Events You Need to Know About This March
This month’s top events, plus a sneak peek at what’s on in April.
VIC
Exhibition Hermès at Work
8-17 March | Melbourne Town Hall 
With nine Hermès artisans on hand, this special exhibition includes demonstrations and an immersive 360-degree film about the craftsmanship at the heart of the iconic brand.
Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix
22-25 March | Albert Park, Melbourne 
The Australian leg of this annual high-stakes event attracts some of the biggest names in F1 racing, including Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel, as well as about 90,000 fans a day.
Melbourne Food and Wine Festival
16-25 March | Various venues, Melbourne and regional Victoria
Showcasing Victoria’s booming food and wine industry, the festival attracts more than 250,000 food-lovers to 200-plus events in Melbourne and beyond. The signature 1700-place World’s Longest Lunch is being held this year on the banks of the Maribyrnong River at Footscray.
Ballet Murphy
16-26 March | Arts Centre Melbourne 
The Australian Ballet celebrates the career of choreographer Graeme Murphy, who this year notches up 50 years with the company, in a series of performances.
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
28 March-22 April | Various venues, Melbourne
A highlight of Melbourne’s cultural calendar, the MICF brings together local and international comedians for almost four hilarious weeks. This year’s program includes Celia Pacquola, Dave Hughes, Jimeoin, Tom Gleeson and Urzila Carlson.
Pocket World – Where Big Things Happen in Small Spaces
15 March to mid-April | National Gallery of Victoria Design Store, Melbourne
Running in conjunction with the launch of Melbourne Design Week, this pop-up showcase highlights the work of eight emerging artists (all based in Hong Kong) as part of the Hong Kong Design Centre’s Business of Design Week (BoDW) initiative: DXHK Melbourne 2018.
Next month: Harlem Globetrotters
14 April | Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne 
End the school holidays with a bang when the ultimate on-court entertainers make their way to Melbourne on the Australian leg of their Amazing Feats of Basketball World Tour.
NSW
Sydney Royal Easter Show
23 March-3 April | Sydney Olympic Park 
Attracting 850,000 visitors every year, the show is synonymous with family fun. Highlights include rides, the food dome, woodchopping and rodeo competitions, yard dog performances, the farmyard nursery and a working dairy.
Art 21st Biennale of Sydney
16 March-11 June | Various venues, Sydney 
Chinese political dissident and artist Ai Weiwei opens the biennale in conversation with the event’s artistic director, Mami Kataoka. Framing the festival program is the theme “superposition: equilibrium and engagement”.
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
21 March-28 April | Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney 
Bertolt Brecht’s cautionary political satire stars Hugo Weaving as Arturo Ui, a small-time gangster seeking to gain control of the vegetable trade in 1930s Chicago.
Opera La Bohème on Sydney Harbour
23 March-22 April | Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquaries Point, Sydney
Step into the emotional world of Puccini’s classic opera as autumn in Sydney is transformed into a Parisian winter on the boards of Handa Opera’s harbour stage under a blanket of stars.
Antony and Cleopatra
3 March-7 April | Sydney Opera House 
Catherine McClements and Johnny Carr play the passionate couple in this new version of the Bard’s historic tragedy by Bell Shakespeare’s artistic director, Peter Evans.
Next month: Sydney International Comedy Festival
23 April-20 May | Various venues, Sydney 
Leading the coterie of comedians cracking up Sydney audiences are Stephen K. Amos, Cal Wilson, the re-formed Doug Anthony Allstars and Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update co-anchor Michael Che.
ACT
Cartier: The Exhibition
30 March-22 July | National Gallery of Australia, Canberra 
See more than 300 extraordinary pieces by Cartier, including the Queen’s halo tiara, famously worn by Kate Middleton on her wedding day, and Elizabeth Taylor’s diamond and ruby necklace that doubles as a tiara.
Next month: Anzac Day
25 April | Australian War Memorial, Canberra 
Beginning with the Dawn Service, Anzac Day commemorations at the Australian War Memorial see thousands of people flock to the site to remember those who have served our country.
