Every year on 8 March, women and girls around the world celebrate International Women’s Day. This year it’s on a Sunday, so there’s plenty of time to get involved. From wine to walking tours and the Women’s T20 World Cup Final, take your pick of events in Melbourne.
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Final
Join the crowd likely to break the record for a women’s sporting event (90,185 at the 1999 soccer World Cup). Hurry though – tickets for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Final on Sunday 8 March are selling fast. It promises 40 overs of fast-and-furious cricket, with entertainment from Katy Perry.
Head to the MCG for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Final
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Fanzone
Don’t have a ticket to the big women’s cricket final? You can still be part of the excitement at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Fanzone. Free fun includes cricket clinics and challenges, street art and live entertainment. There will also be lots of street food and a bar, so stick around for a while. It’s on Saturday 7 March and Sunday 8 March.
Melbourne Women Walking Tours
Discover how women from all walks of life have contributed to our city, from culture to politics. The two-hour Melbourne Women Walking Tours are on every morning from Wednesday 4 March to Sunday 8 March. They’re free, but be sure to book ahead.
Meet the Creators: Women in Wine
Celebrate on Sunday 8 March with a six-course lunch prepared by chef Cecilia Salvante. The locally focused menu includes Coffin Bay oysters, crocodile croquettes and blue-gum honey sponge cake. Each course is matched with exceptional Victorian wine. Meet the Creators: Women in Wine also features three special guest female winemakers and leaders. Eat, drink and hear from the experts.
Meet the makers at Women in Wine
Memento: A Bushfire Fundraiser Exhibition
Sunday 8 March is the final day of this exhibition supporting the CWA Emergency Fund. It features works from the 2011-19 women’s shows at NewNorth Gallery, Photonet Gallery and Magnet Galleries Melbourne. Memento: A Bushfire Fundraiser Exhibition acknowledges how many people lost all their precious mementos in the recent bushfires.
MMeets – International Women’s Day Makeathon
The amazing (and free) architectural pop-up MPavilion is almost done for another year. Don’t miss MMeets – International Women’s Day Makeathon, facilitated by the FAB9 community of makers. Join them on Sunday 8 March in repurposing waste products to create a Rube Goldberg machine. The machine is named for the cartoonist who was famous for imagining gadgets that perform simple tasks in complicated ways. Register now for this free event on Sunday 8 March.
International Women’s Day breakfasts
Make an early start on the celebrations with a morning feast among female friends and heroes. Perhaps the International Women’s Day Breakfast at Melbourne Town Hall, which will focus on generation equality on Friday 28 March. Or Rotary International Women’s Day Breakfast, with speakers including City of Melbourne Lord Mayor, Sally Capp on Thursday 5 March. There’s also the International Women’s Day Breakfast at Trinity College, which features a panel of Indigenous female leaders on Friday 6 March.
Attend an International Women’s Day Breakfast at Melbourne Town Hall
Stronger Together: The Women’s Mural Documentation Project
This panel discussion hosted by the Public Record Office Victoria is on Wednesday 4 March. Stronger Together: The Women’s Mural Documentation Project explores how museums and archives can champion the inclusion of women’s voices.
Women in International Affairs
Women in International Affairs will showcase female triumphs and challenges in – you guessed it – the field of International Affairs. Learn from keynote speaker Dr Alexandra Phelan, an International relations expert. This evening of networking and development is on Tuesday 10 March.