Shimmerlands: summer of entertainment kicks off at Melbourne

Shimmerlands, a two-month festival of music, cinema, food and social activities, starts today at the University of Melbourne’s Parkville Campus.

The festival will provide entertainment day and night until 26 February, including an outdoor cinema, outdoor music amphitheatre, multiple bars and an outdoor dining area hosting an extensive range of Melbourne’s finest restaurants.

Shimmerlands is the newest project from the team behind Shadow Electric.

Creative Director Jay Rayner said the event was designed to bring something fresh to Melbourne this summer.

“The idea behind Shimmerlands is to create something new, internationally appealing and culturally relevant to Melbourne, and all within the urban gem of the University of Melbourne,” Mr Rayner said.

“The advantage of Shimmerlands running over two months is that we can be more curatorial about our selection of artists and line-up and can even be confirming acts during January and February.”

Shimmerlands is screening over 45 films – from the Australian premiere of the Rolling Stones Ole, Ole, Ole!: A Trip Across Latin America to Damien Chazelle's hit La La Land. The festival is also hosting a slew of live music performances with six large outdoor concerts including Brooklyn-based band Parquet Courts on 5 February. There will also be free outdoor gigs on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays throughout January and February.

The heart of Shimmerlands is The Pavilion, designed by Ha Architects with the assistance of University of Melbourne graduates, which will house a bar with space for visitors to relax.

University of Melbourne Vice-Principal (Engagement) Adrian Collette said the festival would allow the community to experience and enjoy the campus.

“The University is an iconic part of Melbourne and our vibrant Parkville campus on the edge of the CBD is home to a rich diversity of buildings and green spaces," Mr Collette said.

"We take great pride in the experience people have when they attend our campus and we look forward to welcoming new audiences to our home this summer.”

Shimmerlands will include four main precincts, The Pavilion, The Cinema, Live Music and The Food Quarter, keeping guests entertained from dawn to dusk from today until 26 February.