From Thursday, March 5th until Sunday, March 8th Jack Daniel’s is hosting a bunch of events around Melbourne to celebrate race week.

Melbourne’s premier race week is returning this March, and you don’t need a trackside wristband to get swept up in the action. Jack Daniel’s is taking the party off-track with a handful of loud, fun, and free experiences across the racing long weekend. If your plans involve big screens, live and free music and a night out in St Kilda, this one’s for you.

Jack’s Street Party

First stop: Middle Park Hotel, where Jack Daniel’s is hosting Jack’s Street Party from Thursday, March 5th to Sunday, March 8th. Races will be streamed on screens, DJs will be spinning tunes, and a pop-up bar and snacks will be available to keep you set for the day.

The venue is also undergoing a full makeover, with Jack Daniel’s, one of McLaren’s official partners, paying tribute to the iconic McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team. Replica team uniforms and helmets will be on display around the pub, plus games, competitions, and prizes will be up for grabs. The sweet spot is Jack’s Hour, taking place from 5–6pm daily. There’ll be drink specials, merch giveaways and a major prize drawn, including a driver-signed copy of a bespoke McLaren x Jack Daniel’s x Melbourne artwork created by artist Glen Downey.

Jack’s Bus 

Jack’s Bus will be parked at Middle Park during the day for on-board sessions from 12–3pm, featuring a welcome cocktail, tastings, exclusive merch and maybe even a few surprises. Once the day wraps, the bus shifts into evening mode, shuttling punters between Middle Park Hotel and The Espy in St Kilda, where even more fun begins. 

Jack’s Karaoke

At The Espy, Jack’s Karaoke is taking over the Engine Room with a live-band karaoke competition running across the weekend. Thursday, March 5 and Friday, March 6, are practice sessions to warm up the ol’ vocal cords. Saturday is qualifiers, where four finalists are hand-selected for their 15 minutes of fame, and Sunday is the final countdown, AKA, The Loudest Lap. One winner will take home $5,000 (plus the glory of fronting a band for a night), and everyone who performs scores a Jack Daniel’s prize pack. Not bad. 

Jack’s Garage

Jack’s Garage in the Gershwin Room is four straight nights of free live music that celebrates the best Australian acts. Electronic duo The Presets kick off the weekend on Thursday night, indie rockers Slowly Slowly take to the stage on Friday, and DJ Anna Lunoe brings the dancefloor energy on Saturday. To round out the racing weekend, triple j Hottest 100 2026 runner-up Keli Holiday performs his hits on Sunday. All four gigs are free to attend by RSVPing, but still, it’s first in, best dressed. If the room hits capacity before you can nab tickets, the sets will be broadcast on screens throughout the rest of the venue, so you can still catch the show with your mates and cheers to race week. 

Jack’s Pit Stop at Crown Casino

If you’re the type who likes your weekend plans with a side of prizes, Crown Melbourne is also getting in on the action. The Pub, Sports Bar and Jackpot will transform into Jack’s Pit Stop. Head to the casino on the weekend and you could be in with a chance to win a trip to Las Vegas (and nab a Jack Daniel’s Pit Crew customisable t-shirt), with the purchase of any Jack Daniel’s product. 

Make the most of the March weekend and head to Jack Daniel’s race week events to experience the adrenaline rush outside of the track.