The best things to do in Sydney in June

Need a new profile pic? We’ve got you.  One of the world’s biggest immersive experiences has just landed in the Harbour City – serving up a fun, surreal backdrop for your Instagram grid glow-up . Bubble Planet: An Immersive Experience is open now at Paddington Pavilion, Sydney Olympic Park, offering Sydneysiders a transporting, ultra-Instagrammable experience. Already experienced by more than two million visitors around the world, with sell-out runs in Milan, Los Angeles, London and Brussels, Bubble Planet is a fantastical world of optical illusions, cutting-edge virtual reality experiences, giant bubbles, and next-level immersive projections. Visitors to the Sydney site can expect to embark on a dreamlike journey through more than 10 otherworldly rooms, home to giant bubble domes, LED underwater-style wonderlands, selfie hubs and VR dreamscapes.  Almost 10,000 tickets were sold ahead of the official opening, so we expect this one will be another sell-out run for the people who brought the incredible immersive Van Gogh experience to Sydney back in 2020. Session at this bizarre immersive world run for between 60-90 minutes, and the experience is suitable for people of all ages – with kids under four welcomed in for free. Keen? You can learn more and snap up tickets over here.    Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, things to do and travel inspo, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED: Want more activity inspo? Here’s what’s on in...

One of the biggest visitor drawcards for the gorgeous State Library of NSW, the World Press Photo exhibition is back in Sydney for its most powerful year yet, with more award-winning photographers and unforgettable images that shook and shocked the world.  From war zones to the climate crisis, gender politics to migration, this stunning annual exhibition showcases the most astonishing, thought-provoking, and often beautiful images published by photojournalists in the past twelve months. Run by the World Press Photo Foundation, this year’s exhibition drew in a whopping 59,320 entries captured by 3,778 photographers from 141 countries, with 42 finalists selected by an independent jury.  World Press Photo is just one of seven free exhibitions on now at the Library. From Monday to Thursday, the exhibition is open 'til 8pm; plus, for three Friday nights during Vivid Sydney (May 30, June 6 and 13) the Library will be open for rare after-hours viewings from 6–9 pm. On Thursday, June 5, the Library is also teaming up with Fujifilm Australia for a special event with award-winning Australian photojournalist Dr. Michael Coyne, as part of the State Library Unplugged series. The Fujifilm Light and Lens Photowalk and Talk starts off with an immersive photo walk around the city, taking in the sights of Vivid Sydney, followed by a keynote address from Dr. Coyne, drawing on his 40-year career documenting international events. (Find out more about the event over here.) The 68th World Press...

Winter is setting in in the Harbour City, and things are getting chilling in more ways than one. As a former penal centre, Cockatoo Island is one of Sydney’s most spooky sites at the best of times, and this winter they’ll be amping up the chill factor, with the launch of two immersive ‘Tunnels of Terror’ and a heap of other spooky experiences. It’s all kicking off on Friday, June 13 (the spookiest date of them all), with ‘Fear Island’ taking over Cockatoo Island all weekend long – here’s what to expect. From Friday through Sunday, Sydney’s brutalist industrial island will play host to spooky food stalls, a pumping bar serving up blood-bag cocktails (delicious) and a team of scare actors bringing the spooky stories of the island to life. There will also be makeup artists on site to get you looking scary, dance classes teaching Micheal Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ dance and an outdoor cinema screening scary movies under the stars.But the main event is taking place in the long, dark tunnels that run through the centre of the island. Dubbed the Tunnels of Terror, the two concrete tunnels that run through the island will be transformed into terrifying immersive scary experiences. Details on what to expect from the Tunnels of Terror are thin on the ground, but if you ask us, the names say it all. First up, ‘The Haunted’: we’re pretty sure we can do the maths on what that one might look like. The second tunnel experience, The Asylum, is named after one of Cockatoo Island’s former...

