Top Summer Community Events in Your Suburb

Summer is in full swing and there’s plenty to see and do around Melbourne. From pool parties to art exhibitions, there’s a ton of different activities for people of all ages to enjoy, including plenty of free options! Here, we’ve picked a couple of highlights from the suburbs that Woodards serves as your dedicated local real estate professionals.

Carnegie, Bentleigh and Elsternwick

• Pool Party - Get down to Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool on Sunday 9 February for an enjoyable day in the water. Dive into live music, games and activities for all ages and soak up the good vibes!
• International Baccalaureate Visual Arts Exhibition - Engage in some emerging art down at the Glen Eira City Council Gallery with this exhibition running from Thursday 13 February to Sunday 9 March. A range of innovative artworks from the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) Visual Arts Course are featured in this exhibition.
• Jude Perl’s Jazz Trio - Running from 7.30pm at Caulfield Park on Friday 14 February, celebrate love and friendship lakeside this Valentine's Day. Bring a picnic rug and loved ones to this free event and soak up the ambience with a night of love songs for the romantics, cynics and everyone in between.
• Under the Stars - Celebrate summer with this free annual concert at Packer Park in Carnegie on Saturday 22 February from 6pm. A community favourite, this year’s edition focuses on the fab sounds of the 70s and 80s.

Macedon Ranges

• Soweto Gospel Choir - Based around a theme of “hope”, the all-new concert by Grammy winning Soweto Gospel Choir comes to Kyneton Town Hall on Friday, 14 February 2025 from 7:30 to 9pm. Hear renditions from legendary artists like Billie Holiday, James Brown, Curtis Mayfield and Aretha Franklin.
• Campout at Hanging Rock - This family-friendly event is your exclusive once-a-year opportunity to spend a night under the stars at the Macedon Ranges' most iconic destination. Held on Saturday 22 February, families can book a 6 person site for $85, which includes activities like a ranger-guided sunset walk and open air cinema.

Blackburn

• Scrabble Club - Come along to Blackburn library every Wednesday during February for an enjoyable game of Scrabble. It’s a great, easy way to have some fun and enjoy a bit of competition with some other people in the community.
• Painting Nature with Watercolour - Be inspired by the beautiful gardens and natural surroundings at Strathdon House and Orchard Precinct while learning how to paint nature with watercolour. This short, beginner-friendly 4 week course runs from 1pm to 3pm every Tuesday from 4 February to 25 February.

Camberwell

• Summer in the Park - The 2025 Boroondara Summer in the Park line-up is filled with a variety of fantastic arts and entertainment events taking place across various parks in Camberwell and surrounding areas on weekends throughout February and the start of March. Expect everything from Opera in Canterbury Gardens to Bollywood in the Maranoa Botanic Gardens.
• Surrey Hills Community Music Festival - Presented by the City of Boroondara, this annual community music event held in the Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre showcases a wide variety of musical talents. Held on Saturday 22 February, the festival is a family-friendly, free event.

Mornington Peninsula

• Soul Night Market Hastings - Held on Friday 14 February from 5pm to 9pm, this festive foodie and makers market in the Mornington Peninsula offers up to 20 different street food and drink trucks, 40-70 makers stalls and live Soul Music.
• Summer Guided Sculpture Park Tours - Enjoy a 90 minute tour of the outdoor Sculpture Park at Pt. Leo Estate from 11am on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 February from 11am. Learn about the artists and pieces within the park and enjoy the spectacular views and gardens of the Estate.

Mount Waverley and Oakleigh

• Live at Warrawee - Held at Warrawee Park in Oakleigh on Saturday 15 February from 4pm to 9pm, this event for the whole family features live music, chilled picnic vibes and a range of activities, workshops, food, drink and entertainment for all ages.
• 2025 State Dahlia Show - Held at the Mount Waverley Community Centre across Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 February, this year’s show promises to offer the most spectacular dahlias, with a chance to take home beautiful potted dahlias for your own garden.

Ascot Vale and Essendon

• Moonee Valley Festival 2025 - Get down to Queens Park on Saturday February 22 for this popular, free annual community celebration. Running from 10am - 10pm, the event features an impressive variety of live music, market stalls, activities, performances, food and entertainment for all ages.
• Leap Day at Essendon Fields - On Thursday 29 February from 11:30am to 1:30pm, head to the English Street Green for a free, fun-filled day of live DJs, a free BBQ lunch and a vertical leap competition with prizes up for grabs.

