January
Australia Day. (All states)
Australia Day, January 26, is the biggest day of celebration in the country and is observed as a public holiday in all states and territories.
http://www.australiaday.gov.au/area.asp?aID=2
Australian Open Tennis (Melbourne)
The Australian Open is the biggest and the most important tennis Grand Slam in Australia. It was managed by Tennis Australia, formerly the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia (LTAA)
http://www.australianopen.com/pages/default.aspx?id=15&pageId=136
Sydney Festival (Sydney)
It is Australia's largest and most attended annual cultural event. It usually held on January. This Festival has indoor and outdoor presentations which attracts an estimated 1.5 million people annually.
http://www.sydneyfestival.org.au
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February
Perth International Arts Festival (Perth)
Perth International Arts Festival is the oldest and premier international arts festival in Australia. It was founded in 1953 by The University of Western Australia.. For over 50 years the Festival has welcomed to Perth some of the world’s greatest living artists.
http://www.perthfestival.com.au/festival/index.cfm/fuseaction/about.intro/
Pako Festa (Melbourne)
Pako Festa is a unique annual event with combination of cultures, community spirit and involvement. It usually held on February. It has a street parade, a mass of food stands, dance, art, craft and music.
http://www.pakofesta.com.au/aboutus.htm
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March
Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras (Sydney)
Mardi Gras is a yearly parade and party held at the beginning of March in Sydney. It is a worldwide social event on the calendar to celebrate gay pride.
http://www.mardigras.org.au/
Clipsal 500 Adelaide (Adelaide)
Get ready to experience four days of superb V8 Supercar action Australia's premier national motor sport carnival. This is the biggest annual event held in the city of Adelaide with sensational air display, stunt acts, driving displays and roaming entertainers.
http://www.southoz.com/events/
WOMAD Adelaide (Adelaide)
It is the most significant arts events on the South Australian. It held on March annually and with over three late summer days and nights in the splendor of Botanic Park in Adelaide's inner city.
http://www.southoz.com/events/
Tasmanian Forest Festival (Tasmania)
The Tasmanian Forest Festival is an event to showcase the timber industry, tourism, craft and other associated industries. It annually held on March.
http://www.tasmanianforestfestival.com/
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April
Melbourne International Comedy Festival (Melbourne)
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival takes place annually on April. It is one of the three largest comedy Festivals in the world, with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Montreal’s Just for Laughs Festival. It present a huge program in any kind of comedy shows.
http://comedyfestival.com.au/season/2006/the-festival.php
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June
Sydney film festival (Sydney)
The Sydney Film Festival is one of the leading international film festivals which held on winter season in Sydney.It shows films from Australia and around the world and presents a program of over 300 films.
http://www.sydneyfilmfestival.org/page/sff_history.html
Western Australia Wine & Food Festival (Perth)
It is a festival which held annually on June. In this festival, it gives you a chance to relax and taste from the hundreds of wines, sample some of the best gourmet fare, enjoy bands and entertainers.
http://www.wineandfood.com.au/
Adelaide Cabaret Festival (Adelaide)
It is Australia's leading cabaret event. It brings some of the finest cabaret artists from around the world to Adelaide. It held in the venues of the Adelaide Festival Center in a wide range of performance styles to appeal to all audiences
http://www.southoz.com/events/
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July
Melbourne International Film Festival (Melbourne)
It is one of the most important film events in Australia. It has the largest and most vary program of screenings and special events in the country to largest audience.
http://www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au/About/index.php
World Youth Day (WYD) 2008
World Youth Day (WYD) is the largest youth event in the world and will be held in Sydney from Tuesday 15 to Sunday 20 July 2008.
Organised by the Catholic Church, WYD brings together young people from around the globe to celebrate and learn about their faith on a more regular basis.
WYD08 will be the largest event Australia has ever hosted. It will attract over 125,000 international visitors - more than the 2000 Olympics.
WYD08 will mark the first visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to Australia.
Through the WYD08 experience, young people from throughout the world will make a pilgrimage in faith, meet, and experience the love of God.
