The City Transformed: Melbourne White Night

To sound cliched, it was truly a night to remember. 2013 welcomed Melbourne and Australia to the family of Nuit Blanche, that is the ‘White Night‘, a free arts and cultural event now hosted around the world, and coming to 23 countries this year.

Already known as the arts loving, theatre-going city, Melbourne transformed its everyday face as a city of business to being a theatre or a blank canvas for the night. The display it put on was something the city had never seen before, as over 300 artists performed across 40 venues from dusk (7pm) until dawn (7am); and best of all there was something for all ages.

From playing with ‘clouds’ and walking with dinosaurs at the NVG for the young or young at heart, to Jazz and ska band the Cat Empire putting a new spin on the Melburnian phrase “I’ll meet you under the clock”, as well as real-time street-art, and a homages to two of the cities identities – AFL and fashion. The World Famous Spiegeltent even made an appearance, alongside local film productions – the theatre a loading dock, and who can leave out the lights, lazers, and water fountains that blazed alongside – and sometimes in – the Yarra River.

I barely scratched of Melbourne’s White Night, but I will share with you my experience through the photos I took and hope you join me next year.

Live Street Art on illuminated letters ‘White Night’ – Princes Bridge

Spheres of Love where people could text their loved ones messages – Southbank/Yarra River

Turned into a stage and theatre for performers, including the Cat Empire – Flinders Street Station

Enjoying the late night food from the street trucks and sitting on tram lines – Flinders Street

Models strutted their stuff on big screens, a homage to Melbourne’s fashion identity – Flinders Lane

Buzzing with colour, light installations and people, Melbourne’s laneways came alive – Flinders Lane

An empty laneway, beautiful in its serenity – off of Flinders Lane

Throwing shoes over telephone wires became beautiful as shoes were illuminated – off Flinders Lane

Is this love or is it a fantasy? People played with silhouettes, battling monsters and finding love – City Square

Melbourne’s city florist was open all night as well – Swanston Street

Paying homage to one of Melbourne’s top religions, AFL – St Paul’s Church/Flinders Lane

Checking out the newest street art in Melbourne – Hosier Lane

White Night wasn’t just about lights and lazers, there were plenty of live theatre performances – Flinders Street

The Forum was lit up in style – Flinders Street

Lighting made the buildings look like they had knitted fronts – Flinders Street

Small Pox Theatre provided miniature performances all night, including this singing/dancing skeleton marionette – Flinders Street

 But the best lighting displays were hidden in the back streets – St Pauls/Flinders Street

All whilst, a Melbourne icon continued to look amazing all night long – Flinders Street Station

Come 4am plenty of people were relaxing, though not asleep – Federation Square

‘I Could Have Danced With You All Night Long’ was at its hiphop section – Federation Square

It seemed that the crowds loved to hiphop at 4:30am! – Federation Square

Walking along the waterfront there were inflatables – Birrarung Marr

As the last light show of the night lit up the Yarra River, the city skyline it’s backdrop – Birrarung Marr

There comes a time when night must concede to the daylight, as 7am drew near – Birrarung Marr

The ‘Night’ live canvas was completed just as the sun began to rise – Princes Bridge

If daybreak is more your thing, Everlast held a free boxing boot camp over the Yarra – South Bank Foot Bridge 

Have you been to a White Night/Nuit Blanche?

See other people’s White Night Melbourne experiences:

• Tiny Savages – ‘White Night Melbourne’