Carlton and the Inner North

• Johnston Street Fiesta 2025 - Head down to Johnston Street for eating, dancing and enjoying some of the best local Hispanic and Latin American culture. One of the inner north’s most loved cultural events, it all happens on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 February on Johnston Street in Fitzroy (between Nicholson Street and Brunswick Street)
• Fairfield in Feb - Enjoy the tranquil atmosphere of the Fairfield Amphitheatre and enjoy a feast of delicious food and live music along the banks of the Yarra River on Sunday 9 February and Sunday 16 of February from 6pm to 8:30pm.

South Yarra

• Meet U There Social Lunch - Enjoy a fun and inclusive lunch experience running every Thursday in February. Run by Stonnington Council, it’s a great chance for people to socialise and share new friendships at Prahran Market, a stone’s throw away from South Yarra
• Lunar New Year at Fed Square - Head into the city and celebrate the year of the snake with a range of exciting activities and performances taking place at Fed Square on Sunday 9 February from 9:30am to 2pm.

Coburg and Pascoe Vale

• Coburg Farmers Market - Nothing quite like a community market during summer, and the beautiful grounds of Coburg Primary School hosts one of the best in Melbourne! Check it out every Saturday from 8am to 1pm.
• Family Fun Day at Pascoe Vale Pool - Sit back and relax at Pascoe Vale Pool on Saturday 3 February for a day of fun in the water. There’ll be coffee roasters, a frozen yoghurt van and free glitter tattoos!

Croydon

• Celebrate Maroondah - Celebrate everything great about the City of Maroondah. These free events are filled with fun for the whole family, including a superhero dress up at Athelstane Reserve in Ringwood on Sunday 9 February and a movie screening at Charles Allen Reserve in Croydon on Saturday February 22.
• Yarrunga Walkers - Explore the beauty of your local area with other members of the community. Walks take place every Friday morning in February from 9:15am until 10:30am. These moderate paced walks take around one hour followed by a cuppa and chat at Yarrunga Community Centre in Croydon Hills.

Heidelberg

• Sunset Pride Party - Part of Midsumma Festival, this vibrant celebration of LGBTQIA+ culture takes place along Greensborough Walk on Friday 7 February 5pm to 9pm, filling the area with colour, creativity and community spirit. With face painting, disco DJs, live entertainment and heaps of stalls, this family-friendly event offers the perfect summer vibes while celebrating our diverse community.
• Twilight Sounds - An annual community favourite, Twilight Sounds is a fantastic free concert held on Saturday 15 February at Heidelberg Park Oval from 3pm to 10pm. It showcases a mega-lineup of jazz and blues-themed musicians in the picturesque parklands along with food trucks, roving performers and activities for kids.

Keilor

• Pride Pool Party Midsumma - Make a splash at the Sunbury Aquatic and Leisure Centre for an inclusive swim event for LGBTIQA+ community members, family and friends. Part of Midsumma Festival, this free event is on Saturday 10 February from 6pm to 9pm. Do some laps, play on the inflatables, relax on the lawn and enjoy the BBQ.
• Twilight Concert - Just down the road from Keilor, the annual Twilight Concert in Lincoln Park, Essendon takes place on Saturday 26 February from 5pm to 9pm. Pack your picnic, bring your loved ones and sit back for a free concert on a balmy summer’s night.

Lilydale and Yarra Valley

• Artist Retreat at Round Bird - Join a community of inspiring artists at Round Bird Artspace and Workshop in Lilydale and elevate your creative journey. Held on Sunday 16 February between 1om and 3pm, enjoy coffee and cake while networking and fuelling your creativity.
• Summer Fun Fest - Fun in the Sun presents their inaugural concert Summer Fun Fest at Rochford Wines in the heart of the Yarra Valley. Taking place on Sunday 16 February, enjoy top Aussie talent like Jon Stevens, Daryl Braithwaite, Kate Ceberano and Killing Heidi.

Manningham

• Lunar New Year Bilingual Storytime - Celebrate the Lunar New Year differently at Doncaster Library on Saturday 8 February at 11am with stories told in both English and Mandarin. The event also features craft activities for all ages.
• Tunstall Square Market - A favourite in Manningham, the Tunstall Square Market in Doncaster East. The market is held on the last Sunday of the month from 8am to 1pm. During summer, the vibes are immaculate, with close to 100 stalls with an eclectic mix of food, plants, clothing and crafts.