World Youth Day is an invitation from the Pope to the youth of the world to celebrate their faith around a particular theme. Everyone is welcome to attend.
http://www.wyd2008.org/index.php/en
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August
Hervey Bay Whale Festival (Brisbane)
This festival is held annually on August with a week long to celebrate the return of the migration and extended stay of the humpback whale to the calm waters of Hervey Bay.
http://www.brisbanecitylife.com.au/bcl/wotson-august.htm
http://www.herveybaywhalefestival.com.au/information.php
City to Surf (Sydney)
The Sun-Herald City2Surf, Australia's largest fun run, will take to streets of Sydney again this year on the second Sunday in August. Join over 60,000 people take the 14km journey through the city's eastern suburbs to the finish line at Bondi Beach.
http://city2surf.sunherald.com.au/
Sydney International Boat Show (Sydney)
Sydney International Boat Show is held annually on August with 300 exhibitors plus over 150 large boats. The best place to see and buy boats.
http://www.australia.com/places_to_go/ProductIntercept.aust?P=9054089&L=en&C=US
http://www.sydneyboatshow.com.au/
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September
Perth Fashion Festival (Perth)
WA Fashion Week is an annual event which celebrates the launch of spring or summer fashion season.
http://www.bcl.com.au/perth/wotson-september.htm
http://www.perthfashionfestival.com.au/
Kings Park Wildflower Festival (Perth)
It is scenery of wildflowers at Kings Park Botanic. You can enjoy free-guided wildflower walks, science techniques, native plant sale, guest speakers, floral demonstrators, or a chance to just sit and enjoy the ambience.
http://www.bcl.com.au/perth/wotson-september.htm
http://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/events/wff.html?Menu=wff
Perth Royal Show (Perth)
It is fun and enjoys festival which held annually on September. In this festival, Perth communities can join and exhibit their lifestyles together.
http://www.perthroyalshow.com.au/
River festival (Brisbane)
It is Brisbane’s major annual community and environmental festival. It is a time to celebrate waterways and culture by focusing on the city’s signature natural landmark, the Brisbane River. It held over ten days in early September.
http://www.riverfestival.com.au/index.php?page=About
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November
Melbourne Cup (Melbourne)
Known as "the race that all Australia stops for", the Melbourne Cup is held on the first Tuesday in November. It was first run in 1861 (receiving very little publicity) and has since grown into the biggest all-age handicap in the world.
The Cup crowns Melbourne's six-week-long Spring Racing Carnival - very much a rite of spring for the city. The whole season is an extravaganza of fun, fashion and horseflesh - a great way to shake off winter. The carnival beginsin early October and runs until the end of November, with horseraces such as the Cranbourne Cup, the Caulfield Guineas, the Manangatang Cup, the Moe Cup, the Werribee Cup, the Mt Wycheproof Cup and the Emirates Melbourne Cup. If you've heard of none except the last one, you're not alone.
On Melbourne Cup Day, the venue, Flemington Race Course, becomes a sea of colour and
extravagant hats from one end to the other. People start arriving at 8am and continue to pour in until the race starts after 3pm. By that time, up to 100,000 will have turned up to watch the great event. Some men arrive in tails and top hats; others in wilder gear, such as tails and football shorts.
Before the race, the crowd hushes, shattered by a jubilant roar as the gates fly open, the horses thunder out and the 3,200-metre event begins. As the pace increases and the horses finally hurtle into the straight with just 600 metres left, the crowd roars wildly, quietening after the horses pass the post. Cheering resumes as the winner enters the enclosure.
http://www.melbournecup.com
FEAST - Adelaide Lesbian & Gay Cultural Festival
Adelaide's annual gay and lesbian cultural festival is held annually in November with a week-long program of theater, concerts, film, exhibitions, forums, visual arts, cabaret, sporting events and parties
http://www.feast.org.au/
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December
Woodford Folk Festival (Brisbane)
It is the best festival for visitors to experience the diversity of Australian life through music, spoken word, films, arts and crafts, dance and theatre. It held annually by the end of December every year.
http://www.australia.com/whats_on/Performing_arts/Event_Pg_STD1.aust?I=Performing_arts.xml&L=en&C=US
Hobart Summer Festival (Tasmania)
It is the Tasmanian welcome for locals and visitors to Hobart city. Hobart Summer Festival held annually over 12 days with performing and fine arts, crafts, entertainment and fantastic food and wine.
http://www.hobartsummerfestival.com.au/about.php
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