The festival runs over the Labor Day long weekend (March 9–12) and features a traditional parade and the Birdman Rally, in which slightly crazy people leap into the Yarra River wearing ‘‘flying aids’’.

A series of free concerts will be held at Alexandra Gardens and Birrarung Marr, with Josh Pyke, The Panics, Wagons, Tex Perkins and Owl Eyes to play the main stage. A separate Beats Stage will host Eloji, 8 Bit Love and Return to Youth.

For more information, visit melbourne.vic.gov.au/moomba

Roll up for sideshows

Missed out on tickets to Kanye, Foster the People, Noel Gallagher or Girl Talk’s sold-out Big Day Out sideshows over the next week? Bummer. But there’s still tickets available for some of the other international acts touring our fair city.

Rock heavyweights My Chemical Romance (January 31, Festival Hall), Soundgarden (February 1, Sidney Myer Music Bowl) and Kasabian (January 28, Festival Hall) are among the acts playing headline shows.

Tickets to Los Angeles two-piece Best Coast (January 28, Corner Hotel), Kitty, Daisy and Lewis (January 28, the Espy), Mariachi El Bronx (January 30, Billboard) and Cage the Elephant (January 31, Northcote Social Club) are also on sale. For more information, visit bigdayoutsideshows.com

Wi th a bullett

What’s more Australian than enjoying a couple of beers and some good tunes near the beach? To celebrate Australia Day – and the little matter that is the annual Triple J Hottest 100 – the Espy will hold an all-day party featuring the entire countdown right down to the unveiling of the number one song (in other words, Goyte’s Somebody That I Used To Know) at 7.30pm.

As soon as it’s over, a free gig headlined by local lads British India will take over the venue. There will be plenty of sore heads at work on Friday. Doors open at noon, visit espy.com.au