The Weekender: February 24 – 26
Maslenitsa: Slavic Pancake Festival
Saturday, February 25 (10.00am – 8.00pm) | Royal Exhibition Building (9 Nicholson St, Carlton)
Image via Facebook
As one of the most colourful and largest Slavic festivals in Melbourne, this event invites visitors to join in on traditional Slavic festivities.
Celebrating the cultures of countries such as Russia, Bosnia, Poland and Slovakia, Maslentisa: Slavic Pancake Festival will offer visitors a chance to experience Slavic song and dance, traditional games, mouth-watering food and a host of other amazing events and activities such as a tug of war, pillow fighting, dancing master classes, toy crafting and much more.
The event will be hosted at the Royal Exhibition Building at Carlton and is free for all to attend.
To find out more about Maslenitsa: Slavic Pancake Festival, visit its official Facebook event page.
30th Lonsdale St Greek Festival
Saturday, February 25 – Sunday, February 26 (From 11.00am) | Greek Precinct (168 Lonsdale St, Melbourne)
Image via Facebook
Now in its astonishing 30th year, the annual Lonsdale St Greek Festival will be returning to the Greek Precinct this weekend to serve up souvas and more!
This street festival will run across two days and offers plenty in the way of sights and sounds for visitors to experience. International performers will be on stage to sing and dance for free, cooking demonstrations will run throughout the day and dance lessons will be offered as well.
But of course, one of the best things about Greek culture is its food which there’ll be plenty of also. From Greek sweets to Greek meats, there’s something for everyone with pop-up bars and street food all spread out for your enjoyment.
The event is free however, visitors are advised to bring cash if they wish to buy their way through the markets.
To find out more about the 30th Lonsdale St Greek Festival, visit the event page over at the Greek Centre for Contemporary Culture’s official website.
2017 Japanese Summer Festival
Sunday, February 26 (12.00pm – 6.00pm) | Federation Square (Corner of Swanston St & Flinders St, Melbourne)
Image via Facebook
Returning once again is the popular Japanese Summer Festival, hosted at Federation Square.
If you love Japanese culture, you won’t want to miss out on this event. Experience Japan in Melbourne by seeing some of festivities of the day with events such as the Bon Odori dance, karate demonstrations, and Japanese drum performances.
Food vendors such as Japan District, Top Grill Teppanyaki and Oko Oko will be dishing out some delectable Japanese street food while marketplace vendors will be selling goods such as kimonos, yukatas and anime figures. Admission is free so don’t hesitate.
For more on the 2017 on the Japanese Summer Festival, visit the event’s official website.
Lankan Festival
Sunday, February 26 (9.00am – 7.00pm) | Crown Riverwalk (8 Whiteman St, Southbank)
Image via Facebook
Up along the Yarra Crown Riverwalk will be the Lankan Festival, a celebration of the rich culture and heritage of Sri Lanka. Offering visitors a chance to visit Sri Lanka without necessarily travelling all the way there, this festival promises to be an amazing experience for visitors.
Throughout the day, live entertainment will be provided by a mix of local and international talents, while traditional Sri Lankan dishes and street food will be distributed to hungry visitors. Additionally, Sri Lankan arts and crafts will adorn the festival as well.
If that’s not enough, cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs will also be happening. With such a variety of events, free entry is such a steal!
For more information on the Lankan Festival happening along the Crown Riverwalk this weekend, visit the event’s official website.