Free Events in October 2013

Welcome to the October Events Newsletter.

Plenty to do this month, as always!

There's one or two things you need to book again this month but for most you can still just turn up. Obviously outdoor events are subject to weather conditions permitting.

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Till 6th October – Shrine of Remembrance – 10am-4pm every day – Spring School Holiday Program - Spring into the spirit of Anzac and learn about Australian military history with the Shrine’s new Family Trail, full of educational and inspiring activities for families to do together. Suitable for ages 6-12.
Families will have the opportunity to participate in a short commemorative ceremony featuring the Ray of Light. All families who complete the spring school holiday program will receive a goody bag, Anzac biscuits and entry into a prize draw to win a $500 RACV Resorts voucher.


Till 6th October - Melbourne Fringe Festival – Each year artists from a wide scope of art-form and experience join our Independent Arts Program to develop and present their work as part of the Festival. Through our Independent Arts Program we run the Festival Hub, a curated space that offers a cross-section of arts experiences throughout the Festival period including the Fringe Club. Up to a third of our programmed events are free. http://www.melbournefringe.com.au


Tuesdays 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th – Tai Chi in Main Square at Federation Square 7.30am – 8.30am


Tuesday 1st – Queen Victoria Market – 10am to 12noon at bottom of L-Shed. Feed and stroke the farm animals and get your face painted as your favourite farmyard animal!


Tuesday 1st – Electric Puppets at The Atrium in Federation Square – Create your own robot-like puppets which you then bring to life as an animation on the Fed Square Big Screen. For all aged kids. Times 10.30-12.30 and 2pm-4pm


Tuesday 1st till Friday 4th – Kids in the Studio at Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) Lightwell in Fed Square. Interactive storytelling sessions ‘Telling the Tale of the Lost Thing’. Sessions at 11am, 11.30, 12noon, 12.30, 1pm and 1.30pm. For ages 5-10.


Tuesdays 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th – Lunchtime Meditation in The Atrium at Federation Square 12.30-1pm


Tuesday 1st – Friday 4th - Junior Rangers have lots of free activities at parks around Victoria – check www.juniorrangers.com.au/get-involved/whats-on/ Bookings are usually required.


Tuesday 1st and 15th - Bazaar Tales is a live story-telling show that (apparently – I haven’t been there myself yet) brings together some of Australia's (and the world's) best storytelling comedians, musicians, writers, poets, taxi drivers, journalists and eccentrics to tell their very best stories based on a different theme every show. Horse Bazaar, 397 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. 8pm till late so I assume this is not for the kids!


Wednesday 2nd, Friday 4th and Sunday 6th - Artplay Backyard. Come and play in the ArtPlay Backyard. We’ll have all sorts of materials on hand for you to create your artwork. Draw in the sand, build sculptures with recycled and natural materials or muck about with water. Make a mandala, wrap up some rope or ribbon and dream up your own mini landscape. Anything is possible! And don’t forget to bring a hat! 10.30am to 12.30pm


Wednesday 2nd – Saturday 5th – Puppets at Fed Square – An Indonesian mythical story by life sized puppets at Flinders Street Amphitheatre in Fed Square 2pm and 6pm.


Thursday 3rd - Queen Victoria Market – 10am to 12noon at bottom of L-Shed. Feed and stroke the farm animals and get your face painted as your favourite farmyard animal!


Thursdays 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st – Organ Recital at St Michaels Church at 120 Collins Street. 1pm-1.30pm


Fridays 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th – Qigong (a sort of Tai Chi combining integrated movement, mental cultivation and regulated breathing) – Main Square at Federation Square 8am – 9am


Friday 4th – Flicks for Kids at Federation Square – Animated children’s films on the Atrium Screen and Big Screens from 12 noon.


Friday 4th – Sunday 6th – Queen Victoria Market – Edith from Timeless Treasures in String Bean Alley will be teaching kids how to make crafts between 10am and 12noon each day. Bookings essential as places are limited – please contact info@qvm.com.au to make a booking.


Friday 4th - The 1st Friday Dance Club Each month anyone in Melbourne can come into the city and learn a dance with skilled dancing groups. Today it's time for Bollywood with one of Melbourne's hottest dance troupes, Natya Bollywood!

