The Weekender: May 15 – 17
CHECK out some German films, celebrate Buddha’s birthday, immerse yourself in bizarre art or enjoy a good beer or two. Choose your own adventure this weekend with Antonina Mtanu.
Buddha’s Day Festival
Saturday, May 16 (10.00am – 7.00pm) and Sunday, May 17 (10.00am – 5.00pm); Federation Square
The annual Buddha’s Day Festival is a two day event celebrating the multicultural aspects of our society.
This year’s theme is ‘Hope and Future’ which sees the festival open with a world peace blessing ceremony as a meansto welcome all to enjoy the diverse activities the festival will have on offer.
Celebrate Buddha’s birthday by taking some Tai Chi classes, meditating, eating various types of food and attending cooking sessions.
Get involved in some Zen painting, join in on arts and crafts sessions, bathe little statues of Buddha, enjoy music, and also bask in the night of colours of the Wishing Lanterns and candles.
This is a free event. For more information visit the official website of the Buddha’s Day Festival.
Visions of Dreamland
Thursday, May 14 (6.00pm; Various times after Opening Night); Smith St, Collingwood
As part of Melbourne International Design Week, catch glimpses of a world beyond consciousness through paintings at the Visions of Dreamland exhibition.
Be immersed in the beautiful and bizarre works of different artists on at the Hogan Gallery.
Note that the exhibition opens on May 14 but will operate at various times on different days until May 27.
If you would like more information on the exhibition and schedule for different days visit, Design Matters.
Audi Festival of German Films
Thursday, May 14 – Sunday, May 31 (Various times); Palace Cinemas (Various locations)
Those looking forward to a new year of German cinema can attend this year’s Audi Festival of German Films, orchestrated by Goethe-Institut Australia.
In its 14th year, the festival’s ambitious scope will feature thrillers, comedies, dramas, romance, westerns, historical epics and coming-of-age tales.
Most of the movies will be screening as Australian premieres.
The film festival caters to all different tastes in film: from kids and kids at-heart, to those with a serious penchant for German film.
Catch children’s movie Lola on the Pea, coming-of-age romance Lose My Self, comedy Miss Sixty, crime thriller Who Am I and many more all at the festival.
Goethe-Institut members tickets are $15.50, students are $17.00 and adult tickets are $20.00.
Make bookings or purchase tickets online at the Goethe website.
Good Beer Week
Saturday, May 16 – Sunday, May 24 (Various times); Various locations
The event that launched Melbourne as the country’s beer capital and has gone on to draw local and international audiences is upon us.
It’s a nine day celebration of ‘the best beer in the world’ and all that is great about beer. Melbourne and wider-Victoria will host 250 events across 180 venues, featuring hundreds of beers and lots of the best brewers from Australia and overseas.
This ever growing festival’s venues range from special restaurants to classic suburban bars and prisons to a children’s farm.
Special events at some of these venues include master classes, comedy shows, intimate dinners, meet the brewer sessions and music performances.
Note that some venues will charge an entry fee or have ticketing for special events.
For more information on all events that Good Beer Week covers over the nine days jump onGood Beer Week’s website.