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Roast at The Old Fitz
Photograph: Ethan Smart
Photograph: Ethan Smart

The best things to do in Sydney in June

Face the frost and enjoy wonderful winter events around town

Avril TreasureWinnie Stubbs
Written by Avril Treasure & Winnie Stubbs
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We’re officially halfway through 2026 (sorry), but the good news is that there’s a lot of fun to be had in Sydney.

With Vivid running until Saturday, June 13, and Sydney Film Festival lighting up screens across the city with an excellent line-up, this month is set to be pretty glittery, ice-cold temperatures aside. For the ultimate magical evening this month, we’d suggest hitting one of the city’s best happy hours before catching a show at the Opera House and then refuelling at one of the city’s best restaurants. Be sure to work your way through our guide to Sydney's best Sunday roasts, too.

Plus, whale watching season is setting in – these are the best spots to see them from Sydney.

Acclaimed First Nations artist Tony Albert has opened his largest-ever solo exhibition at the MCA. Tony Albert: Not a Souvenir explores the stereotyping and commodification of Aboriginal culture while celebrating survival, resilience and pride. Alongside the exhibition, Albert and the MCA have launched the Aboriginalia Appeal, encouraging Australians to donate mass-produced souvenirs that reduce Aboriginal culture to stereotypes.

Qtopia Sydney’s Pride Fest 2026 is also on this month, with more than 300 events celebrating queer arts, culture and community across the month. For the first time, the festival expands beyond Qtopia to take over Sydney’s Oxford Street precinct, featuring theatre, drag, music, fitness, talks and more.

Keen to get out of town? Our guides to the best cosy cabins and glamping spots should help. Scroll on for our full round-up of the best things to do in Sydney this month.

Planning a trip to the eucalyptus-cloaked Blue Mountains? Be sure to visit Scenic World at the Three Sisters in Katoomba. It’s home to fun mountain adventures ranging from an exhilarating railway ride to a butterfly-inducing aerial cable car that lets you appreciate the beauty – and scale! – of the heritage-listed national park.

Scroll on for the best things to do in Sydney in June. Hope you have a happy (and warm) month.

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. 

Make the most of this crisp time of year and adventure to one of these incredible natural hot springs in NSW, and then make sure you head on one of these glorious winter getaways close to Sydney.

The best of Sydney this June

Time Out Social Club x Avatar: Forms of Vishnu

  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Sydney
Time Out Social Club x Avatar: Forms of Vishnu
Time Out Social Club x Avatar: Forms of Vishnu
Image: Time Out Social Club
In case you missed it, the Art Gallery of NSW’s next blockbuster exhibition – the captivating new exhibition dedicated to Vishnu, the Hindu deity who preserves order in the universe – lands this June. Before you book your tickets to Avatar: Forms of Vishnu, here's a hot tip: Time Out Social Club is hosting an insider event offering 75 Time Out readers free double passes to a private viewing of the exhibition before gallery hours, with guides on hand to walk you through this intriguing show.  Avatar: Forms of Vishnu marks the first Australian exhibition dedicated to Vishnu, bringing together centuries of art and storytelling from South Asia and Southeast Asia. Discover epic tales of heroism, love and devotion across more than 200 artworks on display, spanning ancient sculpture, textiles, paintings, photography and large-scale contemporary installations.  Here are all the details:  Date: Saturday, June 27 Time: 9am to 10am Location: Art Gallery of NSW (Naala Badu building)Enter: To go in the draw, enter your details below before June 18

