This year International Women’s Day is ready to break the bias once and for all, and Melbourne’s lineup of events is definitely ready to shatter the gender mould. With the city’s female talent front and centre, there are plenty of events spotlighting and celebrating women across Melbourne and Victoria.
However you want to celebrate International Women’s Day on Tuesday 8 March this year, there is something for you. Women from diverse industries including hospitality, music, art and technology are collaborating to create meaningful experiences to recognise how far gender equality has come and what can still be done. So round up your female-identifying friends and allies and make a plan to honour International Women’s Day 2022 at one of these events:
International Women’s Day At Mister Bianco
Kew’s Mister Bianco is putting on a dinner event in honour of International Women’s Day. Simone Watts of Barragunda Estate is taking over the kitchen on Tuesday 8 March to serve up a five-course dinner made from female growers and farmers. This menu was designed to champion female grown produce and sustainability. You can expect to see appearances from Jody Clarke’s Great Ocean Ducks, cheese by Lucy Whitlow, produce supplied by Robin Koster-Carlyon of Transition Farm, pork from Ethical Swine and a collaborative dessert from Monika Frkovic of Boca Gelato. This all-star lineup of female talent has worked together to create an unforgettable dining experience.
THE DETAILS:
When: 7pm, Tuesday 8 March
Where: Perry’s: Mister Bianco, 285 High Street, Kew
For more information, click here.
Celebrate Women In Beer At Blackhearts & Sparrows
Blackhearts and Sparrow are hosting a day dedicated to all the women who love to make beer, and to those who enjoy a sip of the stuff, too. The team will be launching their new beer, THE BREWER, a West Coast IPA that's brewed with their mates at CoConspiriters . This beer launch party hopes to create a safe place for female-identifying folks and allies to enjoy a good brew—your ticket will also get you a can of the new brew on the house. Nice one.
THE DETAILS:
When: 1pm till 6pm, Sunday 6 March
Where: Perry’s: A Refreshment Club, 314 Smith Street, Collingwood
For more information, click here.
International Women's Day @ Hope St Radio
The folks over at Hope St Radio are putting on a one-day event to celebrate women at the top of their game from diverse industries. She’ll Be Right: Breaking The Bias is set to showcase female chefs, farmers, winemakers and brewers with a four-course menu. You can expect to see produce from Feed You Farm and Wattleseed Gully Farm, paired with beer from Stomping Ground and wine from Avani Syrah. This is set to be a true celebration of female talent in Melbourne’s hospitality industry so be quick to book your ticket if you want to be part of the party.
THE DETAILS:
When: 6pm till 10pm, Tuesday 8 March
Where: Hope St Radio, 35 Johnston Street, Collingwood
For more information, click here.
Code Breakers: Women In Games
Kick off your International Women’s Day celebrations by breaking down gaming gender stereotypes. ACMI’s touring exhibition “Code Breakers: Women in Games” is an event set to explore the power video games have in shaping our future. So if you’re keen to see how the industry’s top female game makers and thinkers are having an impact on the spheres of gender equality, climate change, mental health and social justice– this is the one for you.
THE DETAILS:
When: 12pm to 5pm, Saturday 5 March until Sunday 15 May
Where: Yarra Ranges Regional Museum, 35-37 Castella Street, Lilydale
For more information, click here.
The Forgotten Bartenders: Rewriting HerStory
This night is a toast to Ada Coleman and her untold contributions to bartending. The Everleigh is hosting an event in the Elk Room to introduce you to the women who have shaped cocktail culture over the last three centuries. You can bet that this event involves sipping gin cocktails made with Never Never Gin along with cheese pairings from Lucy Whitlow. Come for the seminar on historical women bartenders and stay for the booze.
THE DETAILS:
When: 6:30pm, Tuesday 8 March
Where: The Everleigh, 150-156 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy
For more information, click here.
UN Women International Women’s Day Virtual Hub
If you missed out on securing your ticket to the UN International Women’s day lunch, worry not because they’ve set up a virtual hub to connect you with the day's events. You can explore all of UN Women Australia’s events with their interactive virtual hub from the comfort of your home. Access the full program of speakers to watch live or playback later in your own time. This is a celebration of all the women leading meaningful change and highlight all the ways you can personally take action to work towards an equal future.
