Last year White Night was an exciting mystery to all in Melbourne. For twelve hours, over 300,000 people amassed in the city streets for an explosion of light, music, sound and creativity.
Based on Nuit Blanche, a Parisian way of bringing art and culture to the masses, White Night runs from dusk till dawn – 7pm on Saturday 22nd February to 7am on Sunday 23rd February with free and ticketed events taking place in various venues and streets around the city for all to enjoy.
For its second year, White Night has been expanded to encompass the wider city, and with only one night hours to take it all in, you better make sure you have your bases covered.
Here are Same Same’s tips for surviving Melbourne’s White Night!
Plan your night a little, but not a lot
Sure there’s twelve hours to take it all in, but if the 2013 White Night taught me anything it’s that you can’t do everything.
The easiest ways to plan your night is to create a My Night Account on the website , where you can save your favourite projects and invite others to attend. Then just go with what the night brings.
Be patient and wait your turn
There’s no need to rush. Some of the events on the White Night calendar are made for larger audiences, like the stunningly projected experiences on Melbourne landmarks. So take your time and take it all in.
Other parts of the program are in venues or spaces with smaller capacities so it’s possible there will be some wait time. But if it’s looking too busy you can always come back after walking another block and discovering something new.
Avoid drama and look after each other
White night happens once a year and with the crowds and late-late-late-night antics things can get a little crazy, but that doesn’t mean you have to. Look after yourself and your friends. Toilets, water fountains, information tents and first aid facilities are clearly located on the White Night map . If you need assistance or see someone who needs some help, look for the uniformed White Night Melbourne Marshals or security staff stationed throughout the event precinct.
Remember that all public areas of White Night Melbourne are alcohol free and it’s an offence within the City of Melbourne to consume or carry opened alcohol in public areas.
Dress comfortably
White Night means a lot of walking late at night through the streets of Melbourne and while we all want to look our most fabulous, remember to dress smart and that starts with your shoes. You’ll be making your way through varied terrain that makes up the city so go with comfort instead of glamour. And with a cool 19 degrees overnight remember to keep warm.
It never hurts to catch public transport
With road closures affecting a large part of the city centre, it’s smart to park outside of the event precinct and walk into the CBD. Southgate Metro Trains, Yarra Trams and bus services (NightRider after 1.30am) will run all night with special timetables operating after 1am. Make sure you have your Myki and check out the full schedule information as well as where the dedicated transport hubs will be located around the city.
There’s also bicycle valet parking in the north on Franklin St (enter via Victoria St) and in the south on St Kilda Rd (enter via Southbank Boulevard).
Say goodbye to mobile reception
Phones are essential tools for Gen Y and just like at New Years, everyone will have their phones out snapping pictures or texting friends trying to meet up. Don’t be surprised if you can’t get cell reception, so make a plan with your mates. You’re sure to run into people you know throughout the night but plan your meeting points ahead of time. If you’re one of those folks who feels lost without your phone, do yourself a favour and buy a portable phone charger.
Don’t be afraid to go it alone
If you find yourself separated from your mates it’s not the end of the world. With so much on and so many people in the city it won’t be hard to just go with the flow and see where you end up. White Night happens but once a year so don’t waste it.
When you’re done… you’re done!
You’ve rocked up, you’ve seen all you want to see and you’re starting to fade. It’s important to know your limits and know when it’s time to go home. With so many people out and about it may take you a while so be patient, be considerate and don’t wait until you’ve hit a wall to end your night.
Keep Calm and enjoy White Night
There’s a solar eclipse in a laneway, a bridge transformed into a Doctor Who-like vortex, tattooed bodies laid bare, Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ coming to life at the Old Melbourne Gaol and once again Birrarung Marr hosts an assembly of supernatural-light installations.
And we’re particularly keen to help create a work of art in front of Melbourne Town Hall. You’re invited to transform nine giant letters spelling out MELBOURNE into a living sculpture celebrating the city.
The Love MELBOURNE sign will gradually become covered in thousands of messages reflecting the diversity of what people love most about the city. There will be over 6,000 colourful Kevron key-tags available for people to write down what they most love about Melbourne and then click it into place on the letter of their choice.
This is just some of what’s on offer, so head to the White Night website and find out all that’s on offer this weekend, as Melbourne’s city is transformed from dusk until dawn.
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