Incognito Art Show

  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Eveleigh
  • price 1 of 4
  • Recommended
Incognito Art Show
Incognito Art Show
Photograph: Supplied | Incognito Art Show
What do Laura Jones, Julia Gutman and Blak Douglas have in common? They’re all celebrated Archibald Prize winners – and they’ve all created and donated original artworks for the Incognito Art Show. And at just $100 a piece, you just might be able to get your paws on one of their works. Returning to Carriageworks Sydney from June 27, the Incognito Art Show has around 20,000 original artworks by more than 15,000 artists. All A5 in size, they're up for grabs at very affordable price of just $100 each. And while the show also heads to Brisbane and Townsville, the Sydney collection is by far the biggest. Just sayin’.  Now, are you ready for the plot twist? The artist remains a mystery until after you’ve bought the artwork. Yes, the artist stays anonymous before purchase, with their name and signature revealed on the reverse side once the artwork is yours. So unless you’ve got the eye of a seasoned gallery curator, you’re choosing pieces purely because you gravitate towards them – not because there’s a famous name attached. Who knows, you could walk away with a work by an emerging artist whose career is about to take off or unknowingly snag something by one of Australia’s most acclaimed names.  What’s more, the event supports artists with disabilities – 100 per cent of profits go towards their professional development. In 2026, funds raised will support Studio A in North Sydney, The Art Factory in Wagga Wagga and Access Arts in Brisbane. "Incognito has cemented itself as a key...
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Epping Night Markets

  • Shopping
  • Epping
Epping Night Markets
Epping Night Markets
Photograph: Supplied | Epping Night Markets
Epping is getting a new after-dark addition. The suburb’s first-ever monthly night market is launching at Boronia Park, bringing street food, live tunes and a buzzy community vibe to the heart of the neighbourhood.RECOMMENDED READ: These are the best markets in Sydney Kicking off on April 24 and running on the last Friday of every month (with a special end-of-year edition in the works), the Epping Night Markets will see more than 30 stalls serving up everything from artisan eats to handcrafted goods. Expect roving performers, local talent on the mic and plenty of reasons to hang around – with the market taking over the park from 5–9pm. Backed by City of Parramatta and delivered by AMA Event Management, the markets are set to become a regular fixture for this fast-growing suburb – and a solid excuse to cancel your Friday night takeaway plans.You can find out more and plan your visit over here. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED:Want more activities? Here’s what’s on in Sydney this weekendAnd here’s what’s on this week.Looking for somewhere for dinner? These are the best restaurants in the city.

Avatar: Forms of Vishnu

  • Art
  • Sculpture and installations
  • Sydney
Avatar: Forms of Vishnu
Avatar: Forms of Vishnu
Photograph: Supplied | Art Gallery of New South Wales
Vishnu, one of the principal deities of Hinduism, is the preserver and protector of the universe. He is believed to restore balance whenever chaos or evil threatens the world, appearing in different forms – or “avatars” – to protect humanity. Some well-known avatars include Krishna, the playful cowherd and spiritual teacher; Prince Rama, hero of the Ramayana; and Narasimha, the fierce half-man, half-lion figure. Over thousands of years, stories of Vishnu have inspired artists across South and Southeast Asia – and now those stories are coming to Sydney in a major new exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW). Opening on June 20, Avatar: Forms of Vishnu is the first Australian exhibition dedicated to Vishnu and will feature more than 200 artworks spanning ancient sculpture, textiles, paintings, photography and large-scale contemporary installations. The exhibition brings together remarkable works from museums in India, Cambodia, London and beyond, many of which are being shown in Australia for the first time. Alongside centuries-old treasures are striking new works by contemporary artists including Gitanjali Das, Jumaadi, Nalini Malani and Sumakshi Singh. Says Art Gallery of New South Wales senior curator of Asian art, Melanie Eastburn, "Across South and Southeast Asia, tales of Vishnu's avatars have inspired contemplation and devotion, as well as entertainment. Vishnu’s avatars are responsive, dynamic and shaped by the cultures and communities that embrace...
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Undercurrent

