Wondering what to do in the city? Our list will guide you in the right direction
There's plenty to keep you entertained right now in Sydney. As the glitter settles in the wake of Sydney Mardi Gras, there's still lots of fabulous fun to have. Here are the must-dos to add to your calendar this week.
Many restrictions have lifted, with dancing, singing and nightclubs back in action. But remember to be cautious, and if you're feeling unwell, stay home and get tested.
Since many Sydneysiders are homebound or may not be vibing with heading out into the world, we also have you covered for the best things to do at home as well as the best things to do out and about, below.
We also have you covered for the best theatre in Sydney, the best art exhibitions to check out, the best new restaurants and bars in town, and outdoor cinemas for alfreso flicks.
Note: in light of changing demands, many events across Sydney are being postponed, rescheduled or cancelled. Things are changing rapidly. Always check ahead with the event organiser to see if an event or venue you're planning to attend is still open, and what precautions and conditions of entry are in place.
Our favourite parts of any city, both physical and experiential, are born from the minds of creatives. In this global summit for creative industries you can analyse the brightest minds in the colourful corners of technology, economics, business, art and more across two days of talks, debates, panels and workshops. By bringing in experts from diverse fields, Remix Sydney hopes to enhance collaboration and innovative problem-solving.
After bouncing into town for a summer of fun at the beginning of 2020, before the proverbial hit the fan on a global scale, this ridiculously oversized bouncy experience for everyone from toddlers to grown-ups to enjoy is springing back to our fair city in early 2022. The Big Bounce Australia is popping up again in Western Sydney, this time for two weekends of inflatable fun.
If you, like many of us, have been watching on with horror at the atrocities facing the people of Ukraine in recent days, it can be very hard to know how to help. Fortunately, some of Sydney's best bakers are putting on a bake sale to end all bake sales. More than 30 Sydney bakeries, cake makers and pastry legends are involved in the Bake for Ukraine Cake Auction. You can easily do your bit by submitting a bid online.
The 2022 All About Women Festival at the Opera House features 21 events including talks, panels, performances, workshops and a participatory art encounter, with more than 50 international and Australian artists, thinkers and storytellers. Outgoing Australian of the Year and outspoken advocate for survivors of sexual assault Grace Tame will speak alongside Rosie Batty. And it wouldn’t be a bonafide feminist festival without an apperance from American writer Roxane Gay, who’ll be speaking with Time Out Future Shaper Nakkiah Lui. Provocative feminist writer Clementine Ford will present a love sermon. And much more.
Are you ready to chase arty escapades around the city? The Biennale of Sydney has announced a packed program for 2022, with over 330 artworks by 89 participants and 400 events as part of this year’s edition, which will be open to the public from March 12 to June 13. The largest contemporary art event of its kind in Australia, as always, the Biennale will be free and open to the public.
What once was a one-day knees-up of music, performance and bevvies packing out the pubs and bars of the legendary King Street drag in Newtown has exploded into a three-day weekender bender. The Inner West’s annual King Street Crawl has evolved into the King Street Carnival, with the inaugural fest taking over Newtown and spilling over into the surrounding parks. A slew of new artists are now joining the fest including Young Franco, Ngaiire, Tropical Fuck Storm, King Stingray, and Budjerah.
As communities re-emerge from staying at home the NSW government has been helping neighbourhoods celebrate with The Festival of Place project. Street Festival 2140 is part of this bigger project and will be activating Homebush and Homebush West over six weekends of fun. Expect delicious treats from local eateries, rides, exciting performances and more on Henley Road and Rochester Street.
After making an earth-quaking sell-out debut between lockdowns in 2021, Big Thick Energy is back. The dates were pushed back to this weekend after the theatre sustained significant damage from heavy rains. Expect a life-affirming helping of body positivity and liberation through movement, creativity and community in the beautiful surrounds of Eternity Playhouse in Darlinghurst. This variety festival features 11 skills-sharing workshops, local artisan markets and four ferocious evenings of high-energy entertainment featuring burlesque, drag, vogue, slam poetry, freak show acts and live music.
