Get ready for a Melbourne winter festival like no other – the free Firelight Festival is back to celebrate warmth, light and delicious food in Docklands!
From Friday 4 July to Sunday 6 July 2025, Firelight Festival is lighting up the waterfront with spectacular flames, glowing installations, live music and street performers.
The Free Winter Festival Melbourne Loves
Celebrating the amazing beauty of fire, the annual Docklands Firelight Festival is an awesome and fun event that offers families in Melbourne so much to explore and do together.
It’s free to attend and is one of the best winter festivals in Melbourne – particularly as it’s held during the winter school holidays.
If you’re looking for a fun night out with the family, a winter stroll under the stars and an opportunity to eat and drink your way through a village of fire pits and food trucks, Firelight Festival is worth rugging up for.
Keep reading for all the important event info and tips on what to expect.
When is Firelight Festival 2025
Firelight Festival 2025 runs across three nights, from Friday 4 July to Sunday 6 July 2025. Opening hours are:
- Friday 4 July: 5pm – 10:30pm
- Saturday 5 July: 5pm – 10:30pm
- Sunday 6 July: 5pm – 10pm
Where is Firelight Festival
Firelight Festival takes place across multiple locations in Docklands. The whole precinct stretches approximately 1.5km / 20 minutes walk around the harbour. The main areas are:
- New Quay Promenade
- Victoria Promenade
- Harbour Esplanade
- Buluk Park
- Docklands Central Park
Expect flame throwers, fire drums, music stages, installations and new immersive experiences across these sites.
What to Expect at the Firelight Festival 2025
Even if you’ve visited before, Firelight Festival always brings something new – and this year’s Firelight Festival promises to be bigger and brighter than ever.
Here are some of the top experiences to look forward to in 2025.
Light the Night Boat Display
For the first time ever, the festival’s glow will stretch onto the water! The new ‘Light the Night Boat Display’ invites boat owners to decorate their vessels in lights and cruise the Yarra River, creating a floating light show. Festivalgoers can vote for their favourite in the People’s Choice Award.
Amanda Parer’s Monumental Sculptures
World-renowned Tasmanian artist Amanda Parer will headline the 2025 Firelight Festival with her gigantic glowing artworks ‘Man’ and ‘Fantastic Planet’. These luminous inflatables explore themes of nature and humanity, and are not to be missed.
Fire Pits and Fire Sculpture
There’s nothing more satisfying than gathering around a roaring fire pit on a cold night. The fire installations are dotted around the precinct, each one unique.
Expect flame jets, blazing arches and glowing art – perfect for selfies!
Live Music and Entertainment
Multiple stages and roving performers make Firelight Festival a high-energy experience. This year nearly 50 fire artists, dancers, musicians and roving performers will entertain crowds with thrilling acts and heart-warming beats.
Bring your dancing shoes or just soak in the atmosphere with the kids!
Food Trucks and Winter Treats
Almost 40 food trucks will serve up winter favourites like dumplings, smoked meats, paella, s’mores, hot chocolate and churros. Whether you want something sweet or spicy, there’s something for everyone!
Tips for Firelight Festival 2025 with Kids
Firelight Festival is 100% family-friendly and one of the best free things to do in Melbourne with kids during winter.
Having said that, here are our tips if you’re visiting with kids to make it a fun and smooth experience for everyone:
- Go early (right at 5pm) to avoid the biggest crowds.
- Wear warm, layered clothing. The whole event is outdoors and it gets especially cold near the water.
- Bring a stroller if needed, but be prepared for having to navigate it through crowds.
- Check out quieter spaces like Buluk Park and Docklands Central Park for some downtime. Both of these parks have playgrounds too (though there is shallow water play at Buluk Park, so beware!).
- Bring a blanket to sit and enjoy performances.
- While there are winter food and drink offerings scattered throughout the festival, given the large crowds expected we suggest packing some snacks, a thermos of hot chocolate and BYO water bottles.
- For extra winter festival fun, bring your own marshmallows and reusable telescopic marshmallow toasting forks! We highly recommend the giant ones from Grounded Pleasures.
How to Get to Firelight Festival
Firelight Festival is easy to access via public transport and is highly recommended as there is very limited parking.
Getting to Firelight Festival by Tram
The closest tram stops are along Harbour Esplanade and Docklands Drive. Trams 30, 35, 70, 75 and 86 run via La Trobe Street and Harbour Esplanade. Please note due to event road closures during Firelight Festival, trams 35, 70 and 75 will stop at the Flinders West stop rather than running through Harbour Esplanade from 3.30pm from Friday 4 July to Sunday 6 July 2025.
Southern Cross Station is also nearby, with stops for both V-line and Metropolitan train lines. It is a short walk across the Spencer Street/Bourke Street pedestrian footbridge to the festival area.
If you’re driving, allow time to find parking as Docklands can be busy. Paid parking is available at Marvel Stadium and The District Docklands. There is limited paid on-street parking in the Docklands area on Harbour Esplanade, Bourke Street and Docklands Drive.
Please note the following road closures will be in effect during Firelight Festival from Friday 4 July to Sunday 6 July 2025, between 4pm and midnight:
– Harbour Esplanade will be closed between Bourke Street and La Trobe Street (northbound and southbound); and
– Merchant Street will be closed from Bourke Street.
Firelight Festival 2025 – Plan Your Visit
Location: Docklands (New Quay, Victoria Promenade, Harbour Esplanade, Buluk Park, Docklands Central Park)
Dates: Friday 4 July – Sunday 6 July 2025
Times: Fri/Sat 5–10:30pm, Sun 5–10pm
Cost: FREE
Discover more Winter school holiday events in Melbourne
Where to go ice skating in Melbourne
Enjoy Christmas in July at Sovereign Hill’s Winter Wonderlights
