September events in Sydney

The Carriageworks Farmers Market is resuming from August 8, 2020.

It’s imperative that you do not eat before you visit the Carriageworks Farmers Markets. You’ll want to save maximum belly space for your personal version of The Bachelorette where you decide who gets your dollars and what delicious produce gets to come home with you. Maybe you like something soupy and savoury first thing? In that case go for the pho stand for a traditional Vietnamese start to the day. There’s a bibimbap stall that will even replace the rice with shredded cauliflower if you don’t believe in cheat days, and a classic bacon and egg roll for creatures of habit, from Farmer Rod’s Free Range stall. 

Once the hounds of your hunger have been quieted it’s time to prepare for your next meal, or seven. Maybe you need the sweet bite of Pickle Hill’s Worcester sauce for the pantry? Or some fresh goat’s curd from Willowbrae? While you’re there you may as well get some smoked salmon, fresh ravioli from Pasta Emilia, free range eggs, a load of beer and barley bread form the Bread and Butter Project, and some jersey milk butter to go on it.

Chef Josh Niland of Fish Butchery and Saint Peter in Paddington now has a permanent stall selling inventive seafood using lesser known varieties and flavours. His prawn toast is a certified hangover buster, and the few cooked items sold change with the tide. There are usually take-home packs of fish sausages and Ballina prawns as big as your hand.

You can spend a whole lot of money if you want to here, but equally you could just grab a kombucha on tap and find a chair for some of the best dog-watching in the city.

Find more of the best markets in Sydney.

Update: The Kirribili Markets are open again from July 12. Head over on the second Sunday of every month for the art, design and fashion markets. The last Saturday of every month sees a whole range of new and second hand fashion, collectibles and jewellery. 

Fans of expertly curated market events such as the Finders Keepers will be happy to know there is a bi-monthly market offering a comparable experience a stone’s throw from Luna Park. The second Sunday of every month sees the art, design and fashion iteration of Kirribilli’s historic (est 1976) markets, centred on the weather-proof location of the Burton Street Tunnel right under Milsons Point Train station. 

You’ll find quirky millinery by Nitascraft, hilarious knitted parrots, octopuses and Barbie outfits by Irene, and cool laser-etched wooden phone cases by Bare-wood. An antiques corner features groovy typewriters from the 1960s and several stalls offer funny and handmade greeting cards. Vintage spoons are refashioned as bracelets, and if you’ve ever hankered after a large photographic portrait of a wombat, you can get it here – the place is a goldmine for non-tacky Sydney souvenirs.

On the last Saturday of the month is the general and fashion market, where punters have been known to snap up luxurious, one-of-a-kind finds from labels like Gucci, Zimmermann and Acne, thanks to the well-heeled crowds selling their wares. Arrival by train is recommended as parking is expensive and hard to come by. 

There is an excellent food court area where you can get a roast pork roll, quesadillas, churros, gözleme, paella, blynis, dim sum, banh mi or gelato and sit down undercover to eat them while watching a talented teenage girl reinventing ‘Sweet Child ‘o Mine’. Afterwards, head over to the outdoor fashion zone on the former lawn bowls green and browse the $10 and $20 bargains. These markets are highly recommended to anyone seeking gifts and a fun Sunday outing. 

Every other year, the Biennale of Sydney transforms the city’s major creative institutions into an exhilarating showcase of the world's most exciting artists. Wiradjuri man Brook Andrew took the reins as the Biennale’s first Indigenous Australian artistic director this year, with the Wiradjuri word “Nirin” (edge) his theme for the 22nd iteration. 

Championing First Nations artists from near and far, there’s a big focus on further decolonising Western art’s traditionally hallowed spaces, ensuring we all get to touch the edge of the sky and understand one another through new cultural lenses.

Of course, things got a little unexpectedly waylaid as restrictions on mass gatherings meant venues closed their doors ten days in, but that didn’t stop the creative spirit. Nirin successfully went digital and now the doors have re-opened with an extended run, including the addition of Carriageworks after a nail-biting drama. 

With a staggering 700 works on show from 101 artists, it can be overwhelming figuring out just what to see. Don't panic, here’s our insider’s guide to the Biennale of Sydney.

Whether you’re in need of a green garden to laze in during lunch or a just quiet spot away from the city, these Sydney parks have sprawling open spaces, free barbecues and shaded corners to while away an afternoon.