Rising Festival is back again and shaking things up. The celebration of music, theatre, cinema, dance, lights, sculptures and art runs from June 7-18 across Federation Square Flinders Street Station, Birrarung Marr and the Arts Precinct. We’ve rounded up the best ways to fill your tank and keep well-fed and watered this Rising festival.
From 5-6pm each night of Rising, a swag of awesome inner city restaurants and bars are serving up the perfect snacks and cocktails to kick start your night. With exclusive Rising menus, you’ll be able to dine and dash. Less time snacking, more time enjoying the festival. Just some of the restaurants participating are Eau de Vie, Victoria by Farmers Daughters, Hazel, Cumulus Inc., and Bar 133 at QT. Check it out.
A winter wonderland in itself, the Rink is a magical place to get your blood pumping with some ice skating before a fireside coffee by St Ali or Mörk Chocolate and Archie Rose boozy hot chocolate. Get buzzy with a schooner of Bodriggy beer, wine curated by Glou, low-sugar and probiotic soft drinks by Bobby, Bubble Tea by Cha Time, and an Indigenous-designed cuppa by Mabu Mabu. Munch on hot-buttered popcorn, or snacks from Hot Dog Deli, Fugazi Pizza, Manny’s Doughnuts, as well as sweet and savoury crepes by not-for-profit Crepes for Change. Chappys and Free to Feed are offering the chips and dips. Pie Thief will be warming the night air with savoury pies. And, of course, there’s ice cream for the littles and bigs. Check it out.
A very special three course set menu curated specifically for Rising, the Dine at Dusk program will take over Hazel, Mabu Mabu, Kisumé and Victoria by Farmers Daughters on various dates. Try a conceptual set menu of Indigenous dining at Mabu Mabu, or an “Under the Moon” feature dinner in the Hazel Atrium celebrating the seasons, low-waste cooking and sustainable sourcing. Kisumé is doing a seafood experience with executive chef Yonge Kim at the intimate Chef’s Table, and there’ll be farm-to-plate deliciousness on offer at Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters. Check it out.
Located in the centre of Rising, Night Trade is where you can give into chaos and grab a quick feed while you’re at it. Hoy Pinoy’s Filipino barbecue skewers will be sizzling over coals, and there’s an “all-night hot box” serving custom pies made by Free to Feed’s East African, Sri Lankan, Somali and Columbian participants. Snack on chips and dips by Chappy’s and Free to Feed or grab bougie bar snacks by Yarra Valley Caviar and Pearl Diver’s shucked oysters. Head to Up Bar for a bracing pre-mix by Archie Rose, local wines, spicy ginger beers and of course, a mulled wine or two. It wouldn’t be proper chaos without a giant Negroni tank so keep your eyes peeled for it. Check it out.