THE DETAILS:
When: 11:30am till 3pm, Thursday 4 March
Where: Online
For more information, click here.
Kickass Women To Break The Bias
Dive into all the taboo topics surrounding gender equality and female empowerment over at General Assembly’s Kickass Women panel. This is the perfect opportunity to learn from some seriously cool women and take part in a chat about succeeding as a woman. You’ll be able to listen to the learnings and failures of the talented and knowledgable panellists, hopefully leaving you feeling inspired and supercharged.
THE DETAILS:
When: 5pm till 7pm, Tuesday 8 March
Where: WeWork, 120 Spencer Street, Level 22, Melbourne
For more information, click here.
Burgers And Beers For Good
Collingwood faves, Welcome to Thornbury, has teamed up with The Hunger Project to help #breakthebias for International Women’s Day. They are pledging 50 per cent of profits from cocktails and vegan burgers sold will be donated straight to The Hunger Project. The Hunger Project are aiming to break the bias by empowering women to tackle extreme hunger and poverty in their local communities. So drag your mates down to High Street for a feel-good feed in honour of International Women’s Day.
THE DETAILS:
When: 12pm onwards, Saturday 5 March
Where: Welcome to Thornbury, 520 High Street, Northcote
For more information, click here.
Bottomless Brunch At Acre
International Women’s Day is the perfect occasion to round up all the girls for a bottomless brunch and Acre is putting on the perfect afternoon soiree. Treat yourself to a grazing table packed with summer produce. Think rosemary focaccia with olive oil, spiced peppers, heirloom tomatoes and bocconcini, cannellini with feta and sesame-crusted chicken. But if the lineup of nibbles isn’t enough to convince you the Acre is where you need to be, the promise of bottomless Acre spritzes, sangria, passionfruit mojitos and sparkling should do the trick.
THE DETAILS:
When: 12:30pm till 2:30pm, every Saturday & Sunday until 27 March
Where: Acre Burwood, Burwood Brickworks, 70 Middleborough Road, Burwood East
For more information, click here.
Celebrate at Melbourne Quarter
The Melbourne Quarter is hosting a series of events in light of International Women’s day in an effort to help #breakthebias. They’ve got everything from motivational speakers, musical gigs, an empowerment wall and live graffiti art. Their guest speaker Claire Bowditch, ARIA award-winning musician and writer, is set to be a sell-out as she talks about how you can tame your inner critic. Or you can unwind to good tunes over at Melbourne Quarter with their three-day lineup of all-female acoustic artists. The week-long celebration of female empowerment and talent will definitely draw a crowd.
THE DETAILS:
When: Monday 7 March until Friday 18 March
Where: Melbourne Quarter, 699 Collins Street, Docklands
For more information, click here.
Celebrate IWD At Anther Distillery
Anther Distillery is putting together a panel to discuss how we can together break the bias. Of course, the night of guest speaking wouldn’t be complete without an Anther Gin cocktail and nibbles. The panel is stacked with women in the media industry who are ready to get into how you can disrupt the negative bias of how women are portrayed. So if you’re ready to unpack our collective biases and learn something over a cocktail or two, be sure to book your tickets and make your way over to Anther Distillery for IWD.
THE DETAILS:
When: 7pm till 9:30pm, Tuesday 8 March
Where: Anther Distillery, 33 Mackey Street, North Geelong
For more information, click here.
Support Survivors Of Domestic Abuse With This Limited-Edition Urban List X Mettle Gift Package
Family and domestic abuse is the leading cause of homelessness for women in Australia, yet it’s still so incredibly stigmatised and too often employers overlook these women as worthy candidates for work. That’s where Mettle Gifts comes in. Aside from delivering the most amazing bespoke gift boxes, the trail-blazing national gift co employs, trains and financially supports women experiencing homelessness due to family and domestic violence—helping them build pathways towards secure employment and the safe and stable future they deserve. In celebration of IWD, we’ve partnered with Mettle Gifts this year to create a limited edition gift for you to share with the special women in your life—by doing so, just know you are helping #breakthebias and change real women’s lives. It also includes a cheeky discount so they can pass the love on too. Shop it here.
Read more about International Womens Day and how you can help Break The Bias here.
Image credit: Mister Bianco | Supplied