The best events in May
There's a glowing line-up of festivals and events to explore this month
Put on your thinking caps and practice your belly laughs for this huge month of intrigue and chilly adventures. While April saw the opening nights of the Sydney Writers’ Festival and Sydney Comedy Festival, there’s more on the way in May, plus the glittering beginning of Vivid Sydney.
When you’re not all cosy inside well-heated theatres, hit the unpaved roads on some of the best walks in Sydney. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars, as it’s also the start of whale-watching season. And double don't forget it's Mother's Day this month, too.
RECOMMENDED: Food and drink festivals in Sydney.
The best things to do in May
The Archibald Prize
The Archibald Prize is the exhibition that stops a nation – well, a city anyway. Everyone has an opinion about who and what is most deserving of the $100,000 top gong – and the annual exhibition of finalists offers plenty to argue over, featuring faces familiar and not, by big name, mid-career and emerging painters.
The Westies Markets
The non-for-profit collective behind this quarterly market, the Westies, is all about showcasing the Penrith region while giving local growers and makers the opportunity to sell their products. They want to create a lazy Sunday atmosphere, where you get to know the community rather than fight over the bargain bin.
MCA Artbar
The MCA's party series used to be held once a month, but as of 2019 is only taking place four times a year. It's the same basic idea: a night curated by a different artist or collective each edition, featuring art, performance and design – with killer views, party tunes and hands-on activities with artists.
Donut Masterclass with Shortstop
If you’re a diehard doughnut fan and you’ve got Shortstop on your list of top dough joints, then it feels essential that you join their talented doughnut makers in this masterclass. Over two and a half hours, you’ll be rolling, proofing, frying and glazing your own batches of doughnuts, before you scoff them straight out of the fryer.
'Tis the season to carb load
The best Italian restaurants in Sydney
While good pizzerias and dirt-cheap red sauces places are harder to find than the poshest stuff, there are still spades of options to choose from. We've picked our favourites from every style.