What’s on across Melbourne's eastern suburbs in August
Plants, pirates, puppets and pantomime will be among the highlights this month.
Matthew Sims
July 21, 2026
Melbourne’s eastern suburbs will host a range of comedy and culture celebrations.
Did we miss anything? Let us know by reaching out via [email protected]
Victorian State Ballet - Giselle
Victorian State Ballet is performing the 19th century Romantic ballet of Giselle with a mix of classical and contemporary choreography.
The piece tells the story of a peasant girl and a secret nobleman who fall in love.
When: Friday August 21 and Saturday August 22, 7.30-9.30pm; Saturday August, 2-4pm and 7.30-9.30pm and Sunday August, 2-4pm
Where: Karralyka Centre, 22A Mines Road, Ringwood East
Cost: $65
Museum After Dark: Creatures of the Night
As part of the Burrinja Climate Change Biennale, this adult-only event will include dance beats from Triple R Noongar sister duo Bumpy and Emmy, puppetry workshops from Trash Puppets, exhibitions and the Gondwana virtual reality experience showcasing what the next 100 years may look like for the Daintree Rainforest.
When: Friday August 28, 6-9pm
Where: Yarra Ranges Regional Museum, 35-37 Castella Street, Lilydale
Cost: $30
Emma Krause - Spanx and the City
Comedian Emma Krause is bringing her tales from being a teacher and a mother to the stage.
When: Saturday August 29, 8-9pm
Where: York on Lilydale, 138 York Road, Mount Evelyn
Cost: $45
Dane Simpson: Always Was, Always Will Be … Funny
Hailing from Wagga Wagga, Simpson has appeared on the silver screen in the Australian films The Merger and Residence.
The show will pay tribute to his family’s Gamilaraay heritage and feature tales of his parents and grandparents’ love of laughter.
When: Friday August 21, 8-9.10pm (Nunawading) and Saturday August 22, 7-8.10pm (Upwey)
Where: The Round, 379-399 Whitehorse Road, Nunawading and Burrinja Cultural Centre, 351 Glenfern Road, Upwey
Cost: $32 (Nunawading) and $40 (Upwey)
More Info Here: Nunawading and Upwey
Treasure Island
A contemporary take on the novel from Robert Louis Stevenson by playwright Ken Ludwig, the tale follows Jim Hawkins as he embarks on a dangerous quest and comes up against the legendary one-legged pirate Long John Silver.
When: Thursday August 6 to Saturday August 29, every day excluding Mondays and Tuesdays, 2pm Sundays and 8pm other days
Where: The 1812 Theatre, The Lowe Auditorium, 3 Rose Street, Upper Ferntree Gully
Cost: $29
Waverley Garden and Floral Art Festival
This annual event will feature floral art, garden and bonsai displays, plants and produce for sale, free gardening advice and guest speakers.
When: Saturday August 29, 1-5pm
Where: Mount Waverley Community Centre, 47 Miller Crescent, Mount Waverley
Cost: $5 adults, children free
Immerse
Knox Council's month-long arts festival Immerse features interactive exhibitions, performances, projections, bus tours and workshops.
Independent artist, producer and director Gareth Hart hosts bus tours across July.
Or you can pick and choose which locations to visit, with hubs including Westfield Knox, the Stamford Park Homestead Garden and Ferntree Gully Village.
When: Friday June 26 to Sunday July 26
Where: Multiple locations
Cost: $5 bus tours, entry to all events free
Bombay Food Festival
The Bombay Food Festival celebrates Indian culture, with attractions including food stalls, market stalls and music.
Where: Novotel Melbourne Glen Waverley, 285 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley
When: Saturday July 4, 5-10pm
Cost: $55 adults, $30 children 10-16
Melbourne Comic and Toy Fair
Collectors will be selling a range of pop culture memorabilia, including Pokémon cards, old video games, LEGO sets and action figures.
Or check out the art and editions from comic book artists and writers.
When: Saturday July 18 and Sunday July 19, 9am-5pm
Where: Event Central at Caribbean Park, 1280 Ferntree Gully Road, Scoresby
Cost: $18.69 for general admission, kids 15 and under free
Yarran Dheran Nature Reserve – Monthly Bird Survey
The Yarran Dheran Nature Reserve in Mitcham has served as a permanent home or a visiting spot for seasonal migrants across at least 60 bird species, including Australian nightjar and the olive-backed oriole.
Local volunteer Frank Gallagher will be leading a monthly bird survey, an event stretching back to 2006.
Attendees are encouraged to bring binoculars and wear comfortable walking shoes.
To register, contact [email protected].
When: Tuesday July 21, 9-11.30am
Where: Yarran Dheran Information Centre, 1A Ashburton Drive, Mitcham
Cost: Free
The Big LAN
“Local Area Network (LAN) parties” – where people bring their own computers or gaming consoles to a single physical location to play together – became a common way for people to play video games together in the early 1990s.
A group of Melbourne friends launched its own LAN event in 2019 – The Big LAN – with professional esport-style tournaments with beginner-level games.
When: Saturday July 25, 11am-10pm
Where: Mitcham Baptist Church, 8-12 Simla Street, Mitcham
Cost: PC rental from $30, $5 for spectators