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 hosting free jazz performances every Thursday throughout autumn and winter – with live performances by musicians from around Australia. Jazz Sessions in The Rocks will run from 6pm until 8.30pm every Thursday from Thursday, April 3 until Thursday, September 25 – so there’s plenty of time to catch the star-lit shows.  Want to keep the music going? From 8.30pm until 10.30pm every Thursday, ocal distillery Hickson House Distilling Co  will be hosting a later-night jazz set, and serving up an excellent dinner deal: $35 for a signature cheeseburger and fries, paired with a masterfully crafted gin and tonic. The line-up so far includes harmonic duo Aaron Flower and Kate Wadey, the dynamic vocalist Leah Berry and Sydney-based ensemble Zodiac Quartet.The events are free to attend and there’s no need to book. You can learn more over 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 evening entertainment? These are the best bars and pubs in Sydney for live music. And these are the best shows to catch in Sydney this month. Need fun now? Here’s what’s on in Sydney this week

Winter is well and truly here. The shortest day of the year has come and gone, and temperatures are oscillating between beach-worthy and sub-Antarctic. If you want to embrace festive energy this winter, we’ve got just the thing.  Sydney’s beloved Christmas in July Festival will be coming back to The Rocks this July, this time with a magical alfresco cinema, more than 80 twinkling Christmas trees, a European-style winter market and a laneway with real falling snow. The Rocks Christmas in July Festival has transformed the harbour-side precinct in the past, but this year, the program is stepping up its game – with the beloved winter markets back and better than ever, and some super special new additions. The key addition to the festival for this year is the Fire Pit Cinema, a first-of-its-kind winter open-air cinema experience. Here, guests will get to watch classic Christmas movies next to cosy private fire pits while roasting marshmallows and getting giddy on mulled wine and festive vibes. Book a fire pit for yourself and your friends and snuggle up under the blankets with a steaming hot chocolate for a cinematic night under the stars.  On the food front, the market will be home to more than 20 pop-up restaurants serving up your favourite European winter fare: everything from melted raclette to golden schnitzels and sugar-dusted crêpes.  Alongside the cinema and markets, Sydneysiders can expect to find a laneway laced with falling snow, and The Rocks will be illuminated by...

In France, Bastille Day is a day of revolution and feisty celebrations. In Sydney, it’s about all that too – but also, cheese. Lots and lots of cheese. In this year’s case it's also about cabaret shows, wine tours, acrobatics displays and a lot of live music. Vive la révolution! The four-day line-up of fêtes and activités will be unfolding beneath the banner of the Bastille Festival, a free, four-day celebration of the diverse culinary and cultural regions of France, whose major festival takeover of Sydney’s foreshore will be happening across The Rocks to Circular Quay, from Thursday, July 17 until Sunday, July 20.Unsurprisingly, foodies are especially well catered for here – expect French street-food favourites like raclette (melted, grilled cheese heaven), fresh crêpes, garlic-loaded escargot, umami-as-anything saucisson, and a selection of the nation’s most beloved cheeses. With more than 120 exhibitors and over 80 dishes on offer at this year’s fest, Sydneysiders can take a culinary tour of the land of love without leaving the 2000 postcode.  On top of all the food-based festivities, you can enjoy a tour of France's most reputable wine regions, all of which can be found around Circular Quay as part of the Bastille Wine Walk. The celebrations will be soundtracked by a gloriously French line-up of entertainment: with 100 free shows popping up around the Sydney foreshore over the span of four days. Dance classes, jazz shows, live acrobatics displays are among the...