Winter's final weeks deliver a packed program of unmissable experiences across Melbourne.
If you loved RISING, here are some more fantastic recommendations on now across Melbourne, spanning everything from last-minute MIFF picks to free techno sessions, thought-provoking library exhibitions and community radio support drives.
Whether you’re after interactive art installations, all-night sound experiments or collaborative creative opportunities, Melbourne’s cultural landscape is firing on all cylinders as the season winds down. From warehouse raves to mini-golf masterpieces, there’s something to spark every curiosity.
Melbourne fires up for winter’s last weeks
- Now or Never: until 31 August, various venues across Melbourne
- MIFF: until Sunday 24 August (online until Sunday 31 August), various cinemas
- Make Believe Encounters with Misinformation: until Monday 26 January 2026, State Library Victoria
- Triple R Radiothon: until 24 September
- Melbourne Fringe Festival call out: applications close Sunday 31 August
Check out our gig guide, our festival guide, our live music venue guide and our nightclub guide. Follow us on Instagram here.
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Now or Never
On until 31 August
Interior thunderstorms meet all-night sound experiments in this ambitious program lighting up venues across Melbourne. Free raves sit alongside contemplative sound journeys, creating spaces where electronic music becomes a vehicle for deeper connection.
Melbourne International Film Festival
On until 24 August (Online until 31 August)
Melbourne’s premier film festival enters its final stretch with gems for every type of movie lover. Online screenings extend the experience until 31 August for those who prefer home viewing.
Make Believe Encounters with Misinformation
On until 26 January
Step inside Australia’s oldest public library for a journey through the complex world of misinformation and its cultural impact. Interactive exhibits unpack how false information spreads while offering tools for navigating our increasingly complex media landscape.
Triple R Radiothon
On until 24 September
Community radio’s finest hour arrives as Triple R calls for support to keep independent voices on the airwaves. This year’s Digging Deeper theme perfectly captures what volunteer presenters do best – unearthing musical treasures and important stories that commercial stations won’t touch.
Melbourne Fringe Festival call out
Closes 31 August
Melbourne Fringe seeks older adults to join a major new dance project premiering this October with an internationally acclaimed choreographer. Two weeks of workshops and rehearsals lead to public performances at a key Melbourne venue, with no previous dance experience required.
Swing into savings at Swingers
Final weeks remain to experience RISING’s Swingers The Art of Mini-Golf before it wraps up. Off-peak sessions now come with 20 per cent savings, making it the perfect pre-game activity before catching a late-night film or heading to one of those free techno sessions lighting up warehouse spaces across the city.
Artists have transformed traditional mini-golf into something far more sophisticated, creating holes that double as interactive art installations.
Each course tells its own story while challenging your putting skills, whether you’re on a date, catching up with friends or just looking for something different to do on a weekday afternoon.
Check out Now or Never here, MIFF here, Triple R Radiothon here, Make Believe Encounters here and Melbourne Fringe here
