A friend who recently returned from Tasmania's Dark Mofo told me it was her mission to "find the Dark Mofo every day" here in Sydney, and I had to admit it was a pretty good strategy for living well. Tracking down offbeat arts on any given day in the Harbour City generally takes a bit of digging, but during Sydney Fringe, it’s served up on a silver platter.
NSW's biggest celebration of independent arts is landing back in Sydney this spring, and I know we say this every year, but seriously – this year's program is bigger than ever. From August through October, Sydney Fringe Festival will transform theatres, warehouses, heritage buildings and public spaces across the city with more than 350 events featuring 2,000-plus artists at 64 venues. From delightfully boundary-pushing theatre to wildly impressive circus acts, conversation-shaping comedy and full-throttle parties, this year's line-up is stacked with shows and events that are pretty much guaranteed to fill your cultural cup, no Tassie trip required.
The festivities kick off with Fringe Ignite! on Saturday, August 29, when Darlinghurst's Stanley Street will be closed to traffic and transformed into a free, all-ages street party. Expect live music, roaming performers and plenty of food as one of Sydney's fave inner-city streets comes alive for one wild afternoon and evening.
Arts-wise, there's way more on than we can cover in one listing. Among this year's biggest drawcards is Copa on The Rocks, where Andrew Bukenya will...
Hello! Welcome to your weekly wrap of what’s on. It's the first week of spring, yippee!
Sydney Fringe Festival has officially kicked off! There will be hundreds of fun, wild and affordable shows to see this month in Sydney. Come support the arts – and have a cracking night out at the same time. Here are our top picks – but there's plenty more happening.
The Lion King is here for a few more weeks. If you haven’t seen it yet, now’s the time. Looking for more? Check out the best shows on in Sydney this month here.
Free Monday night? Head to Newtown's Bar Planet and lap up $13 Martinis all night long. And you can suss out other Sydney happy hours here, too.
If you'd like to learn more about Chinese mythology, head to Chippendale's White Rabbit Gallery and see its new exhibition, Black Myth.
Love wine but not the snobbery? Newtown favourite Famelia has launched a fun new wine school with guided tastings designed to build your confidence. It’s happening every second Tuesday from July to October – find out more here.
Need a laugh? The Comedy Store in Moore Park has been Sydney’s go-to spot for belly laughs since 1981, with affordable shows every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. Plus, check out the best shows to see in Sydney this month here.
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.
Sydney’s historic harbourside precinct The Rocks is once again turning Thursday nights into a free open-air jazz party this winter, with live music every week until September 24.
Hungry? Burwood Chinatown Night Market runs Thursday to Sunday from 5-10pm, and it's always a delicious, fun time.
Booking a catch-up? Sydney's best restaurants and best new restaurants are a good place to start. Or, head to one of Sydney's best bars.
Scroll on for our full list of the best things to do in Sydney this week.
Mapping out your weekend? These are the best things to do in Sydney this weekend.
