Much-anticipated Moomba Festival returns with an extra day

Moomba Festival is back again in Melbourne for its 69th year, and to make this annual family-friendly festival all the more entertaining, an extra day has been added.

Now running from Thursday, March 9 until Monday, March 13, the City of Melbourne is hoping its much anticipated festival will once again be the talk of the town, after last year saw a record-breaking crowd of more than 1.4 million people.

Held on the banks of the Yarra River-Birrarung, this year’s Moomba will see the return of many crowd favourite events, as well as the crowning of the Moomba Monarchs.

“This year’s Moomba Festival is bursting at the seams – so much so that we’ve decided to add a whole extra day to the program,” Lord Mayor Sally Capp said.

Across the five-day extravaganza, we’re expecting more than one million Melburnians to flock to the banks of the Yarra to immerse themselves in festival favourites and provide a significant boost to city businesses.

“We can’t wait to crown our new Moomba Monarchs in the coming weeks – stay tuned as we reveal our 2023 Moomba King and Queen.”

The festival will also be returning as an accessible and certified carbon-neutral event, and Alexandra Gardens will be powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity.

The following event will return this year …

• The Moomba Parade will have five new floats and puppets, and more than 1800 people from cultural groups, dance troupes and marching bands.
• The Birdman Rally is back and promises to have the crowds in stitches as they watch competitors jump into the Yarra River-Birrarung in their homemade flying devices.
• The Moomba Masters water sports competition, complete with elite Australian and international athletes.
• Moomba Carnival will once again have rides and games for all.
• Moomba SkatePark Program and Moomba Street Championships.
• More than 25 food truck offerings, with cuisines from all around the globe.
• Nightly fireworks to light up the Melbourne skyline.

More than 60 performers and entertainers, from acrobats to dancers, musicians, actors, and roving performers, are expected to be parading down the banks of the river, providing fabulous entertainment to all passing by.

Kids of all ages are also encouraged to attend and soak up the magic of Moomba through interactive activities and play zones, with crafts, face painting, workshops, and a Bluey Live experience.

While the festival is expected to add a mountain of fun to the city’s riverside, the council is also hopeful that the event will also help out the city’s traders.

“More than just a great place to spend your long weekend, Moomba creates more than 800 jobs and injects the city with so much colour and vibrancy,” the council’s City Activation portfolio lead Cr Roshena Campbell said.

“We encourage visitors to make a big day out of Moomba – check out some of the city’s incredible nearby retail and dining offerings in support of local city traders.”

For more information about Moomba’s extended day and the official opening hours, visit: moomba.melbourne.vic.gov.au