The Moomba Festival is possibly my favourite major event in this half of the year. Parades, a carnival, a fireshow and massive crowds make their way around the Yarra River for a weekend of colour and sound. And it all begins today.

Here’s the (condensed) line-up:

Waterfest Fireshow
Saturday, 8 March – Monday, 10 March
9.30pm every night

Moomba Parade
Monday, 10 March from 11am to noon
Along Swanston Street from Little Bourke Street to Princess Bridge, ending in the St Kilda Road.

Moomba@Docklands
Sunday, 9 March 2008 from noon to 5pm
Waterfront City and Victoria Harbour

Waterfest Carnival
Friday, 7 March from 4pm to 11pm
Saturday, 8 March from 11am to 11pm
Sunday, 9 March from 11am to 11pm
Monday, 10 March from 11am to 9pm
Birrarung Marr & Alexandra Gardens

Moomba Masters Waterskiing
Friday, 7 March from 8am – 9pm
Saturday, 8 March from 8am to 8:30pm
Sunday, 9 March from 11am to 8:30pm
Monday, 10 March from 7:30am to 8:30pm
Yarra River

Starlight Cinema
Happy Feet (G): Friday, 7 March at 8.30pm
Night at the Museum (PG): Saturday, 8 March at 8.30pm
Yarra Bank, Birrarung Marr

There is a huge list of other stuff going on – it is not even convenient to have everything listed here. Have a look at the That’s Melbourne Moomba Waterfest 2008 site for the calendar of events.

More information about the history of the Moomba Waterfest can be found in the City of Melbourne – Moomba Waterfest page.
If you are the type who turns to Wikipedia for all of Life’s Questions, you can find the Moomba article here.