamer Hall | July 7 | Tickets from $50
Award-winning electronic music duo Electric Fields – Zaachariaha Fielding (vocals) and Michael Ross (keyboard/producer) – are coming together with MSO for NAIDOC Week in a debut concert. They will perform song cycles of the duo’s work, arranged for orchestra by the MSO’s 2022 Cybec Young Composer in Residence, Alex Turley.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason: Mid-Season Gala
Hamer Hall | July 30 | Tickets from $70
After performing at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018, award-winning cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s career is rising to dizzying heights. He was the first cellist in history to reach the top 10 of the UK album charts and has made debuts with the Seattle Symphony and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. Kanneh-Mason joins the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for Shostakovich’s Second Cello Concerto.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason, lost in the moment at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
The Elvis Big Band: 45th Anniversary Spectacular
Thornbury Theatre | July 17 | Tickets from $57
If there ever was a time to see an Elvis tribute show, now is probably it. The Elvis Big Band will be performing music from The King’s career, spanning his early Vegas years to his movie-era rockers and boppers, and epic ballads.
Come Rain or Come Shine
Southbank Theatre | June 20 – July 23 | Tickets from $53
Adapted from Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro’s wildly comic short story, Come Rain or Come Shine is a musical about music, memory and lifelong friendship. Directed by Simon Phillips and starring Gillian Cosgriff (Vivid White), Angus Grant (Cock) and Chris Ryan (Shakespeare in Love).
Cast Angus Grant and Gillian Cosgriff.Credit:Jeff Busby
Cinderella
Regent Theatre | May 20 – July 23 | Tickets from $99
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s take on the classic fairytale comes to life at the Regent Theatre, in this Tony Award-winning musical from the creators of The Sound of Music. Starring Shubshri Kandiah.
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre.Credit:Eddie Jim
Hamilton
Her Majesty’s Theatre | Until October 2 | Tickets from $70
The ubiquitous Tony-, Grammy- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical tells the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton. The sung-and-rapped musical pulls its sound from a blend of hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway.
Six the Musical
Comedy Theatre | Until August 21 | Tickets from $69
Six is a high octane musical that reimagines the “her-story” of the six wives of Henry VIII through a 21st century lens of modern gender politics and pop culture. Winner of two Tony Awards, including best original score, and with over 450 million Spotify streams, it runs until August 21.
Members of the West End musical SIX performing at the Sydney Opera House Studio in Sydney 2020Credit:Isabella Porras
9 to 5 the Musical
Arts Centre | July 10 – September 11 | Tickets from $69
Inspired by the hit film, 9 to 5 the Musical features an all-star Australian cast including Marina Prior as smart as sassy career woman Violet Newstead, Casey Donovan as newly separated new recruit Judy Bernly, Erin Clare as bright and beautiful country girl Doralee Rhodes, Eddie Perfect as controlling boss Franklin Hart Jr and Caroline O’Connor as busy-body Roz Keith.
Picasso Century
NGV | June 10 – October 9 | Tickets from $8
Tracking the career of Pablo Picasso, The Picasso Century features over 80 works from the artist himself, as well as over 100 works of the artists, poets and intellectuals he interacted with during the 20th century. Created exclusively for the NGV by the Centre Pompidou and Musee National Picasso-Paris, this exhibition is a must for history and art lovers alike.
Picasso Century exhibition at the NGV.Credit:Eddie Jim
Tyama: A Deeper Sense of Knowing
Melbourne Museum | July 22 – Jan 29 | Tickets from $12
Tyama is an interactive museum experience that immerses visitors in 360-degree responsive projections, breathtaking effects, and exquisite soundscapes.
NAIDOC Week Celebrations
Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia | July 7 – July 13 | Free
In the “most extensive” NAIDOC Week ever programmed by the NGV, the gallery will showcase a diverse week-long festival to commemorate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with local and interstate Indigenous artists, performers, actors and directors.
Gorillaz with special guests
John Cain Arena | July 24 | Tickets from $79.90
In their first Australian tour dates in over a decade, the Gorillaz will be doing one sideshow after their headline at Splendour in Grass.
The Strokes
John Cain Arena | July 26 | Tickets from $79.90
NY rock icons The Strokes will play songs from their 20-year, six-album catalogue. The Strokes’ live set will also feature tracks from their 2021 Grammy Award-winning album The New Abnormal.
Louis Tomlinson’s solo Walls album.
Louis Tomlinson
Margaret Court Arena | July 25 – July 26 | Tickets from $89.90
Former One Direction band member Louis Tomlinson will be in Melbourne for his 2022 world tour and will feature songs from his debut solo album Walls.
JEFF The Brotherhood
Northcote Social Club and Hotel Westwood | July 21 and July 23 | Tickets from $35.90
Brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall from Nashville, Tennessee, are no strangers to Australia. The garage rock band is a favourite of Australian festival and gig-goers. They will play the Northcote Social Club on July 21 and Hotel Westwood in Footscray on July 23 – click on the desired date above for tickets.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Princess Theatre | Until October 16 | Tickets from $75
The new version of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child condenses into a single sitting an enthralling theatre epic originally staged in two parts. It follows a brand-new generation of witches and wizards, 19 years after Harry, Ron, and Hermione saved the wizarding world.
Image from the production of Looking for Alibrandi.Credit:Kristian Gehradte
Looking for Alibrandi
Malthouse Theatre | July 9 – July 31 | Tickets from $15
Melina Marchetta’s beloved book about 1990s Mediterranean culture in Australia has been adapted for stage for the first time ever, and will show at the Malthouse Theatre.
The Comedy of Errors
Arts Centre Melbourne | July 13 – July 23 | Tickets from $58
Directed by longtime Bell Shakespeare collaborator Janine Watson, Comedy of Errors tells the story of two sets of long-lost twins who miraculously find themselves, 33 years later, in the same city on the same day.
The Comedy of Errors by the Australian Shakespeare Company 2022 in Melbourne.Credit:Ben Fon
Melbourne Rare Book Fair
Wilson Hall, University of Melbourne | July 7 – July 9 | Free
The Melbourne Rare Book Fair is held annually in July by the Australian & New Zealand Association of Antiquarian Booksellers. It showcases rare books, manuscripts, ephemera, prints and more from the best rare book and antiquarian dealers across Australia, New Zealand and overseas.
Adventure Park’s Winter Glow
Wallington | Until 10 July | Tickets from $29.50
Every year winter Adventure Park transforms into a glowing winter wonderland of snow, lights, fire and ice. Families and friends can build a snowman or roast marshmallows over an open fire, or hop on the new Air Balloons and Tea Cups rides. Get your gloves and gum boots ready!
Manchester United
MCG | July 15 and July 19 | Tickets from $59
Global powerhouse Manchester United will return to Melbourne to play matches against A-League side Melbourne Victory on July 15 and Premier League team Crystal Palace on July 19 at the MCG. Star player Cristiano Ronaldo will be a highlight.
Manchester United are headed to Australia to play Victory in July.Credit:Getty Images
Harlem Globetrotters
John Cain Arena | July 9 | Tickets from $29
American exhibition basketball team the Harlem Globetrotters is back in Australia with a dazzling show that combines athleticism, theatre, and pure adrenaline.
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