To borrow from Dolly’s famed love of a folksy metaphor (please read with a Southern drawl), the Australian premiere of 9 to 5 the Musical is a show as subtle as a bottle blonde at a brunettes' convention, as delicate as a whoopie cushion at a wake, and hammier than a pork chop wrapped in bacon. But what this show lacks in nuance, it more than makes up for in feel-good factor. Yes, its toilet humour is basic and its narrative problematically outdated, but if you can surrender to the silly, stupid, schlocky joy of it all, you’re most definitely in for a good night.
Summer just got a whole lot steamier, with Germany’s biggest and boldest kabarett star pitching The Famous Spiegeltent at the Rocks for one hell of a party. With her infamous troupe of bombastic Bohemians in tow, Bernie Dieter is earning a throng of enthusiastic new fans with her long anticipated Sydney debut packed with funny, dark and debaucherous entertainment popping up on the foreshore of Circular Quay.
Good news culture fans: Ultimo's magnificent Powerhouse Museum is keeping the doors open after hours for Thursday evening soirées from February and through to June. If you’re feeling adventurous after you knock off work, wander over to the Powerhouse for an event program that’s a little bit educational, a little bit of a party, and very cool all over.
Slip on your sparkly ruby slippers and click your heels together three times – the immersive drag dinner show experience that has taken Oxford Street by storm is back, back, back again! Sydney superstar queens Charisma Belle, Carmen Geddit and Sia Tequila are taking you somewhere over the rainbow. The queens are off to see the wizard and they’re inviting you to follow them down the yellow brick road on a magical journey of high camp proportions when the upstairs nightclub at Universal transforms into a glittering dinner theatre – with bottomless cocktails.
It’s time to get down to Hello Kitty Town, because Japan’s most beloved export has transformed Darling Square into a wonderland dedicated to the adorable cartoon cat, and it’s in town for three whole months. There's Hello Kitty magic of every size on offer, from cute souvenirs, merch and themed eats to a gigantic five-metre Hello Kitty inflatable statue.
With over 56 events rolling out over the next few months for Inner West Fest 2022, expect laneway activations, food and drink festivals, live music in parks, circus and family-friendly activities. From February 25 until April 10 the Inner West will come alive with opportunities to reconnect with your area and community. The program is packed with goodies to mark in your diary.
You can head over to the historic Elizabeth Bay House in Sydney’s east to join in on a real-life immersive murder mystery game. You have an hour and a half to search for clues, interrogate suspects and unmask the true murderer – can you do it?
The Australian Museum is keeping its lights on late till the end of June with a stellar lineup of beats and exhibitions to explore after hours – and general admission is free. Every Thursday you can gain after-dark access to the museum’s fascinating collections and exhibitions. There'll also be a pop-up bar, atmospheric lounge area and live music acts.
Everyone's favourite party circus, basement dwelling Ramblin' Rascals are all grown up and shifting gears. Yes, the debauchery remains, but after nearly a decade of liver-smashing, whiskey shooting and rollicking party intensity, the team is letting some of Sydney's finest musos take charge by putting on gigs every dang week with a revolving line up of local acts, so there's a little something to please everyone.
Darling Harbour's beautiful hidden garden has been lit up in an immersive world of lights, colour and natural splendour, transforming the tranquil sanctuary of the Chinese Garden of Friendship in the heart of the city into a digital art playground. Using augmented reality technology, the heritage-listed gardens have been transformed into a reflection of the four seasons.
If you solemnly believe summer is all about enjoying good food, great cocktails by the water then have we got the Sunday sesh for you. Casa Aperol is about to be your tropical-themed, balmy evening go-to. Popping up in Empire Lounge – a stunning venue that literally juts into the water – this event ticks off more than a few boxes on your summer vibes checklist.
Feel like enjoying a film in a park, on a rooftop, or by the water? From blockbusters to tearjerkers, rom-coms to thrillers, you can catch them all in the great outdoors across the city thanks to a proliferation of popcorn-offering spots popping up across the city. Bring a rug and some snacks (or buy them from handy pop-up eateries) and settle in with the fam, a mate, or a date – some cinemas will even let you bring your dog!
Slide on your glass slippers and get ready for a feast that will leave you feeling happily ever after. Affordable fine dining favourite Nel has announced the third chapter of of its hugely popular Disney-themed degustation. ‘Once Upon a Time’ involves eleven dishes with a nostalgia-inducing creative touch.
