Melbourne in spring

I'm always the girl who is hanging out for summer, long hot days spent lounging around at the beach, evening BBQs and nighttime swims. I've really enjoyed living to Melbourne these last few months; even though it's winter, there's been so much to see and do, and I've heard it just gets better as the weather gets warmer. 

It must be true too, already there are so many great things coming up I can tell I'm going to love being in Melbourne in spring. Check out some of the many things on offer in the world's most liveable city (6 years in a row!), it looks like spring is going to be a real treat. 

MELBOURNE CUP CARNIVAL

I'm going to be honest here and admit that until now, I had never been to the races! But I figured since moving here, a city where going to the races is a tradition, I'd better don my best and head along, right? The Melbourne Cup Carnival includes 6 events from September to November, including the Sofitel Girls Day Out (Saturday 10th September), AAMI Victoria Derby Day (Saturday 29th October) and Emirates Melbourne Cup Day (Tuesday 1st November). I headed along to the Sofitel Girls Day Out (thanks to Visit Victoria) and it was great fun but it was pretty quiet, I guess because the weather had taken a turn for the worst and it's only the start of the season. Will definitely have to head along to the Emirates Melbourne Cup Day though! 

MELBOURNE FRINGE

This one is a lot less fancy dress, a lot more culture. The Melbourne Fringe is an eclectic mix of dance parties, light shows, poetry slams, furniture exhibitions and much more. There's something for everyone, if you're ready for some raw, unadulterated art. Not sure where to start? Head along to the Nando's PERi-PERi Spotlight Stage at Fed Square for a taster of all the acts in Fringe 2016. 

ROYAL MELBOURNE SHOW

I love a good fair, going to the Royal Easter Show back home was always a treat as a kid and I had a pleasantly nostalgic experience going as an adult. The smell of farm animals, the noise of the carnival rides and the taste of candy floss assault the senses, and you can't help but forgive the long queues and screaming children. I'm not sure if the Royal Melbourne Show is the same but it looks like a great place to take the kids, or round up a group of mates to head along and go on some of the rides then watch the fireworks at night. 

A DAY ON THE GREEN

A Day on the Green promises "good food, good wine and great music" which sounds good to me! It features a number of gigs at vineyards around the country, with artists including The Temper Trap, Garbage and Mi-Sex. Plus you can bring your own picnic (food only) which is a huge bonus, although if you're like me you'll forgo the average sandwiches and carrot sticks you brought with you for a much more appealing, hot option anyway. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, unless the bird in your hand is a cold chicken salad and the bush has 2 wood-fried pizzas. 

JUNIPALOOZA

Junipalooza is a celebration of gin, and that's all I needed to know. 

WHO RUN THE WORLD (GIRLS)

I'm all about seeing women succeed and it's really cool that more women are getting into the DJ scene. My housemate worked at an EDM/dance/D&B/dubstep radio station (George FM, sorry if I butchered the description there!) back in NZ and through her I've met some great female DJs including MayaVanya and Marina Katerina but they still only make up a small percentage of the scene. I'm really excited for WRTW (Girls), to see how the ladies drop the beats. Gosh I can't pull that off! 

OKTOBERFEST

Oktoberfest is a traditional German festival that has been around since 1810, and is pretty much a festival for drinking lots of beer. I have only recently started liking beer, so it has never appealed to me in the past. But this year I'm definitely going to make the most of it. There are numerous places to celebrate Oktoberfest in Melbourne with the biggest being Oktoberfest in the Gardens. You can also celebrate it at the European Bier Cafe, Hophaus (where you can see the Daschund Race, below), Munich Brauhaus or at the Oktoberfest St Kilda Foreshore.

DASCHUND RACE 2016

Okay, this one is pretty stupid but at the same time...HOW FREAKING CUTE, RIGHT?! Nicknamed "Melbourne's favourite sausage fest", this might just be my favourite part of spring. I love love love dogs, and am all for a ridiculous event when the silliest of the species all race each other. Oh, and there's also a costume parade, so I'll be there. 

What are you looking forward this spring in Melbourne?