It’s no secret that Vivid grows every year, gaining new hot spots around the city for glowy light installations, ridiculously yummy food and an all-round vibrant atmosphere. This year, the 25 Martin Place building and surrounds will have all three of those things going on – it’s back in the Vivid line-up for the first time since 2018.  Here’s our pick of what you have to check out if you’re in Martin Place during Vivid (which we reckon you should be):  Aalia X Moët Hennessy Check out the luxe plaza area of 25 Martin Place for a glamorous collab between Middle Eastern fine-diner Aalia and opulent beverage label Moët Hennessy. They’re opening a pop-up bar where the cocktails and tasty bites will be plentiful. Catch them from 3pm for a warm-up tipple or ’til 10pm when the city is alight and in the full Vivid swing. BioDream Walk the line between your subconscious and reality with this mind-bending projection of mangroves, rippling water and flying albatrosses projected onto the futuristic looking mushroom-shaped building at the entrance to 25 Martin Place. Stunning, and it's part of the Martin Place Vivid Trail. Affordable nibbles With the packed crowds, restaurants that book out weeks in advance and so much ground to cover, sometimes a cheeky takeout from the food court is the best option on a Vivid night out. 25 Martin Place even has dessert covered with a Gelato Messina on site – so you can spend more time hopping between Sydney’s light shows with a dessert cone in hand. ...

It’s time to get in the winter spirit (literally) – Smirnoff is popping up at Carriageworks this Vivid for a limited time only with two new seasonal drops for Sydneysiders to taste. The best part? It won’t cost you a cent.  Across two weekends in June, Smirnoff will take over a section of Sydney’s coolest arts hub with cosy igloos, where spirit fans (18+, of course) can sample its newest flavours: Lemon Freeze and Espresso Fire. Whether you like your drinks fresh and crisp or prefer a bit of heat, Smirnoff has your taste preferences covered. Lemon Freeze is sharp and zingy with an icy twist, while Espresso Fire packs more of a spicy punch, with rich caramel notes and a warming finish.  “We co-created these flavours with our consumers to ensure they’re not only delicious but surprising,” says Smirnoff's Maddy Stockwell. “The shots literally leave a 'cooling' or 'warming' sensation.” Head down to Carriageworks from Friday, June 6 to Saturday, June 14, 2025, for this immersive experience and be sure to drink responsibly. Find out more about what's on at Carriageworks here.  Smirnoff Lemon Freeze and Smirnoff Espresso Fire are now available for purchase for $53 RRP. *Available to guests 18+ only. Drink Responsibly

 The Sydney Film Festival has long been entertaining local movie buffs and global travellers alike – for 72 years, to be precise – and this year is your invitation to ‘See the Bigger Picture’ with a stacked program of more than 200 films screening across various venues from June 4 to 15.  From the major Hollywood blockbusters the whole world is talking about to disruptive arthouse gems, and it’s time to find out for yourself why these flicks are making waves. Whether you’re a film industry professional or a casual popcorn muncher, you’re guaranteed to find a film that’ll change the way you see the world.  So what *is* on offer in this year’s program? We’re excited to see debut Aussie director and SXSW-winner Amy Wang's teen prom satire Slanted, plus two new Australian features – Fwends, the debut feature from two-time Dendy Award-winner Sophie Somerville and Lesbian Space Princess, a Berlin Teddy Award-winning animated feature. There's also spectacles direct from the Cannes Film Festival including the suspenseful duo of crime films The Mastermind starring Josh O'Connor and Secret Agent from Kleber Mendonça Filho, a former Sydney Film Prize winner.   There are 12 films in the running for the ‘Official Competition’ prize – which awards a whopping $60,000 in cold harsh cash for “courageous, audacious and cutting-edge” filmmaking. For the first time in SFF history, the festival is also collaborating with Vivid Sydney 2025 – groundbreaking artistry will burst beyond the screen...

With Sydney just scoring in the top five cities in the world for culture voted by the people in a Time Out global ranking, now’s a better time than ever for a jam-packed and inspiring three-day event for all creatives to come to town.   The Creative Toolbox Symposium will be held in late June across Marrickville. It’s a chance for artists to network with their creative community and access super-handy and inspiring resources under a flexible structure. The best bit? All the speakers are practising creatives and arts workers who are going to share their hard-won knowledge on a successful arts career.  All the events are either free or heavily subsidised. On Saturday and Monday, panels and creative experiences are free, and intimate workshops are $5. Meanwhile on Sunday June 29, a tenner will give you access to a whole day’s worth of panels, starting with a keynote address from industry leader Wesley Enoch AM. Stay for the catered networking event with a visual and performative takeover of Marrickville Town Hall by the joyful artist HOSSEI.  Weave with artists from Boomalli Aboriginal Artist Co-operative, have a laugh with Queer PowerPoint and get insights into the public art scene with First Nations curator Kyra Kum-Sing – just a handful of the 25 plus sessions and interactive events across the weekend.  The Creative Toolbox symposium has been created by Inner West Council to support their creative and performing arts industry locals and is running from June 28 to 30 at...

