Hi Reader

Some of you might remember the small walking tour of Footscray Market I ran last year.

It sold out within days.

We worked our way through banh mi still warm from the oven, raspberry pistachio croissants, and Venezuelan tequeños I’d never tried before.

But it was the stories behind the food – resilience, community, generations of family businesses – that stuck with me most.

I’m not running my own tour this year, but Open House Melbourne’s Weekend Program is live, and it includes a Footscray Market tour of its own.

Hundreds of buildings and spaces are opening their doors across Melbourne this Friday 24 to Sunday 26 July, and it’s completely free.

I’ve popped this year’s Footscray Market tour into this week’s event picks below – but spots go extremely fast, so book quickly if you want in!

Joyce xx

P.S. Tot Teens launches next Friday, 31 July – a new monthly edition for parents of older kids, tweens and teens. It won’t land in your inbox automatically. If you’d like it, opt in here and we’ll add you to the list.

🌟 Featured Events

​Candlelight: The Best of Joe Hisaishi (Friday 24 Jul) A string quartet performs Joe Hisaishi’s best-loved film scores by candlelight at Collingwood Town Hall. Best for ages 8 and up. 📍Abbotsford

​Monster Jam® Stadium World Tour (Saturday 3 Oct) Ten of the world’s most popular monster trucks tear up the stadium dirt with jumps, flips and stunts. Non-stop excitement for the whole family. 📍CBD

🗓️ Melbourne CBD ➝ More CBD picks

​Christmas Winter Bazaar (Saturday 25 Jul) Danish hygge meets Melbourne winter with festive stalls, hotdogs and gløgg at Denmark House. 📍CBD

​OPEN Play (Saturday 25 – Sunday 26 Jul) Kids take on fun design challenges as part of Open House Melbourne, exploring how good design shapes our city. FREE, no booking needed, ages 3–10. 📍CBD

🗓️ Melbourne NORTH ➝ More north-side picks ​

​National Tree Day Community Planting (Sunday 26 Jul) Help plant 10,000 seedlings for National Tree Day, with a free BBQ, hot drinks and kids’ activities thrown in. FREE entry, all ages. 📍Strathmore Heights

​A Day with G S HEER (Sunday 26 Jul) Hundreds of performers celebrate Punjabi culture with colourful costumes and energetic Bhangra dancing. A joyful day out for the whole community. 📍South Morang

🗓️ Melbourne SOUTH ➝ More south-side picks ​

​Santa’s Craft Corner (Saturday 25 Jul) Kids get crafty making Christmas in July keepsakes and writing letters to Santa, while grown-ups relax with food and drinks from the taproom. 📍South Melbourne

​The World of Studio Ghibli: The Boy & The Heron (Sunday 26 Jul) A special matinee screening of an Oscar-winning animated favourite, dubbed in English and perfect for school-aged Ghibli fans. 📍Elsternwick

🗓️ Melbourne EAST ➝ More east-side picks ​

​The Vintage Train (Saturday 25 Jul) Travel back to the 1950s on a heritage steam train between Cranbourne and Dandenong, complete with wooden carriages and opening windows. 📍Cranbourne

​Tree Planting Day at Birdsland (Sunday 26 Jul) Get hands-on planting trees, shrubs and groundcovers for National Tree Day. Sturdy shoes recommended. FREE.📍Belgrave Heights

🗓️ Melbourne WEST ➝ More west-side picks ​

​NICA: The Joys of Circus (Friday 24 – Saturday 25 Jul) Tour NICA’s purpose-built campus, then try a guided workshop — tumbling, trampoline or a Family Acrobatics class for kids and grown-ups together. 📍Geelong

​Footscray Market Walking Tour (Saturday 25 Jul) A guided 45-minute wander through Footscray Market’s history, traders and multicultural food scene. Relaxed pace, suitable for all ages. Bookings essential. 📍Footscray