Warmer weekend ahead. Make a plan ☀️

The Weekend Wrap

Curated weekend fun + latest posts, straight to your inbox

Hi Reader

Have you seen the forecast? After a cool, cloudy week, it’s looking like things are warming up again for the weekend.

That’s a weekend made for being outside, and my brain has gone straight to donuts. The Melbourne Donut Festival is taking over Queen Vic Market on Saturday and Sunday (free, undercover, with gluten-free and vegan options too), which means I need your help settling something.

Whatever your pick, scroll on for this weekend’s best bets, from a free circus show to a colour run and a day at the Geelong show. Vote and you’ll see which donut is winning.

Joyce xx

Event Picks

🌟 Featured Event

​Satu Vänskä Trio: Live at Yours (Thursday 22 Oct) Hear a nearly 300-year-old Stradivari up close at this intimate concert for teens and music-loving grown-ups.📍South Yarra

🗓️ Melbourne CBD ➝ More CBD picks

​Imaginations Aglow (Saturday 17 – Sunday 18 Oct) Kids aged 5-9 can grow living networks and meet dream characters in this playful art-making world. 📍CBD

​Melbourne Donut Festival (Saturday 17 – Sunday 18 Oct) More than 15 donut makers fill Queen Vic Market, free and undercover with gluten-free options. 📍CBD

🗓️ Melbourne NORTH ➝ More north-side picks ​

​Candlelight: The World of Joe Hisaishi (Friday 16 Oct) Studio Ghibli fans will love this candlelit concert of Joe Hisaishi’s music at Collingwood Town Hall. 📍Abbotsford

​Italian Festa & Expo (Saturday 17 – Sunday 18 Oct) Live music, food and an indoor Kids’ Area with rides, an animal farm and face painting. 📍Carlton

🗓️ Melbourne SOUTH ➝ More south-side picks ​

​Circus Fire Spectacular (Thursday 15 – Sunday 18 Oct) A free after-dark show of acrobatics, fire and comedy, perfect for school-age kids. 📍Prahran

​Orizome Paper Dyeing Workshop (Saturday 17 Oct) A free drop-in workshop where all ages fold and dye paper into colourful patterns to take home. 📍Mornington

🗓️ Melbourne EAST ➝ More east-side picks ​

​Whitehorse Spring Festival (Sunday 18 Oct) Free rides, face painting and four stages of performances, from taiko drumming to Bollywood dance. 📍Nunawading

​Melbourne Colour Frenzy (Sunday 18 Oct) An untimed colour fun run at Jells Park with foam, an inflatable crawl and a medal for everyone. 📍Wheelers Hill

🗓️ Melbourne WEST ➝ More west-side picks ​

​Royal Geelong Show (Thursday 15 – Sunday 18 Oct) Four days of rides, competitions, exhibits and food at the East Geelong showgrounds. 📍Geelong East

​Watergardens Community Safety Day (Saturday 17 Oct) A free day to meet police, emergency crews and working animals, plus face painting, crafts and a BBQ. 📍Taylors Lakes

New + Noteworthy

PARTNER CONTENT

​Survive the Adventure with LEGO® Jurassic World!​

Step into the world of LEGO® Jurassic World™ at LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre!
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​Fright Night Fits​

Online and in-store costumes across Melbourne, with last-minute picks that still arrive by 31 Oct.

​Tech Time Machine​

A hands-on wet weather option with a retro internet cafe and a Kids Hub.

​Circle of Life, Live​

The Lion King roars back to the Regent Theatre from 25 March 2027.

​Cherry On Top​

All-you-can-eat cherries on a working orchard, about an hour from the CBD.
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​Glow Getters​

Hand-painted neon rooms and 3D glasses make this mini golf course something different.
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​Eat Alfresco​

Kids can wander the gardens between mouthfuls at this mansion-side cafe in the west.

Hot Off the Feed

Eggs before breakfast

🐴 Wake up to grazing horses at Wilindi Estate, a self-contained cottage on a working animal rescue property less than an hour from Melbourne.

Kids join a guided hour with owner Miriam to groom a horse, say hello to the pigs and goats, and collect eggs to keep.

Everything happens on the animals’ terms, and there’s a pool, playground and games room too.

About Joyce Watts

Joyce Watts is a former intellectual property, IT and media lawyer turned serial entrepreneur.

As well as being the founder of TOT: HOT OR NOT she helps businesses with their SEO, email marketing & social media as BrightSmart.com.au; she owns an online bike store CycleStyle.com.au and develops and produces creative experiences for families via WheelieGoodFun.com. She used to publish another popular lifestyle and food blog called MEL: HOT OR NOT The decisive guide to Melbourne.

She lives in inner-city Melbourne with her husband, two children and seven bikes.

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