To bring a little musical joy to the Harbour City through the cooler months, Sydney’s historic waterside precinct The Rocks is once again transforming Thursday evenings into a free, open-air jazz experience – with Jazz Sessions in The Rocks returning for its third year in 2026.
Running from Thursday May 7 until Thursday September 24, the series will take over The Rocks Square each week, delivering intimate live performances set against cobblestone laneways and heritage buildings in the heart of Sydney.
Curated in partnership with SIMA (Sydney Improvised Music Association), the program spotlights Australia’s thriving contemporary jazz scene, with a rotating monthly line-up of artists. The opening month features standout acts including the Harley Coleman Trio and Billie McCarthy, with new performers announced at the start of each month to keep things fresh, spontaneous and ever-evolving.
Event times (every Thursday)
6:30pm – 7:15pm – First set
7:15pm – 7:30pm – Interval
7:30pm – 8:15pm – Second set
8:30pm – Event concludes
To complement the music, visitors can explore a range of nearby food and drink offerings across The Rocks, from fiery Thai at Snake Bark, freshly shucked oysters at Hooked & Harvest, and classic Italian at Sicilian. Pisa Slice will also be serving a $10 slice and soft drink combo every Thursday, while a pop-up bar will be pouring everything from mulled wine to and Spicy Mango Margaritas.
Free entry. No bookings required. Sign us up. Find out more over...
The cooler climate brings with it a wave of international bands and acts that are heading our way thanks to Byron’s Splendour in the Grass festival. It’s also the best time of the year to catch one-off parties and big names at Sydney Opera House and Carriageworks as part of Vivid’s music line-up. Don’t let the temperature drop stop you from catching this season’s best live music. Here are our picks of the best gigs to see in Sydney from June till August.
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