Things to do in Sydney today

Budget conscious movie fans, this one’s for you. For the fourth year running, Darling Quarter’s free open-air cinema is back – complete with dog-friendly seating and high-quality headphones for crystal-clear audio.Kicking off this Thursday, January 8, the free open-air cinema will run on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until January 25, with the varied film program featuring big releases and old-school favourites. Through a new partnership with HBO Max, this year's program features family faves like The Wizard of Oz and Space Jam alongside newer hits like Superman, Fantastic Beasts, and A Minecraft Movie.  Though screenings are free, it’s worth booking a place – with free unallocated seating and beanbags available to hire for an extra $10. This year’s movie experience sees the upgrade of all new headphones, meaning you don’t have to worry about the ambience of the area impacting your audio experience (though sound will be played through large outdoor speakers too). For a cinema snack, moviegoers can order Click and Collect from some of Darling Quarter’s fave eateries – including Churrascaria, Dopa and Gelatissimo.  With a flat evening parking rate of $21 per car, this is hands down one of the most affordable cinema experiences you can have in the Harbour City. Keen to spend those extra dollars on another movie-style experience? Darling Harbour’s magical carousel is a short walk from the cinema, you’re welcome.You can learn more and reserve tickets over here. Stay...

Somebody pop the Champagne, because the world's most beautiful outdoor cinema will be back by the harbourside, running over 47 nights from January 9 to February 24 – and tickets are now on sale. Westpac OpenAir will once again take over Mrs Macquaries Point this summer, with panoramic views of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge as its staggering backdrop.  The line-up features everything from old-school hits to cult classics and brand-new Aussie debuts, including films like Dirty Dancing, Marty Supreme, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Hamnet and 10 Things I Hate About You. You can check out the full program here.  Meanwhile, there’s more than just iconic views and the latest blockbusters in store, with a bunch of excellent food and drink offerings available for every budget. Think fresh seafood and Spritzes at The Chandon Garden, a lush waterfront restaurant by acclaimed chef Danielle Alvarez called Summer House Dining, and a classy dining terrace for Westpac customers. A heads-up that you’ll need to book your spot in advance.Just after a sundowner? Then order a beer (or an entire bottle of Champagne, ice bucket and all) and settle in for a film screening projected on the huge 350-square-metre, three-storey-high screen that lights up as night falls over the harbour.  If you really want a run-up for the view, take a stroll through the Royal Botanic Gardens on your way to the cinema (but word to the wise, don't leave it too late, lest you be caught...

Looking for an affordable, culturally-enriching day out in the Harbour City? We’ve got you. To help Sydneysiders and visitors make the most of the city, Transport for NSW has launched a totally free, super insightful walking itinerary that you can use for a car-free day out in town, and we reckon it’s a pretty solid guide to your next day out.You can use Transport for NSW’s Walks Near Me map to follow the Sydney Culture Walk itinerary that links Sydney’s favourite cultural institutions.  This is a great thing to do, whether you want to be a tourist in your own town, you’re a visitor here, or you have kids to entertain (and tire out) during the school holidays.  First up, head to the Sydney Culture Walk landing page and map out your route. If you’re keen to really capitalise on cultural insights, kick off your journey at Circular Quay station’s brand-new ‘Culture Station’ (you’ll find it beneath the train platforms, just opposite Wharf 5), where the team can offer advice, pamphlets and tickets. From there, the Sydney Culture Walk will unfurl like your own personalised greatest-hits playlist of Sydney’s cultural scene. Not sure where to head? Below is your cheat sheet to the star stops – but the Walks Near Me platform will help guide your way: Sydney Opera House Art Gallery of New South Wales State Library of NSW Hyde Park Barracks Australian Museum Sydney Observatory RELATED READ: 9 must-see landmarks on a self-guided walking tour across SydneyYou’ll find the full Sydney...

Jay Gatsby invites you into the decadent world of The Green Light, nestled inside The Studio theatre of the Sydney Opera House, where the roaring '20s is reborn for an evening of decadence, debauchery and delight. Gatsby at the Green Light is back by popular demand and, with an extended run until March 2026, there’s clearly a demand for cabaret with a touch of elegance and plenty of grandeur.  What type of show is Gatsby at the Green Light? Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic text, The Great Gatsby, director Craig Ilott once more takes audiences into an exploration of the liquor-fuelled parties, yearning and lust of the illusive figure, Jay Gatsby, in an evening of professional cabaret. Ilott doesn’t so much play out the story of The Great Gatsby, but instead takes the crux of it – one of greed, love, decadence and the unreachable American Dream – to showcase some of the best talents in cabaret, aerial acrobatics, tap and circus. Set inside the fictionalised bar, The Green Light, designer Stuart Couzens creates a world that feels like you’ve stepped back into a speakeasy bar of Fitzgerald’s America. The three-tiered seating elements of Green Light mean that audiences have the choice of sitting back in the rafters and overseeing the party (much like the host himself) or the middle of the space set far enough back to see all but not be so close as to feel the intimacy of the stage.  Those who want to hear the heartbeat of the waiter-come-dancers around you, feel the heat...

The Art Gallery of New South Wales is one of our fave places to hang out year-round – and this December it welcomes a banging new exhibition from Melbourne-born artist Ron Mueck. Ron Mueck: Encounter is the artist’s largest exhibition ever in Australia, bringing together a stunning selection of his hyperreal human sculptures from around the globe.  The life-like and scaled up sculptures aim to challenge perceptions by offering a profound and observational look at the human experience. Grounded in realism, the captivating figures tenderly embody themes such as birth, death, alienation and togetherness.  After making his start in children’s television, Mueck trained under Jim Henson (The Muppets) in puppeteering and model making where he made a name for himself on major projects including Sesame Street and the film Labyrinth. Soon after he relocated to London to run his own animatronic studio, before finding his way to figurative sculptures in the late ‘90s and revitalising the medium.  Ron Mueck: Encounter runs daily from December 6 to April 12, 10am–5pm, and until 10pm on Wednesday nights, as part of the Sydney International Art Series, a government initiative that teams up with Destination NSW to bring the world’s most prolific artists exclusively to Sydney. Tickets are $35 for adults on weekdays, $37 on weekends and public holidays, with two-for-one Art After Hours deals on Wednesday evenings, or $45 flexi tickets (which are un-dated single entry tickets). You can book...