Winter in Melbourne can be a really fun time. We may not be blessed with an abundance of snow, but we certainly understand the meaning of chilly! Either way, we’ve got a good excuse to embrace all things wintery, and with snow, sometimes it’s simply a case of fake it ‘til you make it!
The reality is that Melburnians will happily celebrate anything at any time, all year round, but one of the best ways to celebrate is to throw a theme on things! We do this according to tradition, or season, and sometimes just for the hell of it. Melbourne is full of fun things to do in winter, and to maximise the fun quota, we’ve put a costume twist on them all:
Go to an après-ski winter snow party
Join Mont Plonk at Melbourne Public Terrace, for the complete Alpine-themed takeover, promising an authentic après-ski experience slap-bang in the middle of Melbourne, despite being over 200km away from any hint of snow-kissed mountain caps. You can play around with ski accessories, roast yourself by the fire and enjoy alcoholic hot chocolate and spiced rum injected mulled wine.
For this event we recommend you don a retro ski suit or a sci-fi style padme snowsuit; alternatively you could embody your inner snowman, or dig out your worst ever Christmas jumper.
Attend a themed Christmas event
Bring out your dark side with Kraken Kristmas/Gothic Xmas party. Go along as Gomez or Morticia Adams, a Victorian goth, or a twilight vampire mistress.
Attend a European Christmas market
Who doesn’t love a European Christmas market? Every Friday in July, from the 5th onwards, you can dress up in your favourite Lederhosen for a hand-slapping good time at the Christmas markets of Madame Brussels Lane. Eat at a variety of stalls, dining on crepes, Bavarian bangers, paella, and many other European delights. There will be different live entertainment each week, with DJs and dancing galore.
It’s time to don the Lederhosen if you want to look the part! Bavarian men can rock the shorts and braces, while the ladies look lovely in their Dirndl costumes. We love the traditional Lederhosen look too!
Boogie the night away at a Boogie Night Dance party
Disco kings and queens unite for Boogie Nights Dance, every Tuesday in July! There is much fun to be had with classes and workshops that take you back to the halcyon days of disco, funk and soul. Boogie Nights Dance has created a space for you to let rip disco style, in sparkly lurex and other cool 70s get up. Learn short dance phrases and mini routines for all levels of ability.
This is a perfect opportunity for the ladies to get down in their disco girl attire or an eye-popping jumpsuit, and for the men to party like it’s 1970 in their disco pimp clobber or cool dude suits. Dig it?
Bastille Day
Celebrate all things French at the Meat Market Melbourne on 14th and 15th July; the Bastille Day French Festival is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in French culture by putting on a lovely beret, sipping fine wines and trying out your best savoir faire. Win a trip to Paris in the grand French raffle, see French films and art exhibitions, watch performances, listen to talks and join master classes! Under the arches you’ll be able to swing your pants at the Bastille Day Ball, with a mixture of French bands and DJs playing Electro Swing and Vintage tunes. Oo la la
Great outfits for a French frenzy would be an 18th century courtier, or King Louis costume, a sexy Can-Can dancer or perhaps the Eiffel Tower herself!
Be whoever you want to be at Baby Drag
Now here’s an irresistible opportunity! Down at Sircuit, Melbourne’s favourite LGBTQIA venue, the baby drag queens are coming out in the most glamorous of styles for the Baby Drag show. Ever wondered what you’d look like as a drag queen? Now’s your chance… and the stage is yours, if you want it! Mix with bio queens, drag queens, trash queens and drag kings in a myriad of shiny performances. Famous drag queen Missy La ’Minx is running the show, and it promises to be unforgettable. It’s free entry and you can grab yourself a $5 pint between 7 and 10pm.
Pull off your best Broadway Babe look, unleash your inner Burlesque dancer, or bedazzle the audience in glitzy ballroom dancing gear.
Vikings beyond Melbourne Museum
Find out all about the world of the Vikings down at the Melbourne Museum. 
Archaeological discoveries are proving that Vikings weren’t the pillaging and plundering pagans we thought them to be! Explore the culture, rituals and belief systems of these helmeted heroes, hear lectures, and view a huge collection of artifacts dating back to 700 AD to 1100 AD. This includes rare treasures, swords and skeletal remains of a Viking longship… and so much more. Nordic warriors will look the part here, as will their Viking girls and warrior women.
Winter Wonderland at ACMI
Who hasn’t wondered about Wonderland at some point in their life? Alice’s story made quite the impression on most of us, and now there is an opportunity to explore her world at ACMI Melbourne in Fed Square from 5th to 8th October. The world premiere exhibition invites you to look through the looking glass and fall down the rabbit hole into Wonderland, in a celebration of Lewis Carroll’s timeless tale. At Wonderland you can find out about Alice’s impact on revolutionary filmmaking, get insights into behind the scenes material, special effects and animations, and more.
Celebrate all things Alice in Wonderland with your best blue pinafore and headband, or become the Evil Queen of Hearts for a day; Mad Hatters, Cheshire Cats and White Rabbits may also want to play.
So there you have it. Winter in Melbourne is a wonderful wonderland of opportunity… there’s never a need for a dull moment, however grey the winter sky m
Meet Dale Pruser, our fabulous blogger who lives and breathes costumes! With boundless enthusiasm and a knack for turning heads, she’s the perfect guide to unleash your inner alter ego. Dale’s 30+ years experience in the costume and cosplay industry, make her the go-to source for finding the perfect costume. Her passion and knowledge shine through her blog posts, where she shares helpful tips on finding the perfect costume, DIY hacks to make your outfit stand out, and even delves into the fascinating history behind some of the most iconic characters. Her writing is as vibrant and colorful as the costumes she adores. With a twinkle in her eye and a wardrobe bursting with creativity, Dale dives headfirst into the realm of costumes. She lives for those magical moments when you put on a costume and become someone entirely different—whether it’s a mighty superhero, a swashbuckling pirate, or a glamorous 1920s flapper.