Early January

The BMW-Perth Cup

Western Australia's answer to the Melbourne cup is the region's premier horse-racing event. The BMW-Perth Cup now carries prize money of A$400,000.   The race is held at Royal Ascot Raceway and is regarded as Australia's toughest test for thoroughbreds, run over the same distance as the Melbourne Cup. The race is also the highlight of the Perth social calendar and for visitors to the region it's a great opportunity to meet the locals, and to celebrate New Year's Day.

Throughout the day, an acre of lush green paddock is transformed into a party zone. This is  rated as Perth's biggest party, but don't forget the race, nor to place your bets.

+61 (0) 8 9479 5986

Early January

Summadayze

Together with the cream of Australia's dance music scene, a hand-picked selection of the world's finest talent ensures ten hours of non-stop entertainment. Given that it's the height of summer, there's ice cream, fresh fruit, food and festival stalls, as well as plenty of shaded areas and more than 70 free water drinking points to keep party-goers refreshed and cool.

Early February

Perth’s Big Day Out

Australasia's huge touring music festival, Big Day Out, finishes in Perth at the Claremont Showgrounds.

While the northern hemisphere endures the big freeze in January, the countries in its southern counterpart enjoy summer. Australia celebrates with its annual Big Day Out music festival, which begins in Auckland, New Zealand then transfers to Australia over the following three weekends.

+61 (0) 8 9385 2396

Mid February

Good Vibrations

The Good Vibrations festival aims to get back to basics in natural amphitheatres.  Planned to create a relaxing and inviting environment, Good Vibrations works on a "wholly different ethos" to other music festivals, aiming to get back to the "original festival spirit, before things turned to big name drawcards and big business.

+61 (0) 8 9296 3033

Mid February-Early March

Perth International Arts Festival

Founded in 1953 by the University of West Australia, Perth's International Arts Festival is the country's oldest and largest multi-arts festival, far outreaching the city boundary that gives it its name.

+61 (0) 8 9380 2000

Early-Mid March

Sculpture by the Sea

The idea is breathtakingly simple - outdoor sculptures along the beach - and with 25,000 visitors to the first Sculpture by the Sea it was no surprise that the idea spread.+61 (0) 8 9483 1111

Early March

Flickerfest International Short Film Festival

Flickerfest, Australia's premier annual short film festival, is an Oscar Academy accredited festival which tours the country after being seen at Sydney's Bondi Beach Pavilion. Here it arrives at Perth's Camelot Outdoor Cinema.  In addition to the annual focus on Australian shorts, the festival offers an international competition - entries have come from as far afield as Romania, Thailand and Brazil -documentary programs, an Oscars program and a retrospective at the work of major directors.

+61 (0) 8 9385 1777

Early October-November

Western Australia Pride

Western Australia Pride opens with Fairday and ends with the Pride Parade and Party. Events also cover theatre, music, visual arts, film, community activities and public forums.

+61 (0) 8 9324 1310

Late December-Early January

Hyundai Hopman Cup

Recognized by the International Tennis Federation as an "Official Team Competition," the Hopman Cup welcomes teams of two players - one male, one female - from the world's leading tennis nations. Over the eight days of the tournament at the Burswood Dome there are both men and women's singles matches, as well as mixed doubles.

Mid-October is the date for the official draw of the nine teams. The eighth and ninth-ranked teams play off for a position in the main draw, which is divided into two seeded groups of four, with the winning team of each draw meeting in the final.

+61 (0) 8 9362 7777