Free Events in June 2013

If a friend DID forward this to you and if you like what you read, please subscribe by visiting www.Free-Things-To-Do-Melbourne.com


Till July 31st - The Emerge Festival celebrates new refugees and emerging artists who have recently settled in Australia with a colourful series of performances and unique cultural experiences including music, dance, visual arts, ancient crafts and ceremonies. You can see African dance grooves, Sudanese reggae, Ethiopian jazz, Azmari banter, Somali pop, traditional Burundian drums, West African dance, Cape Verdean Reggae and sounds from East Arnham Land to Afghanistan. See http://www.multiculturalarts.com.au/events2013/emerge.shtml to find the program of events.


Saturday 1st - Winter in Docklands With roving entertainers, DJ’s, a snowman playing a trumpet, interactive ice sculptures, origami, paper cutting, snowflake making, facepainting, kite making and the Melbourne Aces baseball team testing everyone’s skill in their batting cage, this sounds like a fun day out. 2pm – 6pm at the NewQuay Piazza.


Saturday 1st till 30th - The Light in Winter is Federation Square’s annual, month-long program of free events, with exhibitions, film screenings, forums, the much-loved Solstice Celebration and a world premiere of a new work, Helix. The month starts with the annual lighting of the Indigenous campfire and at dusk every evening in June, see some of Melbourne’s best choirs in a free, choral performance lighting up the Helix Tree. Once lighting the way of rock royalty including U2, David Bowie and R.E.M, Bruce Ramus the Helix Tree designer is now celebrated for setting hearts aglow with his luminous public art projects. For a program of the events see http://www.fedsquare.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Light-in-Winter-2013.pdf


Saturday/Sundays 1st/2nd, 8th/9th, 15th/16th, 22nd/23rd and 29th/30th - The three Sea Shepherd boats are apparently still in Seaworks dock in Nelson Place in Williamstown (entry via Ann Street) where you can meet the captains, crew and tour their boats 12 noon-4.30pm on weekends only. If you haven't been yet, make sure you don't miss it this month. The Steve Irwin can be seen on both days, the Bob Barker on Saturdays only and Sam Simon can be seen Sundays only. Donations are accepted. www.seashepherd.org.au


Sundays 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th – Scarecrow Making at the Pop Up Patch which is a vegetable garden on the Federation Square car park rooftop. Bring along old clothes but otherwise all materials provided for the kids to make their own scarecrows. 11am-12pm


Sunday 2nd and 16th – Laughter Club at Federation Square by Swanston Street 11am – 11.30am


Sundays 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th - Gypsy Jazz on the Village Green at CERES. Starts 1pm. Join in, or like most people, just watch! www.ceres.org.au


Monday 3rd - Classics at Fed Square. Music with the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School at The Deakin Edge in Federation Square 12noon -1pm.


Monday 3rd - Channel 7's new TV show SLIDESHOW wants you in their Docklands studio audience while filming the show! You can choose either 1.45pm or 6.45pm. It's an improvisational comedy show which sounds fun. Email melbaudience@shineaustralia.com for all the info.


Tuesdays 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th – Tai Chi in Main Square at Federation Square 7.30am – 8.30am


Tuesdays 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th – Lunchtime Meditation in The Atrium at Federation Square 12.30-1pm


Tuesday 4th till 8th June - Coburg Carnival. Coburg will come alive with a spectacular array of colour and culture when the Coburg Carnivale brings music and art into the Victoria Street Mall and Sydney Road precinct. There'll also be robots, dancing girls and circus performers out and about on the street. See http://www.moreland.vic.gov.au/arts-and-festivals/community-festivals/coburg-carnivale.html


Tuesday 4th - Southgate Silent Cinema - sit back in your deckchair, put in your headphones and watch some great films. Today it's the famous The Castle. Start time 7pm. Location by riverside opposite Flinders Street railway station.


Wednesday 5th - World Environment Day Victoria has some of the most carbon-dense and magnificent native forests in the world. But every day, eight city blocks of our forests are logged, mostly to make cheap products like Reflex paper (apparently - I've not actually researched this by the way). To draw attention to this awful fact, the Wilderness Society is hosting a special event and they'd love you to join them! Be one of hundreds of people joining hands around a two-hectare city block on this day of fun and solidarity. Meet at corner of Bourke and Elizabeth Streets at 12.45pm. Wear GREEN!


Wednesday 5th - Channel 7's new TV show SLIDESHOW wants you in their Docklands studio audience while filming the show! You can choose either 1.45pm or 6.45pm. It's an improvisational comedy show which sounds fun. Email melbaudience@shineaustralia.com for all the info.


Wednesday 5th - Paul Kelly: Stories of Me at the Outside-In Cinema, State Library of Victoria, Swanston Street. This film charts the remarkable life of one of Australia’s most gifted and beloved singer-songwriters. For almost 40 years, in over 350 songs, Paul Kelly has been mapping out the Australian landscape and its people. For the first time in a feature-length film, the man behind the music is revealed, as Kelly speaks candidly about the people who have helped shape his life and music. The film features rare archival footage, never-before-seen live performances, and interviews with Kelly’s family, music contemporaries and band members. 6:30pm - 8:00pm Call 03 8664 7099 to book. Take along your own snacks and non-alcoholic drinks if you'd like.