Vivid is doing things differently this year. For Vivid Sydney 2025, it’s not all watching the Opera House turn technicolour and wandering around The Rocks looking at the lights (though that’s still very much worth doing). This year, sparkly season is going beyond the big, CBD landmarks and lighting up one of Sydney’s trendiest inner city neighbourhoods: the Hollywood Quarter. First up, let there be light. From now until the closing night of Vivid (Saturday, June 14), the streets of HQ will glow with neon-toned nods to the world of cinema. Wander the neighbourhood and trace luminous movie soundtrack lyrics and famous quotes; this one’s a Vivid light display for cinephiles.  Then, there’s the event program – which is taking over venues across the neighbourhood with ongoing and one-off events. Every Saturday of Vivid, the Hollywood Hotel will be hosting live music and DJs in its moody ‘Vivid After Dark Lounge’, with snacks catered by nearby Butter served until 11pm. Around the corner, Golden Age is transforming into a dreamlike realm for the duration of the festival, with live music, performance art and kooky, obscure installations inspired by the beloved late director David Lynch. The Vivid line-up at Golden Age includes a performance by Marcus Whale and Nini Voss covering Lynch originals, and they’ll be screening dream-inspired movies in the next door cinema throughout sparkly season. The Soda Factory is also stepping up its entertainment game for the duration of Vivid,...

If you’re of a certain age, you have history (HIStory, perhaps?) with Michael Jackson. I remember getting ‘Thriller’ on cassette as a kid. ‘Dangerous’ was one of the first CDs I ever owned. I remember seeing the extended music video for ‘Thriller’ on VHS, which came packaged with a behind-the-scenes documentary. One woman, cornered for a quick vox pop at one of the filming locations, asserted that she loved Jackson because he was “down to earth”, which is darkly hilarious in hindsight.  Down to earth? The press called him “wacko Jacko” – we all did. He slept in a hyperbaric chamber. He owned the Elephant Man’s skeleton. His skin kept getting paler, his nose thinner. What a weird guy! Was any of it true? Hard to say. Even today, when a careless tweet is like a drop of blood in a shark tank to fans and journos alike, the media furor around Michael Jackson stands as one of the most frenetic in living memory, eclipsing the likes of Beatlemania. Jackson wasn’t bigger than God, he was God to a lot of people – the King of Pop, the first Black artist to smash through the MTV colour barrier, an artist, an icon, a living legend. Then came the allegations of child sexual abuse, which first began in August 1993, and continue to this day. For those who were still on the fence, the documentary Leaving Neverland, released in 2019, saw many more fans abandon Jackson, who died in 2009 at the age of 50. And so, it makes sense that MJ the Musical would set Jackson’s relationship with the...

It’s been 35 years since one of Australia’s most acclaimed directors, Baz Luhrmann, staged a groundbreaking production of La Bohème for Opera Australia, launching a career that would take him all the way to Hollywood. Now, in celebration of his extraordinary career and the iconic soundtracks that have defined it, Opera Australia invites you on a musical journey through Luhrmann’s beloved works. For two nights only, Monday, 23 June and Tuesday, 24 June, experience a star-studded performance at the Sydney Opera House’s Concert Hall, featuring songs including  ‘Time After Time’, ‘Love is in the Air’, ‘Young Hearts Run Free’, ‘Come What May’, ‘One Day I’ll Fly Away’, ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ and many more.  Musical theatre stars Alinta Chidzey (Moulin Rouge!), Tim Draxl (Sunset Boulevard), Ryan Gonzalez (Moulin Rouge!) and Phoebe Panaretos (Strictly Ballroom the Musical) will take to the stage with the full backing of the Opera Australia Orchestra conducted by Vanessa Scammell.  Luhrmann has since directed epic productions including ballroom satire Strictly Ballroom, the cinematic Romeo + Juliet, and the dazzlingly maximalist Moulin Rouge! It's safe to say the Strictly Baz Luhrmann the Concert program will dazzle. Tickets are on sale now from $62-$175. Get yours here.