Things to do in Sydney today

Sydney is a city known for its coastline, so it makes sense that Australia’s largest cultural and science event for the ocean would take place on our sparkly shores.  Running until the end of March, Sydney’s Ocean Lovers Festival is back with a month-long celebration of wellness, culture, food, film, art and outdoor adventures – and this year it’s not just taking over Bondi, it’s a Sydney-wide celebration of the sea. Whether you’re looking for a sunrise yoga session, a beach clean session, an ocean-related film premiere or a hands-on creative workshop, there’s a whole lot to dive into (pardon the pun), with most events free or low-cost. On Friday, 6 March, events are kicking off with a Women Making Waves Harbour Cruise, spotlighting women driving change in ocean science, sport and sustainability.The launch weekend fun will carry on in Manly, with sunrise yoga by the cove, breathwork, the Ocean Discovery Zone for kids, and the Big Manly Beach Clean (Sunday, March 8). The next week will keep encouraging Sydneysiders to get outdoors, with the Seabirds to Seascapes Cruise on March 11 taking curious ocean lovers on a harbour tour that blends wildlife education, conservation and v good coastal views. Keen to keep moving? Paddle into sunrise with the Eco Kayak Tour (March 14) by Sydney By Kayak, or join for the behind-the-scenes Living Seawalls Tour (March 15) showcasing Sydney’s innovative marine habitats. The Ocean Lovers Festival Bondi Weekend (March 21-22) will be packed with...

In the current online climate, we're all rolling around in the screen-fuelled dystopia of the AI-verse, and things are feeling pretty weird. Strangely convincing videos and eerily-real (yet not quite) photos have taken over the internet, and with it, our collective perception of reality. Whether it's the current US President or your mum, there are few folks on the planet today who aren't grappling with the inane and mysterious powers of artificial intelligence. It is this truth that has launched the MCA's groundbreaking exhibition, aptly titled Data Dreams: Art and AI, an immersive and first-of-its-kind art show that is sweeping through a series of interconnected gallery spaces in the MCA until April 27, 2026. Featuring the groundbreaking works of ten otherwordly artists from all around the world, Data Dreams is setting itself up to be a guide to cut through the misinformation and brainrot so frequently associated with AI. Through immersive installations, AI-films and hallucinatory imagery, the exhibition aims to spark your curiosity, challenge your thinking and ponder what to expect from the years to come.  You'll be pointed through Big Questions, like how technology influences power, how our algorithims are shaping each of our individual world views, and how to navigate an illusory "reality".  The artists asking you to expand your mind come from all over, and each of them have something very fascinating to say. From palawa artist Angie Abdilla's work 'Meditation on...

Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum (soon to be plural) might technically have its doors closed right now, but the programming team isn't letting up. From Sydney Observatory’s Sunset Variations lighting up Friday nights to a lunar celebration timed to a rare blood moon, they’ve brought a solid selection of gems to the city’s cultural calendar this summer – and now they’re adding a delightfully left-of-field photography exhibition to the mix. From March 3-26, Powerhouse and the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner will present NSW at Night, a punchy new photography exhibition lighting up Parliament House’s Fountain Court. The collection is formed of freshly commissioned works by four standout NSW photographers capturing the people, places and pulse that define life after dark – from inner-city Sydney to Western Sydney, Wollongong and the Northern Rivers. Six-time Walkley winner Andrew Quilty has turned his lens to Sydney’s train network, finding poetry in commuters suspended between where they’ve been and where they’re headed. Northern Rivers-based photographer Tajette O’Halloran has documented youth culture and rites of passage in the region, while Illawarra-based Anthony Rigby-Smith has deep dived into the sweat, camaraderie and endorphin highs of Wollongong’s evening run clubs. Meanwhile, Jade D’Amico has embedded themself in Sydney’s music and club scene, bottling the movement, colour and gorgeous chaos of a night out in the city. The result is an intimate, unfiltered...

Wael Shawky’s sweeping operatic film exhibition Drama 1882 will make its Australian premiere at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Australia, bringing one of the most talked-about works from the 2024 Venice Biennale to Sydney audiences. Originally presented at the Egyptian Pavilion of the Venice Biennale, Drama 1882 drew international acclaim for its ambition, scale and emotional power. Now at the MCA from March 5 to June 29, this 45-minute film installation unfolds across eight meticulously crafted scenes, sung entirely in classical Arabic and brought to life by more than 150 Egyptian performers.  Directed, choreographed and composed by Shawky (b. 1971, Egypt), the work was filmed inside a historic theatre in Alexandria, adding further depth and authenticity to its cinematic grandeur. Ever heard about the Urabi Revolution? This populist uprising against British imperialism took place 1879-1882 in Egypt – and Drama 1882 revisits this historic period. It begins with a seemingly small altercation in a café between a donkey owner and a Maltese man; this incident spirals into a chain of events culminating in more than 70 years of British colonial rule.  Blending historical fact with speculation and fiction, Shawky reimagines this pivotal moment through music, choreography and lavish theatrical staging, inviting audiences to question how history is told – and by whom. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and...

Hate supermarket shopping? You’ll love browsing these aisles of The Grocery Store – an exhibition of inedible goods instead. This fake supermarket is packed with very real food-themed art and it’s the most fun grocery run you’ll ever do. Get to Marrickville's Voluptuary Ceramics studio for this immersive, retro-kitsch exhibition. More than 20 Australian artists have reimagined everyday supermarket staples into covetable artworks through ceramics, sculpture, photography, painting, print and textiles. Nothing is edible; everything is collectible.  Wander the aisles to find ceramic milk cartons, oil-painted mangoes, pasta clocks, glittering fish combs and even asparagus wall hooks. It’s surreal, it's tongue-in-cheek, it's the mundane made magnificent. New works are being added throughout the run, so no two visits are quite the same. The exhibition runs daily until March 15 and entry is free. Find out more here.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED:  Want more? These are the best art galleries in Sydney to visit Make a day of it with these fun things to do in Marrickville  Grab a bite later at any of the Marrickville restaurants on this list