Established in St Petersburg, Russia, White Night is an arts festival that, as the name suggests, runs continuously through the night. There are a number of cities across the world that host their own variation of the festival based on the original concept.

Places such as Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Leeds, Rome, Tel Aviv and Paris all play host to their own White Night events. Big news has emerged this year, as Melbourne has entered into the world of the White Night festival by hosting their very own version of the Russian arts extravaganza.

What Is The Purpose Of White Night?

Designed to encourage Melbourne residents and Australians across the country to get involved in the arts (either as spectators or actual artists), the white night festival included sculptures, dancing, art, design and live bands. In total there were over 100,000 people who made it to the city for the all night long festival.

One of the drawbacks to such a large number of people turning out in force for the event, meant that at times you might have had difficulty seeing what was happening. Not only did this hamper many people’s actual enjoyment of the event, but they may not have got to see an artist or a band they specifically turned up for. Many people made the wise decision and did not rush out to take part in the festivities until much earlier on in the morning, when a lot of the large crowds had disappeared.

No Longer Silent In The Library

One place that attracted a lot of attention was the state library that was playing host to very soft acoustic singing and harp playing. Many people remarked that it was beautiful and strange being in such a noisy library, contrary to the normal rules applied to sound within such an establishment.  Other places dotted around the city had been turned into interactive, real life art pieces.

Some of these places had lights that danced against walls while performance artists acted out. Because Melbourne is already famous around the world for its street art, it felt as if the city had been elevated to a higher level than many of the other events, in terms of art appreciation at least. If your appetite has been whet by Australia and this once a year event, then one of the best ways to get to Melbourne is by booking online through cheapflights.co.uk. Not only do fly to all the best destinations down under, but they also offer the best prices too.

Vibrant Melbourne

Everywhere you looked, you saw art of some kind or another; whether it was a statue, a painting or acoustic bands playing their own melodies – it really made Melbourne feel like the most alive city in the world.  Judging by the success of its debut foray into the world of white night, there is a strong sense that this won’t be the last time the city opens its doors for a long and extensive festival.

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Photo by frankzed on Flickr