The 1st Friday Dance Club takes place at the same place and the same time every month. The site becomes known as a place for dancing and the first Friday becomes known as the night for dancing.

Led by community and professional dance groups, 1st Friday Dance Club provides opportunities for people to come together to learn, share and experience dance. It is free, lo-fi, and open to all ages. The address is 1A Queens Bridge Street, Southbank which is on the Southbank side of the pedestrian bridge over the River Yarra behind Flinders Street railway station.


Sundays 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th – 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-12noon


Sunday 6th - Everyone Can Dance – Artplay noon to 3.45pm Dancing makes us happy – so let’s dance! Here’s a chance to expand your family’s dancing repertoire and have fun together. Shake, bop and shimmy with Mum, Dad, Grandma and your ArtPlay friends. We’ll have four different styles to try including African (noon to 12.45pm), swing (1pm to 1.45pm), hip hop (2pm to 2.45pm) and Bollywood (3pm to 3.45pm). Come to one session or come to all! Age: 5 to 12 years and their families
. All children must be accompanied by an adult.


Sundays 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th - Gypsy Jazz on the Village Green at CERES. Starts 1pm. Join in, or like most people, just watch! www.ceres.org.au


Sunday 6th till not sure when but it’s most of October! – Victorian Seniors Festival – There’s loads to do for free including free train travel on V/Lines if you’re a Victorian Senior Card holder . The Festival starts at Fed Square on 6th with free music, roving entertainers and loads more. Check out http://www.seniorsonline.vic.gov.au/Home.aspx


Wednesday 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th – State Library of Victoria Ned Kelly Tour - Discover the story of Ned Kelly, Victoria's infamous bushranger. See Ned's armour, pages from the 'Jerilderie Letter', photos and objects. 1pm-2pm.


Wednesday 9th - Seniors Festival Organ Concert at Melbourne Town Hall 1pm-2pm This concert pairs the pipe organ with the magnificent voices of the Australian Chamber Choir. This impressive choir will sing music from the Renaissance through to modern times including works by Monteverdi, Schütz, Purcell, Widor and many more.


Thursdays 10th and 24th - Feel Young - Drawing from ancient Chinese traditions this combines gentle exercise and dance – The Atrium in Federation Square 10.30am – 12.30pm


Thursday 10th and 24th – Belly Dancing – a gentle aerobic dance perfect for strengthening and toning core muscles – for all ages. The Atrium in Federation Square 12.30 – 1.00pm


Friday 11th – Organ &....Midi Control – Melbourne Town Hall 8pm-10pm. Without a finger gracing the keyboards or a foot touching the pedal board the next generation of Melbourne's composers and sound artists will play the organ via computers and other MIDI devices in dis-organ-eyesd 6. The students from RMIT's Sculpture, Sound and Spatial Practice course will present all new works with a special guest spot from Melbourne jazztronica trio Virtual Proximity. Expect to hear dark sonic textures, see interactive projections and be immersed in all-encompassing soundscapes.


Friday 11th till 27th October – Melbourne Festival. This is one of Australia's leading international arts festivals and has an outstanding reputation for presenting unique international and Australian events in the fields of dance, theatre, music, visual arts, multimedia, free and outdoor events over 17 days each October. Check out http://www.melbournefestival.com.au/program/genre/free-outdoor.html


Saturday 12th - 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


12th and 13th – Signal - Posters and Pasters with Spacecraft. Work with Spacecraft’s Stewart Russell to design and print your own fine art posters. Invent your own colours, experiment with half tones and explore screen printing techniques including photo exposure and multi-colour placement prints.

Using illustrations, designs and photographs you will create your own series of individually hand-printed posters to be pasted up around the city and exhibited at Signal.

This is a free workshop for young people aged 13–20. 11am-4pm each day. This workshop takes place over two full days. Attendance on both days is preferable. Signal is located behind Flinders Station on Northbank, at the northern end of Sandridge Bridge and at the top of Banana Alley. 11am=4pm each day


Sunday 13th – Learn French at St Michael's Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street,Melbourne. Bookings available via 03 9654 5120. 12noon-1pm.