  • Music
  • Parramatta
Undercurrent
Undercurrent
Photograph: Supplied | Riverside Theatres
Parramatta’s pulsating after-dark music series, Undercurrent, is back at Riverside Live at PHIVE from April to June, with two high energy live music nights showcasing bold Western Sydney artists, alongside a special international act. It all kicks off on April 2 with Elsewhere in India – a genre-defying collision of drum and bass, electro‑classical dance, South Asian culture and AI-driven visuals. For the second night on June 12, country group Simply West are blending their Pacific Islander, African and Portuguese roots into warm soul-filled sounds. Set in the heart of the internationally recognised Purple Flag precinct, Undercurrent is your chance to experience nighttime live music gigs in a safe and accessible city centre. If you didn’t already have an excuse to pop in after dark, let this be it. Undercurrent is delivering two nights of live music this April and June. Find out more and book your tickets here.  Supported by the NSW Government through the Office of the 24 Hour Economy Commissioner.
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Tony Albert: Not a Souvenir

  • Art
  • The Rocks
Tony Albert: Not a Souvenir
Tony Albert: Not a Souvenir
Photograph: Louis Lim
Acclaimed First Nations artist Tony Albert’s major solo exhibition, Tony Albert: Not a Souvenir, has opened at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). The exhibition explores the commodification and misrepresentation of Aboriginal people and culture – both historically and today – while also celebrating survival, resilience and cultural pride. Bringing together Albert’s photography, sculpture, painting and installation works, the exhibition draws inspiration from the MCA’s location on Sydney Harbour and The Rocks, an area shaped by early colonial contact and now closely tied to tourism and souvenir culture. In tandem with this exhibition, Albert and the MCA have launched the Aboriginalia Appeal, an initiative encouraging everyday Australians to donate mass-produced souvenirs and household items that reduce Aboriginal culture to stereotypes. From ashtrays and tea towels to decorative boomerangs and figurines, these objects are a familiar part of Australian popular culture. Albert uses Aboriginalia as a way to understand the imagery and messages he encountered growing up as a young Aboriginal boy. “I’ve been collecting Aboriginalia since I was a child. And if I had my way, I'd love to take the whole lot of it out of circulation,” says Albert. “It’s about taking these objects and turning them into something that celebrates our survival as the world’s oldest living culture.” The Aboriginalia Appeal gives the public a chance to contribute to that process. Visitors can donate...
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The Lion King

  • Musicals
  • Haymarket
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended
The Lion King
The Lion King
Photograph: Daniel Boud
The opening note of ‘The Circle of Life’ may just be one of the most recognisable in a Disney musical. If you don’t agree, then you may have to convince the entire theatre-going audience who were at Disney’s The Lion King on opening night. The full house’s roars could be heard all the way out of the Capitol Theatre’s front doors as the king of musicals triumphantly returns to Sydney – the first time in more than a decade. What type of show is The Lion King? It’s called The King of Musicals for a reason. If it’s not Elton John’s iconically recognisable music, or Tim Rice’s lyrics you’ve sung over a late-night karaoke session, then its Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi’s book featuring the characters you love, the characters you hate, and the ones you undoubtedly cry over – tears were definitely still shed during that scene. What’s so beautiful about The Lion King is the blurring of worlds and culture that merges in between all of these. Julie Taymor’s directorial conception blends African culture, language, movement and costume underneath masks and puppetry of the animal characters. Mufasa’s “crown” is a stoic, strong and towering headdress. The elegant lionesses soar and leap through the sky through Garth Fagan’s choreography as wing-like gowns flow behind them. The animals of Pride Rock are adorned with larger-than-life puppets of intricate designs and architecture: a re-engineered bicycle becomes leaping antelope, birds fly above the crowd on poles manipulated by performers,...

