Your guide to the best events across Melbourne in November

What’s on in Melbourne this month.

November is here and summer is (allegedly) creeping up on us, though you’d hardly know it based on the rain and chill that’s been haunting Melbourne for the last couple of weeks. But despite the seemingly endless stretch of bad weather, that electric feeling is returning to the city. Every warm and sunny day sees more and more Melburnians emerging from their apartments, at restaurants and shows, pubs and parks.

We’re itching for something to do. Luckily, there’s an exciting lineup of free events, pop-ups, markets and workshops happening around the city no matter the weather. With so many chances to get out and about this November, we’ve rounded up our guide to the best events to add to your calendar.

Stay updated on the latest fashion and design events at FJ’s Events section.

Events on in Melbourne

Amyl and The Sniffers free concert at Fed Square

On Friday, November 14, punk band Amyl and The Sniffers are bringing their signature chaos to Fed Square for a free outdoor gig. Fresh off supporting AC/DC on their POWER UP Australian tour, Melbourne’s rowdiest export is heading straight to the heart of the city for High Voltage, a surprise performance announced just two days before doors open. The band will tear through their set on the Fed Square Main Stage, delivering the kind of unfiltered punk rock energy that’s earned them a global following.

For more details, head here.

‘Sixteen Things I Brought Home from New York’ Exhibition

Alongside art director and set designer Stephanie Stamatis and graphic design studio AKLR, Melbourne-based chef and food stylist Chris Yuille invites visitors to attend his latest poster exhibition, Sixteen Things I Brought Home from New York, on November 13. Featuring a curated collection of mementos from a recent trip to New York, the one-night-only exhibition will bring together creatives to experience the city through Chris’ eye while enjoying an evening of wine and music.

For more details, head here.

Melbourne Queer Film Festival

From November 13 to 23, Australia’s oldest and largest queer film festival is returning to Melbourne. The program at Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) is stacked, with major events taking place across the city and over 130 Australian and international films on show. Beyond entertainment, the festival offers an opportunity for the LBGTIQA+ community and its allies to connect over shared lived experiences and escape into a space where they can exhale and simply be. Check out our top five must-see films showing at the festival here.

For more details, head here.

The Queer Summer Sunday Series by Club Confide

Club Confide is back in Melbourne and will host its third edition of the Queer Summer Sunday Series, with the first event kicking off on November 16 at Miscellania on Swanston Street. The team at Club Confide has been hard at work curating a lineup featuring some of the most exciting queer artists from Australia and around the world.

For more details, head here.

St. Agni Melbourne Archive Sale

This is not a drill! For the first time ever, Byron Bay-based label St. Agni is hosting an archive sale in Melbourne. From November 20 to 24, shoppers can head over to Prahran for a browse through St. Agni’s curated collection of one-off samples and past-season styles.

For more details, head here.

Bauhaus Burlesque at The Salon

In this showcase of Australian diversity and excellence in the burlesque scene, Bauhaus Burlesque will blur the lines between audience and artist in an immersive celebration of beauty, body and freedom. On November 21 at The Motley Bauhaus, guests will have the opportunity to become a part of the creative process, stepping into the world of burlesque in a new and unforgettable way.

For more details, head here.

‘Crying at the Lipstick Bar’ Exhibition

Australian-born, Los Angeles-based painter Lani Mitchell will unveil her newest body of work, Crying at the Lipstick Bar, at ATA Gallery on November 21. Her large-scale oil paintings look camp right in the eye, not as artifice but as survival. In this haunting collection, she explores longing, loss, hope and beauty in devastation. In collaboration with Melbourne-based perfume house Perdrisat, a custom fragrance infused with the scent of red lipstick will drift through the space, turning scent into memory and memory into presence. The exhibition will remain on display until December 1.

For more details, head here.

The Big Design Market

The Big Design Market is back, bringing together over 280 of the country’s best independent designers in the Royal Exhibition Building. Shop ethical fashion, unique homewares, exquisite ceramics, innovative lifestyle products, art prints, jewellery, charming stationery, pet wares and more. No year is the same, and this year features exciting new brands in the lineup. Eat, drink, play and shop for the upcoming festive season at the market from November 28 to 30.

For more details, head here.

The Holiday House

From November 28 to 30, browse jewellery, ceramics and homewares in a curated edit of luxe holiday gifts by Katherine Denton Jewellery and Aretae Gifting at The Holiday House. The intimate three-day event will feature new-season pieces from Katherine Denton Jewellery, Artae’s best-selling photo frames and new arrivals from Kaneko, Kohyo, Sabre Paris, Sloane Stationery, Musae Studio and Rachel DiSalvo, among others. Feel at home in the studio space and enjoy coffee and treats from Holly Sugar, available across the weekend.

For more details, head here.

To explore more events on in Melbourne, head here.