Centennial Parklands – a lush, green oasis in the city spanning Moore Park, Queens Park and Centennial Park – is set to host even more epic music festivals, as well as major cultural and sporting celebrations throughout the year, with the NSW Government officially increasing the cap for large-scale events from eight to twelve.
Minister for the Arts and Night-time Economy John Graham says the government’s decision to lift the cap is “part of our agenda to restore Sydney back to its 2000 Olympics heyday, where our events and nightlife were the envy of the world.”
The new cap is slated to come into effect ahead of the 2026 events calendar, and to that we say: hello, (more) summertime fun.
Located in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, 4km from the CBD, Centennial Park has played host to a bunch of world-class artists and bands over the years, including Bob Dylan, James Brown, INXS, Flume and Tame Impala, as well as hosting festivals such as Listen Out, Good Things Festival and Tropfest, with Laneway Festival 2026 set to be held there too.
Minister Graham added: “We’re lifting the cap on good times, outdoor events and opportunities for artists and workers. Centennial Park is one of the most beautiful and versatile parklands in the world, and this is a sensible boost in its capacity to host a great day out.”
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The government’s decision aims to help boost Sydney’s economy and night-time vibrancy, as well as lower costs for festival organisers, while ensuring adequate measures are in place to manage traffic, noise and protect the parklands.
“With more events occurring, we are encouraging the opportunity for events to go back to back over a single weekend. That means they can share infrastructure and reduce costs, which should mean lower costs for event organisers and the public. It’s a very practical way of keeping costs down,” Minister Graham said.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully added: “This is about making Sydney a truly 24-hour city – vibrant, welcoming and full of life.”
The lifting of the events cap at Centennial Park comes off the back of last year’s lift at the SCG precinct, which saw the cap increase from an average of four to 20 events a year. This is all part of the government’s vibrancy reform, which has also seen more than 20 local councils establish Special Entertainment Precincts, ending single serial noise complaints, extending trading hours for venues that host live entertainment, scrapping the 5km sign-in rule at clubs and providing $14.9 million in Uptown Grants to support entertainment hubs and local businesses in Sydney.
This is all to say: while at times it feels like Sydney’s nightlife isn’t what it used to be, people – and thankfully the government – are committed to turning things around, and this is another step in the right direction.
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