Around The Rocks

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...

How does happiness impact the body? It’s a question that’s crossed all of our minds at one time or another: floating in the ocean or gloriously exhausted after a long run around the city. This year, a globally-renowned exhibition dedicated to answering that question is landing in Sydney. Body Worlds: The Anatomy of Happiness will open in The Rocks on September 17, inviting visitors to explore the links between physical health, emotions and overall wellbeing. Created by plastination pioneer Dr Gunther von Hagens and curated by Dr Angelina Whalley, this blockbuster exhibition explores what happiness actually looks like inside the human body. Through real donated human specimens, interactive displays and multimedia installations, you'll discover how everything from stress and resilience to movement, ageing and social connection leaves its mark on our anatomy. Highlights include an Anatomical Mirror that lets you see where your organs sit inside your own body, side-by-side healthy and diseased organs, brain health displays exploring conditions like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, and a photographic series examining longevity across 100 years of life. Since launching, Body Worlds has attracted more than 58 million visitors across 175 cities worldwide, with more than 270,000 Australians already stepping inside the exhibition during its stints in Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne. Tickets start from $35 for adults and $20 for children, with general sales opening on July 29. Keen to get...