Sydney's dedicated contemporary Asian art gallery has done it again, with a multidimensional and multilevel exhibition of contemporary art that will transport you through various worlds and sensations. Big in China hands the power to Asian artists to speculate on the peculiarities of Western customs and trends. These artists bring intriguing perspectives to how we process our ever-globalised world.
Matisse: Life & Spirit, Masterpieces from the Centre Pompidou presents the largest collection of the revered painter’s joyous work to ever wing its way to Sydney, with thanks to the world-famous Parisian home of contemporary art. You’ll be able to soak up the spirit-lifting sight of more than 100 of his brilliantly inventive creations – plus a companion exhibition that hands the brush to current artists.
After three months under stay-at-home orders, you're probably ready for a post-lockdown pampering, and it just so happens we know just the places that can sort you out. Whether you want to go all-in for transformative results or you're just in the market for a brief spot of me-time, Sydney's palaces of self-rejuvenation have you covered.
You’ve got to hand it to Sydney’s bars for digging deep and weathering one hell of a proverbial storm. The resilience that the hospitality industry has shown deserves a standing ovation and with reopenings (and grand openings) on the horizon, there's never been a better time to get out and support the bars, pubs and clubs that are the heartbeat of our town. Make your way down our list.
Sydney is home to some pretty fascinating museums, places where you can learn about ships, time, military history, society, the police force and more. Rain or shine, head out on a journey of discovery at these all-weather-friendly houses of knowledge. You'll learn about fascinating natural histories, scientific endeavours, design innovations and the many surprising stories that have made this city everything it is today.
Seeing as Picnic Season has replaced Festival Season we figured it might as well be done in style and thankfully, a bunch of Sydney's best restaurants are on board too. We've rounded up some of the top picnic hampers that can take your next alfresco luncheon from good to great.
As Sydney waits out the remaining restrictions of the Delta lockdown, picnics are back on. Yep, up to five fully vaccinated adults can gather to enjoy a sanga in the sunshine. Check out our list of top picnic spots, and don't worry, we've done the research on if there’s parking, toilets and barbecues available.
Public pools across NSW have permission to reopen from September 27, so lap it up! Tucked away in CBD parks, a stone's throw from the harbour and in quiet suburban parks, these superb swimming spots have got your back(stroke). Many are open under strict "swim and go" rules, meaning lap swimmers will be happy, but loungers and sunbathers will need to look elsewhere to make a splash. Also check out Sydney’s ocean pools.
From easy breezy coastal walks to half-day bush hikes and multi-day expeditions, Sydney’s blessed with many different walking paths that’ll suit amblers of all abilities. Take a look at our list of 13 walks in Sydney that’ll take you over dramatic sandstone cliffs, cobbled stone paths, sandy inlets and well-trodden boardwalks.
Love art? Enjoy a bracing stroll? Well, we've got good news for any Sydneysiders looking to combine their cardio with a little culture. Our streets are positively littered, in the very best way, with incredible public artworks and street art hotspots you can enjoy during your outdoor exercise.
When it comes to culinary oneupmanship, there is perhaps no medium more perfect for showboating chefs than the hamburger. Taking the simple formula of a patty in a bun to bizarre new heights, the most audacious examples are towering stacks that seem to flip the bird to gravity, moderation, and the line between the main course and dessert.
Whether you're looking to go for a run, walk your dog, have a sedate picnic or just take a break from your four walls, these are the parks to visit. They have sprawling open spaces, free barbecues and shaded spots to while away an afternoon or simply catch a break at lunchtime.
You might think that the difference between a park and garden is just a matter of semantics, but in truth, they’re different spaces. Parks are all about activity and versatility – they can become whatever we need them to be. Gardens on the other hand offer carefully curated experiences.
During Sydney's lockdowns in 2020, outdoor gyms were off-limits. However, the City of Sydney has announced that public playgrounds and outdoor fitness areas will remain open during the current lockdown. Check out these open-air playgrounds for grown-ups and get a side of nature with your next sweat sesh.
We're spoilt for choice when it comes to beautiful running routes in this city. Any one of these 13 options will guarantee the pounding of trainers on solid ground won’t be the only thing getting your blood pumping. Lace up and conquer these lakeside, seaside and parkside runs in Sydney.