Wednesday 5th - Southgate Silent Cinema - sit back in your deckchair, put in your headphones and watch some great films. Today it's The Best of Australian Short Films. Start time 7pm. Location by riverside opposite Flinders Street railway station.


Thursday 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th – Organ Recital at St Michaels Church at 120 Collins Street. 1pm-1.30pm


Fridays 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th – Qigong (a sort of Tai Chi combining integrated movement, mental cultivation and regulated breathing) – Main Square at Federation Square 8am – 9am


Friday 7th - First Friday Dance Club - Join in boot scootin' (whatever that is!) with the New Frontier Dance Association at Queensbridge Square by the river in Southbank from 6pm-8pm.


Saturday 8th - Book Clubs at Beer Deluxe-Espresso Cafe in The Atrium Federation Square. At 10am there's the Cult Book Club, 11am is the General Book Club and 12noon is the Contemporary Book Club.


Monday 10th - Learn Crochet at The Square in Federation Square 12-2pm


Tuesday 11th - Southgate Silent Cinema - sit back in your deckchair, put in your headphones and watch some great films. Today it's The Intouchables. Start time 7pm. Location by riverside opposite Flinders Street railway station.


Wednesday 12th - Southgate Silent Cinema - sit back in your deckchair, put in your headphones and watch some great films. Today it's The Giants. Start time 7pm. Location by riverside opposite Flinders Street railway station.


Thursdays 13th and 27th - Feel Young - Drawing from ancient Chinese traditions this combines gentle exercise and dance – The Atrium in Federation Square 11am – 11.45am


Thursday 13th - Melbourne Social Club Come along and enjoy a social drinks night at the Word Lounge Bar, 14 Goldie Place, Melbourne 6.30pm-9pm. You need to buy your own drinks but otherwise it’s free. This night is designed for new and prospective members with screening of social events photos on the night. This venue is situated in an historic 1920s warehouse in one of Melbourne's wonderful 'secret' laneways.


Saturday 15th – Poetry – 2 feature poets and the opportunity to read out your own at The Atrium in Federation Square 2pm – 4pm


Sunday 16th - Enjoy a free Sunday afternoon concert presented by the Air Force Band between 3pm-4pm at the Iwaki Auditorium, ABC Southbank Centre. Call 03 9256 2727 if you need any further details.


Tuesday 18th - Southgate Silent Cinema - sit back in your deckchair, put in your headphones and watch some great films. Today it's Talk to Her. Start time 7pm. Location by riverside opposite Flinders Street railway station.


Wednesday 19th - Chasing Ice at the Outside-In Cinema, State Library of Victoria, Swanston Street
In 2005 acclaimed environmental photographer James Balog headed to the Arctic to capture images for National Geographic to help tell the story of the earth’s changing climate. With a band of young adventurers in tow, Balog began deploying revolutionary time-lapse cameras across the brutal Arctic to capture a multi-year record of the world’s changing glaciers. As the climate-change debate polarised America and the intensity of natural disasters ramped up globally, Balog found himself at the end of his tether. Battling untested technology in sub-zero conditions, he came face-to-face with his own mortality. Balog’s hauntingly beautiful videos compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate. 6:30pm - 8:00pm Call 03 8664 7099 to book. Take along your own snacks and non-alcoholic drinks if you'd like.


Wednesday 19th - Southgate Silent Cinema - sit back in your deckchair, put in your headphones and watch some great films. Today it's Volver. Start time 7pm. Location by riverside opposite Flinders Street railway station.


Saturday 22 – The Good Shepherd Festival Day. Celebrating their 150th anniversary this festival is at the Abbotsford Convent 8am till 5pm. With lots of kids activities and guided tours of the Convent this should be a good day out. They are trying to find volunteers too if you are interested in the work they do. They are even laying on free buses from Collingwood station to the convent every 15 minutes. See http://www.goodshepvic.org.au/page/123/good-shepherd-festival-day


Sunday 23rd - Free Family Fun Day from 1pm at Wombat Bend Park, Finn's Reserve, Duncan St, Lower Templestowe organised by Single Parents Active Kids which is a non-profit organisation run by single parents for single parents and their kids. There will be a free sausage sizzle, face painting, ball games, children's entertainment, loads of fun, and it's a great way to meet other single parent families. RSVP a must as this is a catered event. Contact them on info@singleparentsactivekids.org, or phone Moush on 0430 504 119. They look forward to meeting you! See http://singleparentsactivekids.org/main/free-family-fun-day-in-melbournes-east/ for more details.


Monday 24th - Learn Knitting at The Square at Federation Square 12-2pm


Tuesday 25th - Southgate Silent Cinema - sit back in your deckchair, put in your headphones and watch some great films. Today it's Memento. Start time 7pm. Location by riverside opposite Flinders Street railway station.


Wednesday 26th - See a free film of Mozart’s opera Cosi fan tutte, reinvented as a hippie musical in this 2002 production and featuring soloists and chorus of the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin. Seating is limited so arrive early! Arts Reading Room, Level 2, State Library of Victoria, Main entrance Swanston Street 12noon-3pm


Wednesday 26th - Southgate Silent Cinema - sit back in your deckchair, put in your headphones and watch some great films. Today it's Eternal Sunshine for the Spotless Mind. Start time 7pm. Location by riverside opposite Flinders Street railway station.


Sunday 30th – The Classic Car monthly showcase, this month featuring the Victorian Mini Club 11am – 2.30pm on Flinders Street section of Federation Square by ACMI