Five major Aussie events you should consider travelling for

Australia has no shortage of world class events. And while we think it’s awesome that students coming from overseas can have the potential to experience many of Aussie events in their own city of residence, sometimes there are events in the country that are well worth going on a road trip for, or even buying a plane ticket for.

So if you want to know what some of the hottest events you can visit in Australia are, we offer you our guide on the best events that international students should totally make the effort to travel to.

Adelaide Fringe Festival

This festival is the second largest arts festival in the world and the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Held in the South Australian capital, this festival runs for an entire month and features many exciting events for students to participate.

Party it up by attending the street parade that opens the festival, experience awesome live music from emerging local artists and international bands and guest DJs, see unique art in venues big and small and essentially have a grand time in Adelaide.

The festival normally takes place between February and March and ticket prices vary depending on the event you attend (some events are free, like the opening parade).

Location: Adelaide, Australia
Time: February to March
Website: https://www.adelaidefringe.com.au/

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras

More than just a huge tourist attraction with its Opera House and Harbour Bridge, Sydney is also home to the amazing Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardis Gras. Every year, the queer parade and party attracts more than 70,000 people and hosts a variety of events for people to attend including the Bondi Beach Drag Races as well as academic discussions around queer thinking.

It’s one of the country’s biggest tourist draws and next year will be its 40th anniversary which will no doubt be a call for one massive party and celebration.

So if you’re looking for a good time and want to show your support for LGBT+ communities, get to Sydney and show your pride!
Location: Sydney, Australia
Time: February – March
Website:http://www.mardigras.org.au/

Vivid Sydney

See Sydney like you’ve never seen it before when Vivid Sydney rolls into town.

This fantastic light show bathes the entire city in artistic lighting installations. These installations are projected onto surfaces of all kinds, even on the surfaces of the iconic Sydney Opera House as well as the surfaces along the Darling Habour docks.

Vivid Sydney attracts tens of thousands of people each year and also offers plenty to do beyond taking snaps of unique projection art. As its tagline ‘Light, Music, Ideas’ suggests, visitors can see a variety of performers mix it up in venues across the city. Live music for genres such as jazz, cabaret and electronic can be experienced at Vivid. Additionally, visitors can also hear from speakers on a range of topics relating to the creative arts!

Vivid Sydney usually takes place between May and June and if you’re there long enough, sneak in a couple of new international films at the Sydney Film Festival too!

Location: Sydney, Australia
Time: May – June
Website:http://vividsydney.com/

White Night

Melbourne’s version of Vivid meanwhile shuts down the entire CBD, turning Melbourne into a massive party. No trams or road traffic passes through the city when White Night is on.

White Night does everything that Vivid does except it lasts from 7.00pm all the way through to 7.00am. So if you’re not ready to sleep, celebrate the arts, creativity and culture on the wide and open streets with thousands of people.

Public galleries like ACMI and the NGV open their galleries to the public, as do various other stores, all the way into the morning and usually offer specific White Night-themed events to keep visitors entertained. Food and live music won’t be too hard to find and, of course, dazzling projection art will adorn some of Melbourne’s iconic buildings.

Location: Melbourne, Australia
Time: February
Website: http://whitenightmelbourne.com.au/

Falls Music Festival

Australians love their live music and you will too if you want the chance to see some of major international acts perform alongside emerging artists at one of the country’s most popular music festivals, the Falls Music Festival.

Unlike many of the events already mentioned, Falls Music Festival takes place away from the city in areas like Lorne (Victoria), Marion Bay (Tasmania), Byron Bay (New South Wales) and Fremantle (Western Australia). The travelling music festival usually takes place between Christmas and after New Years (essentially making the festive season THAT much more fun) and this year brings international names like Flume, Fleet Foxes, The Kooks, Liam Gallagher, Vince Staples and Foster the People and Australia’s own Angus and Julia Stone.

Spend your summer vacation away from the city and take a road-trip to see your favourite artists perform live!

Locations: Various
Time: December – January
Website:https://www.fallsfestival.com/

This story was produced by Media and Communication students at Trinity College Foundation Studies as part of Meld’s community newsroom collaboration. Education institutions, student clubs/societies and community groups interested in being involved can get in touch with us via meld@meldmagazine.com.au.