The final month of autumn is here, turning our calendars tones of peach and burnt orange. With it, comes a star-studded line-up of food, drink, arts, culture, and sport to while away the hours. Here are a few of the best things to do in Perth to add to your May bucket list.
Perth Comedy Festival
Perth Comedy Festival is back bigger than ever this April and May so what better way to spend an evening than with fabulous food, drink, and belly laughs at some of Perth’s best venues. With more than 65 shows to choose from, you’ll catch comedians from around the globe in a program packed with everything from stand up to sketch, satire, musical, magic, and theatre.
When: Monday, April 22nd to Sunday, May 19th
Where: Mount Lawley, Fremantle, Subiaco, Northbridge
Tickets
Fremantle Dockers VS Sydney Swans
Watch as Round 9 kicks off at Optus Stadium on Friday, May 10th, when the Fremantle Dockers take on the mighty Sydney Swans. With a beer in one hand and a bucket of chips in the other, there’s nothing West Australians love more than watching the big game unfurl in real life. Maybe it’s the vibrant lights or the rowdy roars of the crowd, but we can’t get enough. Buckle up because it’s going to be a big one!
When: Friday, May 10th
Where: Optus Stadium
Tickets: $39.00
Taste Great Southern
Taste Great Southern is a regional food and wine festival brimming with long lunches, unique dinners, degustations, premium pairing events, community markets, and more. Here, you can enjoy more than 40 not-to-be-missed experiences hosted by more than 20 local, state, and nationally acclaimed chefs and talent. If you’re a foodie or an oenophile, this is one you’ll want to add to your May hit list.
When: Thursday, May 2nd to Sunday, May 12th
Where: Albany, Denmark, Mount Barker, Frankland River, Porongurup, Katanning
Tickets
Elvis: A Musical Revolution
Get your blue suede shoes ready because the new bio-musical, Elvis: A Musical Revolution is hitting Perth shores this May. Penned by acclaimed international writers, the show will explore the extraordinary life of the award-winning cultural icon and rock and roll superstar, Elvis Presley. From illustrating pivotal childhood moments through to his triumphant ’68 Comeback Special, the musical will feature more than 40 iconic hits, such as Jailhouse Rock, Hound Dog, and Can’t Help Falling In Love.
When: Saturday, May 11th to Sunday, June 2nd
Where: Crown Theatre, Burswood
Tickets: $69.00
Bickley Harvest Festival
Nestled amidst the picturesque landscapes of Bickley Valley, Bickley Harvest Festival is an annual celebration of wine, cider, spirits, produce, food, and culture. The annual weekend celebration showcases the best of the region with a range of experiences, tours, workshops, tastings, and culinary experiences across 20 orchard, vineyard, and hillside venues. Don’t mind if we do!
When: Friday, May 3rd to Sunday, May 5th
Where: Bickley Valley
Tickets
Bottomless Sunday Lunch at Lontara
If you’re a dumpling enthusiast, you’re in the right place. Lontara is Samphire Rottnest’s signature restaurant offering a delightful share-style menu inspired by the flavours of Asia’s south east archipelagos. Every Sunday, you can enjoy a bottomless feast overlooking the dreamy hues of Thomson Bay. Tried and tested, we couldn’t recommend the two-hour culinary adventure of bottomless dumplings, Asian rolls, and curries any more.
When: every Sunday
Where: Lontara, Rottnest Island
Tickets: $65.00
Perth Makers Market
Treat mum to a unique, family-friendly Mother’s Day with a visit to the Perth Makers Market. The magnificent riverside grounds at Goolugatup Heathcote in Applecross will be bursting with live music, mouth-watering fare, free activities, and more than 180 stalls overflowing with beautiful goods handmade in Western Australia. Sieve through handcrafted jewellery, homewares, furniture, and fashion while chatting to the creatives and artisans showcasing their work.
When: Sunday, May 12th
Where: Goolugatup Heathcote, Applecross
Tickets: Free
Ord Valley Muster
The iconic Kimberley festival, Ord Valley Muster is back this May, bringing a jam-packed calendar of exciting events and experiences over nine days. We’re talking dining under the stars, music, yoga boats, comedy, storytelling, rodeo, cultural experiences, station luncheons, and more. Here, you’ll meet local characters, explore the vast otherworldly region, and taste the region’s unforgettable flavours.
When: Friday, May 17th to Saturday, May 25th
Where: Ord River, Kununurra
Tickets
Spice Workshop with Inner Spice
If you’re a spice lover feeling a little bloated or under the weather, this workshop is for you. Discover the alchemic art of spices for healing the gut, aiding digestion, and calming inflammation as Rutchi, the founder of Inner Spice, takes you on a sensory spice journey. Rutchi will demonstrate how understanding the secrets of spice has the power to lift you from feeling low and stressed, to a place of rejuvenation, balance, and serenity.
When: Tuesday, May 28th
Where: Hobby Studio, West Perth
Tickets: $40.00
Wine’d Up Fridays at Bar Amelie
On the first Friday of every month, wine aficionados Emma Elliot Lunt and Cassandra Cheeseman are hosting an educational yet laid-back Wine’d Up session at Subiaco’s Bar Amelie to kickstart your weekend. Starting on Friday, May 3rd, you’ll dive into the world of Chardonnay, with a curated selection of both local and international varieties. Sip, swirl, and savour three glasses of wine, accompanied by a gorgeously curated selection of canapès to match. If Chardonnay isn’t your tipple of choice, why not opt for the June session where you’ll delve deep into the world of Pinot Noir?
When: first Friday of every month
Where: Bar Amelie, Subiaco
Tickets: $70.00
Pitch Night at The Museum
Ten startups, an audience of more than 200 people, and a blue whale — the state’s biggest and best pitch night returns to the WA Museum this May. With a theme of Alchemy, the 2024 Pitch Night instalment is giving ten startups the opportunity to pitch their startup to a crowd of founders, investors, and supporters, under the famed blue whale.
When: Wednesday, May 15th
Where: WA Museum Boola Bardip
Tickets: $35.00
Subi Blooms
Over the Mother’s Day weekend, Subiaco will become a vibrant floral wonderland in the name of Perth’s biggest celebration of flowers, Subi Blooms. The state’s leading florists and botanical artists will take over the streets with 19 breathtaking floral installations. Drawing inspiration from events like London’s Chelsea in Bloom, the immersive floral trail leads from Subiaco Train Station to Theatre Gardens, with a special installation in Shenton Park for the first time. Look out for a floral Hot Air Balloon by State of Art near the Vibe Hotel and a pop-up floral-bombed “Write to your Mum” station at Postal Walk by The Flower Girl.
When: Friday, May 10th to Sunday, May 12th
Where: Subiaco
Tickets: Free
Swan Active Midland Grand Reopening
After a $30 million refurbishment, Swan Active Midland is reopening its doors in a grand celebratory event to showcase the brand new gym that is four times the size of the original, enhanced facilities, and upgraded indoor sports courts and pools. The event will kick off with a show-stopping daylight fireworks display at 10:00 am, followed by four hours of jam-packed fun and amusement, including inflatable challenges, DJ entertainment, airbrush tattoos, and face painting.
When: Saturday, May 11th
Where: Swan Active Midland
Tickets: Free
