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Fed Square Turns Up the Heat with a Massive Month of Free Summer Culture

Music, movies, dance and global street-party energy take over Melbourne’s most iconic meeting place as Open Air returns this February.

Fed Square is cranking up the summer energy, unveiling its Open Air program and turning Melbourne’s favourite meeting place into a buzzing hub of music, film, dance and late-night culture across February.

Running throughout the peak of summer, Open Air brings warm nights, big ideas and communal vibes to the city, with a stacked program of free live music, outdoor cinema and performance spilling across the Square. From intimate candlelit concerts to full-scale street parties and global sound system throwdowns, this is summer culture designed to be shared.

Fed Square Open Air

• Open Air runs from 2-28 February 2026
• For the full Open Air program at Fed Square, visit fedsquare.com/events/open-air-at-the-square
• For the live music line-up visit fedsquare.com/events/live-music
• All Outdoor Cinema sessions will have burnt-in closed captions. For the full program and session timings, visit fedsquare.com/events/outdoor-cinema
• Applications for Garage Band are now open for bands whose members are 21 years+, for more information visit fedsquare.com/events/garage-band-2026

Keep connected to your live music scene here.

 

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Fed Square has always been Melbourne’s living room, and Open Air leans hard into that spirit. Across the month, locals and visitors can drop in for everything from genre-bending live shows and dance battles to silent films with live scores and cinematic classics under the stars. It’s bold, welcoming and unmistakably Melbourne.

One of the early highlights arrives with the return of the Candlelight Concert Series from February 10 to 12, transforming Fed Square into a glowing sea of flickering candles. Tina Arena headlines with her THANK YOU MELBOURNE show celebrating 50 years in music, joined across the series by beloved locals Folk Bitch Trio and First Nations R&B star Dean Brady. Picnics, skyline views and goosebump moments guaranteed. All performances are Auslan interpreted with accessible viewing areas.

Global sounds take over later in the month, with a massive night on February 28 featuring legendary New York DJ François K, Greek pop innovator Σtella and the transcendent Ganavya, delivering a genre-spanning celebration of rhythm, soul and connection right in the heart of the city.

Queer joy and pure bounce energy explode on February 27 when New Orleans icon Big Freedia storms the Fed Square stage for a euphoric celebration of self-expression, presented with All the Queens Men. Expect high energy, big beats and an atmosphere that doesn’t ask permission.

The Afro Caribbean Carnival returns on February 21, bringing colour, movement and serious bass to the Square. Featuring Jamaican dancehall pioneer Sister Nancy, UK jungle heavyweight General Levy and a lineup of powerhouse local sound systems, this is a full-body street party complete with food, performance and unstoppable grooves.

For something a little left of centre, The Beatles Dub Club lands on February 26, remixing the Fab Four into a wild, genre-hopping DJ set spanning reggae, dub, funk, hip hop and house. It’s part tribute, part dancefloor experiment and all kinds of fun.

Local talent also gets the spotlight, with Garage Band returning on February 7 to amplify Victoria’s next wave of musicians. With mentorship, workshops and a full day of live performances, this is where tomorrow’s favourites cut their teeth.

On the cinema front, Fed Square’s Outdoor Cinema rolls on through summer with two curated programs. In Defence of Satire dives into sharp, provocative classics from Dr. Strangelove to The Player, while the much-loved Silent Cinema with Live Scores returns with newly restored films paired with original live music. Highlights include Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times, Buster Keaton’s The General for its 100th anniversary, and a Lunar New Year screening of Chinese silent cinema landmark The Goddess with a live score.

Dance and performance lovers are also well catered for. City Sessions hits on February 22, turning Fed Square into a street dance battleground with crews, DJs and showcases from across Australia and beyond. Meanwhile, Valentine’s Day gets a cultural twist with Nongkrong – Pasar Senja on February 14, celebrating Indonesian-Australian identity through music, art, food and community.

Minister for Creative Industries, Colin Brooks says, “Fed Square has always been the city’s gathering space and it’s now a destination for incredible performances and events – all free and open to all ages. Programs like this that bring Victorians and visitors together showcase once again why Melbourne is the cultural capital and Victoria is the creative state.”

Melbourne Arts Precinct Director & CEO Katrina Sedgwick offers, “We’re proud to once again present Fed Square’s hugely popular Open Air festival this February. Featuring live music concerts, cinema under the stars, dance parties, sound systems and performance art. Summer is the perfect time to come together, settle into Fed Square, and enjoy the very best of Melbourne’s arts and culture – and all of it is free.”

Open Air runs from 2 to 28 February 2026, and every event is free. Whether you’re chasing live music, late-night cinema, dancefloor heat or something completely unexpected, Fed Square is the place to be this summer.

For the full program and details, head here.