The Trail starts at 10am and finishes at 6pm on Saturday and 10am until 5pm on Sunday the 13th and 14th of September, and consists of easy-walking loops around the central streets of Melbourne.  The public streets are all wheelchair-friendly, but many of the buildings, particularly the private homes are not.  A special Easy Access Trail will be marked for visitors with restricted mobility.  The Trail can be started at any point, but you will need an Entry Badge and a Trail Guide. These can be purchased for £3.50, (under 16's free if accompanied by an adult), at the ticket points,or from the programme sellers roaming the streets.  The Festival Committee has made special arrangements with business in Melbourne for the use of their parking facilities in this busy village.  

The Trail Guide consists of a map of Melbourne with Festival sites marked.  The Entry Badge is a pass to get into all the houses and halls free of charge.  In the main, visiting professional artists are being hosted in rooms made available in private houses, which are never open to the public.  Most of the houses are of historic significance, and this information is also contained in the Trail Guide, as is the name and speciality of the artists and their contact details.   The artists work, which ranges from paintings of course, to sculpture, textiles, ceramics, jewellry, millinery and corsets, is for sale.   In addition to individual professional artists, the Festival is also hosting a number of professional Art & Craft Groups, an Open Exhibition for local amateur artists and craftsmen and women, as well as work by the local Melbourne Adult Education Art Class.

The Trail Guide also contains details of all performances, guided tours, exhibitions, photography shows, demonstrations and special church services and other events taking place during the day, which are free for all who have an Entry Badge .  Finally, the location of the local pubs and, crucially, toilet facilities are also marked on the Trail Guide.