March is my favourite month

March madness in Docklands – pagan festivals, good food and wine, jazz, hot rods and a free river shuttle

March is my favourite month. It marks the beginning of autumn in the southern hemisphere (spring in the northern hemisphere) and typically brings the best weather to Melbourne. I love March for a number of reasons.

St David’s Day (Dydd Dewi Sant) is on March 1 and effectively kicks off the best month of the year. St David is patron saint of Wales. The day is celebrated by the wearing of either a leek or a daffodil. The leek became a Welsh symbol after a troop of Welsh were able to distinguish each other from a troop of English enemy dressed in similar fashion by wearing leeks (true story!). For those who are a bit confused, the British Isles consists of a number of countries – Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.  

The Ides of March falls on the 15th and is famous as the date on which Julius Caesar was killed in 44 BC. The ides comes from the Latin word “idus” meaning “half division”. So in the Roman calendar the word is used to indicate the approximate day that is the middle of a month. Thus the word ides is used for the 15th day of the months of March, May, July, and October, and the 13th day of the other months. So what is the Ides of March?

Apparently Wikepedia tells us it is a festive day dedicated to the god Mars and a great day for a military parade. It is also the most well known of the ides. Beware the Ides of March!

March 17 is famous for St Patrick’s Day (Lá Fhéile Pádraig). Most of you will know that St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and he is famous for getting rid of their snakes. This day is traditionally celebrated with the attendance of church services, wearing of green (usually a shamrock), and the lifting of Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol. Thus St Patrick’s Day is a great day for restaurants and pubs. St Patrick’s Day is undoubtedly the most celebrated saint’s day in the world.

In Docklands, March brings the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival over the weekend of March 3 and 4. This is a not-to-be-missed festival. And let me tell you why!

MotorMania is coming to NewQuay. The promenade and piazza will be alive with hot rods and classic cars. There will also be live music and, of course, an abundance of good food and wine. There is $5 all day parking at Harbour Town and you can find plenty of entertainment in the shopping centre. Look out for the cow milking and learn how to make your own cheese and butter!

The free river-shuttle departs from Waterfront City/NewQuay Marina and will service all the major food and wine destinations to Federation Square. This is a first for Melbourne. A river shuttle service has often been talked about, and here you have it – brought to you by the efforts of Docklands and Yarra businesses who have got together and made this great opportunity a reality! Make sure you get on board and experience Melbourne’s greatest asset and access all the riverside destinations by river. Doesn’t it just make a whole lot of sense?

Once you have seen Harbour Town and NewQuay, get on the free river shuttle and head off to the other side of Docklands –Yarra’s Edge. Here you will discover a feast of entertainment in Docklands’ greatest hidden secret.

Not only is there great food and wine to be sampled but also a unique jazz experience. For the first time in Melbourne’s history the very best of leading Melbourne secondary colleges will be putting forward the cream of musical talent to perform live at Yarra’s Edge over the two days. If you enjoy music, food and wine, then Yarra’s Edge is the place to be, and you can get there courtesy of this first-time opportunity to ride a free river-shuttle servicing Docklands and the Yarra River businesses.

If you are a yachtie, then why not bring your boat and berth overnight at Waterfront City/NewQuay Marina or Yarra’s Edge’s Marina YE. Imagine experiencing the delights of Docklands and then retiring to the comfort of your yacht for the rest of the evening. Docklands has it all. You just need to discover all that Docklands has to offer. Happy March everyone!