New York City Is Getting Its Own Festival In This Country

With its latest cultural offering, the Land Down Under is taking a bite out of the Big Apple. A New York City-themed festival is coming to Melbourne, bringing with it the art, music, and food that makes the city unmissable.

A concrete and a real jungle, New York and Australia’s second most populated city are more alike than they may seem. A smaller population (4.8 million compared to New York City’s 8.5 million) hasn’t prevented Melbourne from becoming the “cultural capital of Australia,” an identity the Big Apple can relate to. Both cities are hubs for film, art, music, and more in their respective countries, which makes the upcoming MEL+NYC festival an appropriate, if unexpected, fit. All winter (or summer, depending on which of the fest’s namesake cities you’re from) long, the Victorian Government will highlight “two cities that never sleep” by showcasing the entertainment that keeps them awake.

Culture vultures will flock from either side of the Prime Meridian to experience the best of these two cities at MEL+NYC’s East-meets-Down Under events. Aussies can glimpse the island of Manhattan at the National Gallery of Victoria’s MoMA at NGV: 130 Years of Modern and Contemporary Art. A main event of the festival, this exhibition will feature “the biggest group of works ever to leave New York,” including pieces from the likes of Jackson Pollock and Georgia O’Keefe. If you prefer auditory over visual art, take advantage of the fest’s laneway pop-up performances and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s tributes to Leonard Bernstein. Whichever events you check out, fuel up beforehand with fare prepared by New York-based guest chefs from Manhattan’s Momofuku.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi3FCoMHpIR/?hl=en&taken-by=ngvmelbourne

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.