Enjoy May in Melbourne’s west

The annual Setting Sun International Film Festival will be on until May 20. (Supplied)

The month of May in Melbourne’s west promises a line up of events and activities to check out, and Western Melbourne Tourism has curated a list of highlights.

Sleepless Festival is returning to Footscray for a third edition. This festival of public art, music and unexpected activities brings dormant laneways and forgotten indoor spaces to life, transforming them into inviting nightscapes. The heart of Footscray plays host to a series of adventurous events celebrating the world-class diversity and creativity coming out of the west. Running until May 19, the festival includes music, film screenings, art installations, theatre and more.

Head over to the Bowery Theatre in St Albans for the ‘Resonate’ music series, which brings contemporary Australian music to the west. PBS Radio DJ MzRizk programs a diverse line-up inviting audiences to discover new artists across genres. On at the Bowery Theatre on May 17, and May 31.

Check out Live & Local: Family Jams on May 19, from 1-5pm at the Spotswood Kingsville RSL. Featuring Nikodimos and Adrian Eagle, Charlie Needs Braces, DJ Sikander and more. Enjoy an all-ages gig with an amazing line-up in Altona on June 9.

For those after an arts and culture experience, the west’s very own international film festival will be back in May from May 9-20, presenting quality, award winning films from independent film makers around Australia and the world. Now in its eleventh year, the annual Setting Sun International Film Festival screens shorts and features at The Sun Theatre Yarraville, Kindred Studios, the Greek Centre as well as online.

Steve McCurry’s ICONS exhibition is on display at the SeaWorks Maritime Precinct in Hobsons Bay until May 25. With more than 100 large-format photographs, ICONS is one of the most comprehensive retrospectives of Steve McCurry’s career.

The Australian Heritage Festival continues until May 18, with “Nine and a half things you didn’t know about Harry Houdini” on May 11, at Melton Library, and much more in Melton, Hobsons Bay and across the west.

Mark your calendars for the Williamstown Literary Festival, a beloved annual event celebrating storytelling with author talks, panel discussions, and writing workshops from June 14-16.