Many pubs and clubs have gone with a ticketed food and drink package style event for the day in order to keep control of numbers.

While COVID-19 capacity restrictions still remain in place, punters will be free to jump up out of their seats with excitement as standing while drinking is now allowed.

The day will be the first major public event for new brewery Modus Merewether after opening at the end of lockdown a few weeks ago.

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The brewhouse held its grand opening for a selection of guests last week. The event was canape style but they are doing a three course seated menu for the Cup.

"We'll have the race on eight screens and about 180 people, we're pretty much booked out," venue manager Scott Clarke said.

"We're excited to have so many people in, and to have this sort of setup which is multi-course."

Mr Clarke said people who had visited over the past few weeks had commented on how glad they were to be out and about again after a long lockdown.

"This could be the first time people are seeing each other [since lockdown], we did see that at the opening," he said.

"People were saying it's so good to be at something, hopefully that's a feeling we can continue for the Cup.

"We're super excited."

The Young Street Hotel is holding a charity event for their Melbourne Cup Day celebrations complete with a fashion parade in the garden.

With restrictions lifted on seated drinking, the popular Carrington pub's event will be held cocktail style with roaming seating. Ten per cent of proceeds from tickets will also go to local charity Got Your Back Sista.

The Prince of Merewether will also hold a packaged event - a grazing style offering upstairs and a three course seafood menu downstairs in the restaurant.

"Upstairs will be more the younger, rowdy crowd," managing director Ty Burford said.

Mr Byford said anyone who hadn't made a booking was advised to arrive early.

"Upstairs is booked out, and the restaurant is booked out," he said. "Obviously we're still heavily restricted so we have to make the most with what we've got."

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