So long summer, it’s been swell (when it wasn’t raining. Which was, well, most of the time). The so-called sunny season may have come to an end, but the first week of autumn is easing us into the seasonal change with a bumper week of good times. You can take your pick of our full list of great Sydney activities here, but to keep you streamlined, we’ve cherry-picked a few of the best things to do this week so you don't have to.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
With the big parade spectacular set to paint the SGC all the colours of the rainbow this weekend, it's a great week to catch a few of the shows, talks, exhibitions and more already taking place across town. Check out our round-up of the best of the fest, then pick a venue where you can watch the parade in style on March 6.
Undressing Hollywood at the Vanguard
Helmed by Sydney’s queen of burlesque, Porcelain Alice, this titillating cabaret extravaganza celebrates the glamour, glitz and gorgeousness of the golden age of cinema, with a daring, queer twist. The show’s first season, during this year’s Sydney Festival, quickly sold out, so be sure to snag your ticket while you can. There are two performances this coming Thursday, March 4, at 6pm and 9pm.
No Show at Carriageworks
Sydney’s home of experimental and contemporary art is staging one of the largest exhibitions since its near-death experience last year during the national shutdown. There are 11 artist-led shows to experience, including interactive and digital works that blur the lines between passive observer and active participant. Best of all, it’s absolutely free to enter.
Alliance Française French Film Festival
Francophiles can look forward to a month of great French cinema, as picture houses across the city play host to a program of the best of contemporary French-language filmmaking. This year’s line-up is the debut program of the newly installed artistic director Karine Mauri, featuring performances from some of France's greatest screen luminaries, including Isabelle Huppert, Monica Bellucci, Gérard Depardieu and Omar Sy.
Playing Beatie Bow at the Wharf Theatre
Sydney Theatre Company’s home in Walsh Bay has just been reborn following more than two years of refurbishments. To christen the revamped digs, which included major upgrades to the theatre space, Kate Mulvany has adapted the much-loved novel by Ruth Park into a new Australian play. This time-travelling exploration of spells and spae wives in 19th-century Sydney is a touching study of womanhood through a historical lens.
Chat Thai – Westfield
Sydney’s Thai cuisine, as it exists in the city’s mainstream culinary scene now, has been shaped by a small handful of eateries. One of those is the Chat Thai restaurant group, which has been turning out incredible dishes for more than three decades. Their latest CBD outpost could be an ideal pit stop during your next big shopping trip to the city.