The annual queer-day-out to kick start Midsumma Festival’s 22 days of celebration

Midsumma Carnival highlights the opening weekend of the three-week Festival each year. It will run again from 11am into the evening on Sunday 19 January 2025 in the Alexandra Gardens, beside the Yarra River in Melbourne’s CBD.

Showcasing our local and international artists and performers, with endless things to see, do, and eat your way through, Midsumma Carnival is an iconic full-day outdoor extravaganza dedicated to kicking off our three-week-long festival!

Quick Links:  Stages | Maps | Stalls | Access | Dog Show

Midsumma Carnival is an iconic full-day outdoor extravaganza dedicated to kicking off our three-week-long festival! Located in Alexandra Gardens in Melbourne’s bustling CBD, Midsumma Carnival features a vast array of LGBTQIA+ acts that will grace the four carnival stages: Main, Picnic, Sports and Family. This popular annual day event attracts over 120,000 people and entry is free!

With over 180 stalls including pop-up bars, two large food zones, free giveaways, and multiple queer-friendly community groups and business stalls for you to visit, there’s bound to be something for everyone. There’s even a parade for your dog, with awesome prizes up for grabs!

Midsumma Carnival offers a variety of fun safe spaces that are open and accessible to everyone from dawn to dusk, including sports activities, a youth area and a family-area.

Fancy a picnic? Bring your friends and family to one of our grass pavilions surrounding the stages to enjoy Carnival’s entertainment! Our talented artists will leave you in awe with a variety of singers, drag artists, DJs, performers, and even an opportunity to show off your own talents with our Lip Sync Limelight competition!

As the night approaches, Midsumma Carnival begins to wake up with an extravagant dance party held across both the Main and Picnic stages. You’ll join thousands of people dancing the night away and party to a huge line-up on each stage, including a handful of major headliners.

Scroll down to find out more details, including information about specific accessibility services in the MIDSUMMA CARNIVAL ACCESSIBILITY tab at the bottom of this page.