The Weekender: March 29 – 31

WONDERING what to do these Easter holidays? Elizabeth Yick has your long weekend sorted with a list of fun things to-do’s, including a trip down to Falls Creek for the Easter Festival.

Falls Creek Easter Festival
Friday March 29 – Monday April 1, Falls Creek

A community Easter egg hunt at Falls Creek. Photo: Catalyst Church Pendleton via Flickr

Take a road trip away with friends this long weekend to the Falls Creek Easter Festival. Falls Creek is located approximately four hours away from Melbourne by car, and is in the High Country region of Victoria. The annual Easter Festival is one of the most anticipated events in the area, with the Easter Fête being the main attraction of fun, food, games and prizes.

For those who are not so keen on hunting Easter eggs, there are a myriad of other exciting activities such as guided walks, the Segway Tour on bike, as well as helicopter flights and individual canoe hires for the more adventurous. For those who simply want to relax, there is an outdoor cinema in the village.

For further event information as well as special Easter weekend packages, visit the Falls Creek Easter Festival official site for more details.

CERES Harvest Festival
Saturday March 23, from 10am, corner Roberts and Stewarts Streets, Brunswick East

Sustainability: a stall-holder selling hats and accessories made from recycled materials at the CERES Harvest Festival. Photo: Looking Glass via Flickr

Celebrate the Autumn Equinox this weekend by going down to the CERES’ Environmental Park for the Harvest Festival, where a corner of Brunswick East will be transformed into an exciting and bustling country fair. In celebration of the autumn harvest, the festival will be focused on sustainable farming, with live music, workshops, performances, animal displays and craft and food stalls.

There will also be competitions on cake baking, home-grown produces, and home-made preserves. The CERES Café will be serving up some delicious festival-friendly nibbles throughout the day, and for those who want to sample a community dinner made from the most in-season fresh produces, bookings are available and are $40 per head.

For more information on performances and market stall-holders, visit the Harvest Festival event page.

Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures
Until July 28, daily 10am-4pm, Melbourne Museum (11 Nicholson St, Carlton)

Most people are surprised to discover the long-standing and vibrant history behind the now war-torn country of Afghanistan; when in fact, the Afghan culture is one of the richest and most diverse in the world. Located at the heart of the historical trading route – the Silk Road, Afghanistan was the commercial meeting hub for super powers such as ancient Iran, Central Asia, India, China, and even the ancient Greek states and the Roman Empire.

This winter, Melbourne Museum, in collaboration with the National Museum of Afghanistan, bring together an exhibit of more than 230 priceless artefacts, including gold, bronze, and stone statuettes, sculpted ivories, painted glassware and many other artworks over a millennium old. Many of these pieces were only recovered by a happy accident during the recent years of conflict, and were preserved by the sheer bravery of some Afghan museum staff.

For the chance to be one of the first in the world to view this amazing collection, information and tickets ($24 adult, $16 concession) are available via the Melbourne Museum website.

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Until Sunday April 21, various locations around Melbourne

This is the first weekend of perhaps the most highly anticipated annual event in Melbourne – the International Comedy Festival. With more than 1000 comedians from all over the world set to perform over the course of these three weeks, it is definitely one of the most exciting events on the calendar for autumn. For those who are unsure of what to pick out of the amazing collection of shows and performances, here are some recommended events over the weekend for some toe-dipping in the comedy pool:

The (Very) Big Laugh Out
From Friday March 29 until Sunday April 21
City Square Pitch (Tues – Fri 1pm, 2.30pm and 4pm; Sat & Sun 11am, 12.30pm)
Federation Square Main Stage (Fri 5.30pm, Sat & Sun 2pm)

This is ‘where the Comedy Festival spills out onto the streets’, where the shows are free and the laughter is shared. Watch some of the most talented comedians and be entertained by the funniest street performers from around the world as they gather to perform for the public.

The Festival Club
From Thursday March 28 until Saturday April 20
The Hi-Fi (125 Swanston Street, Melbourne)

“What happens at the Festival Club, stays at the Festival Club…” unless, of course, when it is filmed by ABC2. For a comedy bonanza of one-off performances and unscripted hilarity, complete with great music and a dance floor… hop down to the Festival Club for some unexpected entertainment. Tickets are $15 ($10 on Tues & Wed) and available at the door.

The Comedy Zone
From Thursday March 28 until Sunday April 21
The Trades Hall, Old Council Chambers (Cnr Lygon and Victoria Streets, Carlton)

Five award-winning Australian comedians are handpicked by the Comedy Festival this year for this one big show, so be prepared to be induced into some serious laughter by Hayman Kent, Ivan Aristeguieta, Neel Kolhatkar, Tien Tran and Amos Gill.

For more information and a full events guide, visit the Melbourne International Comedy Festival website, or see what Meld recommends for the festival this year.