Sydney Events and Festivals

Sydney Festival: Australia’s premier cultural event brings the world’s finest music, dance, theatre and art together for a massive extravaganza. Free concerts, open-air cinema and many other events keep the city buzzing for days on end.

Australia Day: Darling Harbour is the place to be for one of the biggest parties of the year. Sailing regattas, food, drink and three stages filled with music and other entertainment fill the days. A parade of tall ships cruises the harbour at dusk, and night brings a stunning laser, lights and fireworks show that rivals anything on earth.

Sydney New Mardi Grad: one of the world’s largest gay pride parties happens every summer in Sydney. Fun and festive events are planned throughout the entire month, culminating with a massive parade and wild party. This is by far one of the most entertaining and uninhibited events of the year.

Darling Harbour Hoopla: marking the Easter period, Darling Harbour becomes the site of some amazing outdoor circus and street theatre performances. Acrobats, clowns and daredevils show their skills to the audience throughout the event and workshops are offered for those who want to learn arts like knife juggling.

National Trust Heritage Festival: this unique festival celebrates everything Australian. More than 250 events are planned to highlight the heritage of Sydney, many of them cultural. From concerts at the Opera House to Art Deco tours of the famous Grace Hotel, there is plenty of interesting things for visitors to do during this month-long festival.

Greek Festival: this important facet of the city’s multicultural population is celebrated each year at Darling Harbour. Anything related to Greek culture is on display, from great food to traditional dances. Thousands of people come to this hugely popular event to enjoy the wonderful influence the Greeks have had on Sydney’s society.

A Taste of Manly: this popular food and wine festival draws big crowds to Manly Beach to enjoy specially created cuisine and excellent local wine. Jazz concerts accompany the fun as nearly 20 restaurants and wineries showcase their finest. Roving street entertainers, camel rides on the beach and other fun activities add to the experience.

Darling Harbour Jazz and Blues Festival: every year, the beautiful backdrop of Darling Harbour hosts some of the best jazz and blues bands around. Every genre is covered during this excellent musical event, and there’s even a fireworks show to top it off.

Sydney Film Festival: Australia’s premier international film festival is a big deal in Sydney. It’s been happening since 1954, and continues to show innovative cinema to appreciative audiences. The venues - State Theatre and Dendy Opera Quays - have loads of charisma to back up the films.

Wine Australia at Darling Harbour: more than 350 wineries from around the country converge on Sydney to share their products and knowledge. Visitors can enjoy tastings from every wine growing region, buy hard to find bottles of wine and chat with winemakers over the course of this three-day event.

Sydney Garden and Flower Show: the best gardeners around Sydney and the region come to the city to showcase their finest creations. The displays alone are worth a visit, but if you want to learn the tricks of the trade there are several workshops planned as well.

Manly International Jazz Festival: this hot annual jazz festival has been serving up the goods since 1978. Five outdoor stages feature musicians from all over the world, and most of the town’s bars and theatres have additional shows late into the night.

Manly Arts Festival: local art is the theme of this fun and friendly festival in the seaside town of Manly. The Manly Art Gallery is the centre of the action, featuring exhibits, film screenings and other events. Other venues around town tie into the festival with concerts, theatre performances and other cultural activities.

Australian International Motor Show: if you are a fan of automobiles, then October is your month to visit Sydney. Topping the long list of automotive events is this huge motor show which features the hottest cars in production along with accessory vendors and just about anything related to cars.

Sculpture by the Sea: during this fun annual event, sculptures from more than 100 Australian and international artists are displayed at Bondi Beach. The coastal path which runs from Bondi to Tamarama is literally lined with these pieces of art, inviting nearly half a million visitors each year to soak in the magical atmosphere.

Falls Festival: for music lovers who enjoy seeking out alternative tunes, the Falls Festival brings the best Australian indie bands to Sydney for a few days of partying and great music. If you are visiting, this is a great chance to catch some unknown local bands in action.