Sunday 13th – Malaysia Street Festival at Queen Street in Queen Victoria Market. Get some Malaysian culture at this festival which will have performances of traditional folk songs, demonstrations and try your hand at sand art. 9am-4pm


Monday 14th - Learn Crochet at The Square in Federation Square 12-2pm. Bring along a 3.5mm hook and red yarn as they'll be making poppies to commemorate Remembrance Day.


Tuesday 15th – Classics at Fed Square - these free monthly concerts offer something for everyone, from classical and swing to big band, jazz and even contemporary pop. The program includes plenty of old favourites from the Police Band to some of the best creative schools across Victoria. Today it’s Hale Junior School from Perth. It’s held in the Deakin Edge 12noon till 1pm.


Saturday 19th – Poetry – 2 feature poets and the opportunity to read out your own at The Atrium in Federation Square 2pm – 4pm


Saturday 19 October to Sunday 3 November, 10am to 4pm
 (open Wednesday to Sunday) 
Come in Outside (Interactive Exhibition) at Artplay. Knock Knock! Ding Dong! Anybody home? Have you ever stood in front of a door and wondered what was behind it? Maybe there’s another world, a special friend, or even a surprise. This is your chance to decide what’s behind some wonderful wacky doors in the ArtPlay gallery. You might snuggle up inside one, discover a secret ladder, or look through their coloured windows to see the world in a new way. This is a fabulous interactive play experience for all ages and abilities. Age: 2 to 8 years and their families
. All children must be accompanied by an adult.


Sunday 20th – Spring Fling Street Festival, Errol Street, North Melbourne, 3051. The Spring Fling Street Festival has been part of the communities of North and West Melbourne for over 35 years. In 2012 the festival attracted 15,000 people with 120 stalls and over 100 volunteers assisting to stage the event. This year should be even better! It starts at 11am till 6pm.


Sunday 20th - Single Parents Active Kids have a meet and greet in Cranbourne with a free BBQ, showbags, entertainment for the kids and membership specials. It should make for a fun and friendly afternoon! It’s a catered event so RSVP’s are requested by !8th October. Check out www.singleparentsactivekids.org/main/meet-greet-in-cranbourne-20th-october/


Saturday 20th – Yachting Victoria’s Discover Sailing. A variety of large trailable yachts, which are larger than the usual sailing dinghies and feature enclosed cabins, will be on hand at Melbourne City Marina in Melbourne’s Docklands precinct for the public to try out, organised by Yachting Victoria’s Trailable Yacht Division.

Trailable Yacht Discover Sailing Day is free to attend and all yachts and safety equipment will be provided by the owners, coinciding with the opening of the 2013-14 sailing season. Also on offer will be show bags and giveaways, with the opportunity to learn more about joining the social trailable yacht sailing community. 9.30-4pm


Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th, 1pm to 4pm Big Draw at Artplay. This year at ArtPlay, try drawing in all sorts of ways from self portraits to large-scale outdoor mandalas, from iPads to thumb print characters, and from mark-making on long sticks to plain old freehand drawing. Professional drawing materials will be supplied and the friendly ArtPlay artists and staff will be on hand to guide and inspire. Watch, take part and learn about all sorts of ways to draw. Drop in and stay for as long or as little as you like. Age: 5 to 12 years and their families
. Free, but bookings recommended: 9664 7900. All children must be accompanied by an adult.


Sunday 27th – The Classic Car monthly showcase, this month featuring the Classic and Historical Automobile Club of Australia 11am – 2.30pm on Flinders Street section of Federation Square by ACMI


Sunday 27th – Free Sailing with the Discover Sailing Day run by Yachting Victoria. They are a fantastic way to have a great day out with your partner, friends, work colleagues or family. Clubs look forward to showing you just how fun, safe, accessible, and affordable sailing is. See http://www.free-things-to-do-melbourne.com/discover-sailing-day.html


Monday 28th - Learn Knitting at The Atrium in Federation Square 12-2pm


Monday 28th Let’s read Passport! An Early Years literacy event as part of Melbourne Knowledge Week, take along a picnic to the gorgeous Fitroy Gardens and join staff from Melbourne Library Service and Let’s Read for a morning of play and learning with storytelling, songs, rhymes, bookmaking, hide and seek letters and words, and learning through apps! It’s by Cooks Cottage from 10am-12.30pm.