Did you know that Queen Victoria Market is home to a truffle festival every year? Truffle Melbourne will once again take over Queen Vic along with a heap of other mouth-watering, culture-inducing events throughout winter to help us stay warm and inspired.
Here’s everything you need to know about what’s upcoming at Queen Victoria Market in 2021.
Mini Market Series
Queen Victoria Market’s popular Mini Market Series is back, where Market-goers can explore a curated collection of stallholders at a range of mini markets, featuring different themes showcasing Melbourne’s greatest offerings.
The next Mini Market is Saturday 26 June from 9am – 4pm at J-M Sheds (Peel Street end), with the Garden and Outdoor Market. Shoppers can seek out a range of indoor and outdoor plants, garden and landscaping supplies, ornaments, succulents and much more. Participating traders include:
- A Prickly Affair: selling cacti succulents, bonsai and terrariums
- Quality Plants: a range of indoor and outdoor plants
- Ashburton Worm Supplies: selling worm farms and related products
- Palfurn: recycled timber furniture
- Epiphyte Creations: Artisan plant stands and hanging planters
Other upcoming Mini Markets to add to your calendar:
- Pet Lovers Market: Saturday 3 July
- Garden & Outdoor Market: Saturday 31 July
- Vintage Market: Saturday 21 August
- Garden & Outdoor Market: Saturday 28 August
- Arts Market: Saturday 11 September
- Toys & Collectibles: Saturday 18 September
- Garden & Outdoor Market: Saturday 25 September
Taste of Portugal Festival
Date: Sunday 27 June
Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm
Location: Queen Street, Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne
The Taste of Portugal Festival is returning to Queen Vic Market with a new date, Sunday 27 June. The festival unites all the Portuguese speaking communities, including Portugal, Brazil and East Timor, to celebrate historical ties.
What’s on offer:
- Portuguese and Brazilian street food and drinks
- Art and photographic exhibitions
- Children’s activities including face painting, drawing competitions, art and craft,
- Handcraft demonstrations
- Latin and samba dance classes
- Diverse entertainment program of music and dance from Portugal, Brazil and East Timor.
Taste of Portugal 2021 Main Events:
- Ricardo Madeira who will dazzle with contemporary Portuguese music
- Colourful and lively Portuguese dancers will perform traditional folkloric dance.
- Well-known Brazilian singer and dancer Danny Maia and Mel Samba band will also bring interactive Latin beat and samba lessons
- Spectacular interactive bachata dancing
- Portuguese chorizo making workshop
- Demonstration of how to bake Portuguese custard tarts.
Truffle Melbourne Festival and Pop Up
Date: Saturday 10 July
Time: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Location: K-L Sheds, Peel Street end, Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne
The black winter truffle season is officially here, and customers can celebrate all things truffle at Queen Vic Market, with the Truffle Melbourne pop-up stall that has just launched, and the much-anticipated Truffle Melbourne Festival, which has been rescheduled to make its return to Queen Vic Market on Saturday 10 July, and Sunday 11 July.
Whether you’re a truffle tragic, or simply curious, there’s something for everyone at the Truffle Melbourne Festival. Taste the best (and most affordable) truffle dishes including venison black truffle pies, truffle parmesan wheel pasta, black truffle fries, burgers, paellas, crepes and more. Or pick up some fresh truffle from one of the five growers from across the country.
Across the weekend there will also be live truffle demonstrations featuring some of Melbourne’s best chefs sharing their truffle secrets. Expect to find Guy Grossi (Grossi Florentino); Rob Kabboord (Chancery Lane Bistro); Elbert Chang (Pinchy’s) and Angus Cadden (Park Street Pasta & Wine).
Australia’s favourite truffle dogs will also be back, showing off their truffle hunting skills across both days, and the Truffle Melbourne Bar will offer exotic truffle cocktails, beers and ciders to enjoy while listening to some great DJ tunes.
The Truffle Melbourne pop-up stall has also launched at the Market in I Shed, and will be open until the end of August. Customers can shop for a great range of fresh truffle products including sauces, honey, oils, salts and so much more, from across Australia and Europe. Customers can also take part in a Queen Vic Market Ultimate Truffle Tour, which will be held on 10 July (same weekend as the Festival). Bookings can be made online here.
Donut Festival
Date: Sunday 4 July
Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm
Location: Queen Street, Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne
The one-day celebration will still gather some of the city’s favourite donut makers for a super-sweet dive into all things iced, jam-filled, cinnamon-sprinkled, sugar-dusted and everything in between. Expect to find the OG hot jam donuts, oozing chocolate-filled donuts, vegan and gluten-free donuts, churro bowls, 1950s style milkshakes and more.
The mouth-watering list of traders include:
- Bistro Morgan Bakehouse
- Shortstop Melbourne
- American Doughnut Kitchen
- Churro Kitchen
- St. Gerry’s
- Pasta Face
- Mimmo’s
- G.Free Donuts
Unfortunately due to COVID restrictions, the donut-eating contest has been cancelled, however, customers still have the chance to win big! In collaboration with the American Doughnut Kitchen, Queen Vic Market is giving away a year’s supply of hot jam doughnuts, plus $100 worth of Queen Vic Market vouchers. For the chance to win, customers can simply enter online here.
Melbourne Book Market
Date: Every Saturday and Sunday
Time: 10am – 4pm
Location: Queen Victoria Market, L Shed (Peel Street end)
The Melbourne Book Market is back every Saturday and Sunday at Queen Vic Market, offering a curated collection of more than 5,000 new and pre-loved titles.
From old-time classic novels to new book releases and up-and-coming authors, the literature available each weekend has been selected and presented by some of Melbourne’s most experienced booksellers, authors, illustrators and book creators. There’s also an array of quality second-hand vinyl records and CDs.
With a title to suit every kind of book lover, Melbourne Book Market pops up in the Market’s L Shed on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 4pm.
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