Melbourne’s ultimate all-night party returns with a packed program of sensory delights.
Alana Schetzer sifts through the line-up to help you make the most of White Night
One night last February, Melbourne became the city that didn’t sleep. From dusk to dawn more than 300,000 people packed the city streets feasting on a smorgasbord of arts, music, design and sport.
Thanks to its inaugural success, White Night Melbourne is back – on February 22 – and organisers are throwing in more events, offering revellers more than 100 choices of what to do between 7pm and 7am.
This year there will be two main hubs: in the north around RMIT, the State Library of Victoria and Melbourne City Baths, and in the south, near Flinders Street, Federation Square and the National Gallery of Victoria.
In between will be two music stages – “Northern Lights”, curated by the Cat Empire’s Felix Riebl, and “J+RnB”, the renamed jazz and blues stage that will move from narrow Degraves Street onto the Bourke Street Mall.
Last year the most popular spots were Flinders Street Station, Princes Bridge and Birrarung Marr, but there’s plenty more to see. Try The Weekly Review’s recommended White Night schedule or pick and choose ideas to create your own 12-hour line-up of non-stop action.
More than 500,000 go-getters are expected to enjoy a late-night romp around Melbourne’s cultural playground and Premier Denis Napthine believes the all-night party will “reinforce Melbourne as one of the great arts and culture cities of the world”.
White Night kicks off officially at 7pm but you can start early or keep going well after the official 7am closing time.
» White Night runs from 7pm, February 22 to 7am on February 23. www.whitenightmelbourne.com.au.
SATURDAY
7pm
Moonlight Synchro | Melbourne City Baths
Although plenty of people make fun of synchronised swimming as an Olympic sport, there’s something utterly hypnotising about watching perfectly co-ordinated athletes perform acrobatic routines in the water. Teams from Victorian Synchronised Swimming Inc will perform throughout the night, so if you can’t make the 7pm show, you can catch one later.
8pm
Pom-Pom Project | CAE, 44 Degraves Street
Children can still be involved in the party, so take them along to an early workshop such as this one on pom-pom making. Gather some twine or wool and help create a giant fluffy garland.
9pm
The Secret Garden | 1-23 City Road, Southbank
In the midst of the cultural concrete that is Southbank will be an open-air garden and creative space to help rejuvenate and restore spirits in what will be an epic night. Promising to be a place of “wonder and amusement”, the space will feature puppets, short films and other playfulness.
10pm
Arcadian Reverie | Queen Victoria Gardens
Australian and international artists will transform the gardens into an “experience of nature”, featuring works of film, light, music and sculpture inspired by nature.
11pm
I Could Have Danced All Night | Federation Square
Get your groove on with AusDance performers who will burn through 12 difference dance styles during the night. The professionals will lead the way on stage but it’s up to guests to boogie under a blanket of stars.
SUNDAY
12am
Wonderland | Flinders Street Station
Celebrate making it to midnight by hitting up the Wonderland electric canvas that will transform Flinders Street station into an explosion of colour, light and form. Created by The Electric Canvas, the show-stopping projections were a massive hit in 2013 and are set to impress again.
1am
National Gallery of Victoria | St Kilda Road
If you’re starting to suffer from sensory overload, pop in to the NGV to cool off and take in one of its latest exhibitions. Choose from Melbourne Now or Edward Steichen & Art Deco Fashion – or see both. On the way in, visitors will be greeted by the Tattooed City light projection.
2am
Midden | Birrarung Marr, lower terrace
Best seen at night, this collaborative work pays tribute to Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islanders across Australia. Projections will be splashed across a 150 cubic metre mound of rock, and 3D visuals will add to the spectacular
colours and images.
3am
Lightlounge | Acmi, Federation Square
It could be time for a breather, so relax in ACMI’s Lightlounge, designed to allow White Nighters to chill out and take a break from all the rotating stimulations. Gentle light and sound projections will create a calm environment.
4am
Taxi | Flinders Street Station taxi rank
Taxi \ Flinders Street Station taxi rankDirected by Susie Dee, this award-winning and intimate performance puts an audience of three in the back of a stationary taxi to watch a short film of real-life stories from actual drivers.
5am
Vladmaster Viewmaster Experience | Acmi, Federation Square
In the Wonderland precinct, the old-school ViewMaster from childhoods past comes back to life, one click at a time. With a musical background, narration and sound effects to help bring the 2D images to life, this promises to be the gold-class version of the childhood favourite.
6am
You Are Allowing This To Happen | underneath Princes Bridge
Artist Rowan Williams will create a one-off exhibition of his work under the bridge. Featuring the increasingly popular medium of paste-ups, the street art will transform the otherwise neglected area.
7am
White Night ends for another year, but your exploration of the city need not stop.
If you still have fuel in your tank and decide to keep going instead of heading home to sleep, you might need some sustenance; perhaps stock up on a big breakfast first.