SA
Adelaide Writers’ Week
3-8 March | Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden, Adelaide
This week-long series of readings and conversations revolves around the concept of change and includes appearances by international and Australian authors, including Richard Fidler, Mem Fox and Jackie French.
Adelaide Festival
2-18 March | Various venues, Adelaide 
This year’s line-up features the spectacular opener The Lost and Found Orchestra, as well as Glyndebourne Festival Opera’s award-winning production of Hamlet and performances by Grace Jones and Grizzly Bear.
Next Month: Seal
10 April | Adelaide Convention Centre 
The English soul singer brings his Standards Tour to Adelaide, performing orchestra-backed jazz and swing classics and his own hits Kiss from a Rose, Crazy and others.
WA
The 2018 Leeuwin Concert: Jackson Browne
24 March | Leeuwin Estate Winery, Margaret River 
Grab this rare chance to catch the legendary singer-songwriter performing tracks from his prodigious songbook, including Running on Empty and the Eagles classic Take It Easy, which he co-wrote with Glenn Frey.
Bruno Mars
28-29 March | Perth Arena
The multi-platinum-selling Grammy Award winner stops in Perth on the Australian leg of his 24K Magic World Tour.
Next month: The Cunning Little Vixen
21-28 April | His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth 
Leoš Janáček’s enchanting, rarely seen opera is brought to life under the direction of Stuart Maunder in four special performances.
QLD
Picasso: The Vollard Suite
Until 15 April | QAGOMA, Brisbane 
This set of 100 etchings, engravings and aquatints explores the subjects Pygmalion and the Minotaur.
Lana Del Rey
29 March | Riverstage, Brisbane
The American singer is touring here for the first time since 2012. See her perform hits, as well as her latest songs from the album Lust for Life.
Next Month: Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games
4-15 April | Various venues, Gold Coast 
Athletes from 70 Commonwealth nations and territories will converge on the Gold Coast for 11 days of fierce competition.
Next Month: American Idiot
13-21 April | Playhouse, QPAC, Brisbane 
Aussie rockers Phil Jamieson, Adalita and Sarah McLeod share the role of rebellious St Jimmy in this awarded musical featuring the music of punk rock band Green Day.
NT
Our Land People Stories
9-10 March | Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs
Bangarra Dance Theatre’s triple bill features Nyapanyapa, a work inspired by Yirrkala artist Nyapanyapa Yunupingu’s paintings; Miyagan, which explores Wiradjuri kinship; and Macq, about the double life of Governor Macquarie.
Field of Light
Until 31 December 2020 | Ayers Rock Resort 
Extended until the end of 2020, Bruce Munro’s acclaimed solar-powered installation at Uluru features more than 50,000 light stems illuminating Australia’s spiritual centre.
TAS
Exhibition The Remarkable Tasmanian Devil
Until 6 May | Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery 
This misunderstood carnivorous marsupial has a surprising screech and one of the world’s strongest bites for its body size so make sure your interactions are strictly academic at this educational exhibition.
Jimmy Barnes Working Class Man
24 March | Wrest Point Entertainment Centre, Hobart
Join Aussie rock legend Barnesy for a night of stories and songs as he talks about going on the road with Cold Chisel in 1974.
Image: Nic Walker
Taste of the Huon
11-12 March | Ranelagh, Huon Valley 
About 90 stalls showcase the food, wine and arts of the Huon Valley, the D’Entrecasteaux Channel and Bruny Island, with more than 20,000 people expected to attend.
Next month: Lano & Woodley
28-30 April | Theatre Royal, Hobart
Twelve years after bidding Australian audiences farewell, famed comedy duo Colin Lane and Frank Woodley are back with a new show called Fly. 
Top image: Melbourne Food and Wine Festival/Daniel Mahon
SEE ALSO: The Best Road Trips Around Australia
Top image: Melbourne Food & Wine Festival. Image credit: Daniel Mahon