Anastasia

  • Musicals
  • Darling Harbour
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended
Anastasia
Anastasia
Photograph: Jeff Busby
Anastasia (1997) was among the first musical films I knew in its entirety. While many children frolicked to Timon and Pumbaa’s playful anthem in The Lion King, I was instead reenacting “Once Upon a December” in my living room, captivated by a heroine whose quiet determination carried her through danger and uncertainty. At the time, I could not have anticipated how deeply this film would shape my relationship with musical theatre. “Journey to the Past” soon became a staple audition piece, and Anya’s unwavering belief in her own worth quietly informed my own developing sense of confidence.  What I did not yet understand, however, was the historical context behind the story: the execution of the Russian imperial family in 1918 and the long-standing myth that Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov survived. The 1997 animated film leans fully into fantasy, using magic and spectacle to distance itself from historical reality. The stage musical, which premiered on Broadway in 2017 with a book by Terrence McNally and music and lyrics by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, takes a different approach, removing the supernatural elements in favour of a more realistic political setting. This creative decision has lingered uneasily over the production since its premiere, inviting criticism for its revisionist narrative – a species of theatrical “fake news,” further undermined by the musical’s questionable commitment to American accents. In performance, now at Sydney Lyric Theatre, this shift...
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Qtopia Pride Fest

  • Darlinghurst
Qtopia Pride Fest
Qtopia Pride Fest
Photograph: Giuseppe Santamaria
It’s time to paint the precinct purple! Yes, Qtopia Sydney is dialing up the glam and glitz for Pride Fest 2026, Sydney’s queer arts and culture festival that celebrates International Pride Month this June. Bigger, bolder and more unapologetic than ever, the 2026 program serves up more than 300 events celebrating queer creativity, community and connection for the entire month of June. From theatre that shocks to drag that dazzles, plus film, dance, fitness, workshops, book launches, panels, parties and pop-up restaurant takeovers – if it’s queer, it’s here. For the first time ever, Pride Fest spills out of the walls of Qtopia Sydney and takes over the entire Oxford Street precinct, transforming fab venues including The Loading Dock Theatre, Eternity Playhouse, Ginger’s at the Oxford, Universal and more into a month-long celebration of LGBTQIA+ pride. The festival kicks off with a bang at the inaugural Pride Fest Gala on June 2 – a high-energy, glitter-soaked night showcasing the best of what’s to come. This year’s headliners include award-winning cabaret icon Skank Sinatra with The Name on Everybody’s Lips (10-14 June), Nails: The Musical (June 25-27) and Juicy Riot (29 June), a high-femme variety extravaganza by Kala Gare and Victoria Falconer. Elsewhere, the program is stacked with must-sees including Homo Grown (June 1), comedian Jess Fuchs’ Feral (June 12-13), Dykes on Bikes (June 14), Saddle Club Line Dancing (June 17), and Still Proud: Honouring the 78ers (June 24),...

Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes

  • Art
  • Galleries
  • Sydney
  • Recommended
Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes
Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes
Photograph: AGNSW/Jenni Carter
Australia’s most popular arts event is back in action for 2026, with the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes bringing a fresh batch of painterly expressions to the walls of the Art Gallery of NSW from May 9 to August 16.  They call it “the face that stops the nation”, and the Archibald Prize has indeed been courting controversy and conversation for more than a century now. This popular portrait prize is always filled with famous faces, with artists from all over Australia (and also New Zealand) capturing the spirit of the times through paintings that capture the likeness of the personalities that define their communities. Melbourne-based artist Richard Lewer is the winner of the Archibald Prize 2026 – he won over the judges with a stunning portrait of Pitjantjatjara Elder, senior artist and ngangkari (traditional healer) Iluwanti Ken. RECOMMENDED: A beginner's guide to the Archibald Prize. The winner of the 2026 Packing Room Prize was announced a week earlier, with the Packing Room Pickers (a.k.a. the Art Gallery staff who receive, unpack and hang the entries) selecting Sean Layh's striking painting of actor Jacob Collins as their favourite Archibald portrait this year.  Meanwhile, the Wynne Prize awarded the best landscape painting of Australian scenery or figurative sculpture to Yolŋu artist Gaypalani Waṉambi, and the Sulman was awarded to Lucy Culliton for the best genre painting, subject painting or mural project.  The annual finalists exhibition is a real must-see,...
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