The Victorian Government and the City of Melbourne have announced a $5 million investment in events, helping to draw people into the city while supporting jobs and businesses.
The Rising Festival, Winter Night Market, the World’s Longest Brunch, and Jurassic World, Brickman Exhibition are just some of the events to receive support from the joint $100 million Melbourne City Recovery Fund.
More than 100 events will receive funding support, helping to attract a combined audience of up to five million people – which will deliver a major boost to small businesses in the hospitality, retail and tourism sectors.
“Supporting events with this joint Fund is another way we are working to bring back the buzz to Melbourne,” Melbourne Lord Mayor, Sally Capp said.Â
“Our city is famous for our world-class events – whether its sport, art, food or fashion – and it’s critical we support this sector to create jobs and deliver a boost to local hospitality and retail businesses,” she said.
“Every visitor we can attract to Melbourne through events and activations provides more opportunities for local businesses for their cash registers to be ringing with more sales.”
Across the two grant rounds, 108 events have received funding support, with 83 new grants announced worth $4.5 million. A further 25 grants worth almost $500,000 were announced in December 2020.
This weekend more than 1,300 diners will attend the World’s Longest Brunch from the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, a three-course brunch in the Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton Gardens designed by Kate Reid of Lune Croissanterie and Nathan Toleman, Melbourne’s cafe king.
The applications were assessed by the City of Melbourne with advice from Creative Victoria and Visit Victoria.
Some of the events to receive funding include:
| Event | Date* |
| Melbourne 5km Run 2021 | 27 March 2021 |
| Run the Tan | 24 April 2021 |
| Melbourne Cocktail Festival | 12 to 18 April 2021 |
| Jurassic World, Brickman Exhibition | 1 April to 18 July 2021 |
| Cat Lovers Show | 1 to 2 May 2021 |
| Rising Festival | 26 May to Sunday 6 June 2021 |
| Oz Comic Con Melbourne | 3 to 4 July 2021 |
| Winter Night Market – Queen Victoria Market | 3 June to 25 August 2021 |
| Melbourne Good Food Month 2021 | 1 to 30 June 2021 |
| Lonsdale Street Day Party | 20 to 21 November 2021 |
| Spring into Kensington | 6 November 2021 |
- Please note that these dates are subject to change.
“Delivering events creates jobs at this critical time for our economy,” said City Activation Lead Councillor Roshena Campbell.
“Every event creates work for tradies, technicians, creatives, hospitality staff and many others so we will continue to invest in the sector,” she said.
“Having an exciting program of events also allows more Melburnians to rediscover the magic of our city.
“There’s never been a more important time to invest in events to reactivate our city and get our streets pumping with life again.”
