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Out the front of Bar Planet
Photograph: Dexter Kim | Out the front of Bar Planet
Photograph: Dexter Kim

Things to do in Sydney this week

Wondering what to do across Sydney? Our list will guide you in the right direction

Avril Treasure
Written by Avril Treasure
Editor, Time Out Sydney
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Hello! Welcome to your weekly wrap of what’s on.

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.

Bennelong in London is playing now at Sydney Theatre Company, with our reviewer saying the bold new show is  packed with humour and surprises. Check out the best shows to see this month in Sydney here.

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.

The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes has landed at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, with Richard Lewer taking home the top honour for his portrait of Pitjantjatjara Elder Iluwanti Ken. Head to the gallery to check out the winning portrait in person, plus all the finalists and winners. The exhibition runs until August 16, with tickets from $30.

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.

Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, straight to your inbox.

The best things to do in Sydney

Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival

  • Things to do
  • Auburn
  • Recommended
Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival
Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival
Photograph: Destination NSW
Looking to add a dose of hyper-Instagrammable delight to your outdoor activity schedule this winter? We’ve got you. The beloved Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival will return to Auburn Botanic Gardens this August, transforming the leafy oasis (home to the largest crop of cherry blossom trees in the whole Southern Hem) into a sea of pink blossom and Japanese-inspired entertainment for nine flower-fuelled days. Running from August 22-30, the annual festival celebrates the fleeting beauty of sakura season with more than 200 cherry blossom trees in full bloom, alongside Japanese food and family-friendly entertainment. Wander beneath the blossom canopy on the Cherry Blossom Trail (choose the full 30-minute stroll or a shorter express route), snap a few pics beneath the iconic Cherry Arbour and torii gate, then settle in for a day of workshops, performances and seriously good snacks.RELATED READ: These are the best public gardens you can visit in Sydney. Alongside the main drawcard (those pastel pink trees), this year's program includes a peaceful Zen Zone, guided shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) walks, daily origami workshops, Japanese tea ceremonies, cooking demonstrations, a high-energy ninja stunt show and appearances from gardening guru Costa Georgiadis and comedian Takashi Wakasugi. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, make a beeline for the Japanese Food Village – where you'll find everything from ramen, dumplings and curry to mochi, matcha treats, fluffy Japanese soufflé pancakes...

The Animal Crossing: New Horizons experience at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium

  • Things to do
  • Darling Harbour
The Animal Crossing: New Horizons experience at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium
The Animal Crossing: New Horizons experience at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium
Photograph: Supplied | Kit Photography
Few things in life manage to bridge generational divides, and one of them is Animal Crossing. Whether you’re looking for activities these school holidays or feeling nostalgic for the hours spent catching fish on your Nintendo Switch, head to Darling Harbour from July 1 to August 23 to experience a dreamlike underwater world where your favourite virtual characters and the real marine world collide. Back by popular demand, the Animal Crossing: New Horizons experience returns with a fresh and even more immersive take, giving returning fans the perfect excuse to come back. Snap a pic with Isabelle, everyone's favourite secretary, or check out panels from Blathers about the aquarium’s real-world marine life. In between lessons, see if you can spot a washed-up Gulliver alongside giant cutouts of other island residents hiding around. You can also take part in a stamp rally inspired by the game. If you collect all the character stamps, you'll take home a postcard as a reward that’s worthy of a spot on the fridge.  Tickets start from $99 per family, with 30 per cent off until July 19. Plus, students save more than 50 per cent, with $24 tickets available weekdays anytime (outside school holidays) or every day after 3pm. The Animal Crossing: New Horizons experience at Sea Life runs for a limited time from July 1 to August 23, 2026. To learn more and get tickets, visit the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium website. To celebrate the return of The Animal Crossing: New Horizons experience, we're...
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Festival of Dangerous Ideas

  • Things to do
  • Fairs and festivals
  • Sydney
  • Recommended
Festival of Dangerous Ideas
Festival of Dangerous Ideas
Photograph: Supplied | Ken Leanfore
“An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all,” said that witty warrior of a wordsmith, Oscar Wilde. And given the tragedy of the inimitable Irish writer’s downfall, brought on by an unwise libel case that backfired spectacularly, few could have felt that withering wisdom more keenly. It’s fitting, then, that Sydney's Festival of Dangerous Ideas borrows the phrase for its sassy title. The celebration of system shaking bright minds returns to Sydney this August for its 13th iteration, with a newly-extended ten days of talks, films, art and excursions. Expect 115 sessions across 14 venues, including many of the city's most major cultural institutions, with the main festival weekend running all day on August 22-23 at Carriageworks. Presented by The Ethics Centre from August 20-30, expect a lineup that is *a lot*. The festival is all about celebrating those willing to bring down the house with the sort of stuff others fear to say, and what better guest than bestselling author Salman Rushdie, who returns to the festival for the first time in 12 years.  The rest of the program includes everything from a masterclass in punk from renowned actor and director John Cameron Mitchell to a visceral theatrical performance piece titled Exposure, that interrogates the body's relationship to systems of power. Alongside these, a total of 20 international speakers will explore the ideas influencing our current politics, culture, communities and identities.  If...
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Fiddler on the Roof

  • Sydney
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended
Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof
Photograph: Daniel Boud
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in London has become a home for staggering visuals and reimaginings of classic musicals. The most recent touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar arrived with rave reviews and award-winning performances from its electrifying revival of the rock musical. Now, Fiddler on the Roof gets its turn for a facelift at Theatre Royal Sydney, with a backing from a stellar team whose work covers Olivier and Tony Award-winning productions.  What is the premise of Fiddler on the Roof? It’s 1905 in the fictional shtetl of Anatevka set in Tsarist Russia, twelve years before the Russian Revolution of 1917. A ghostly rise of the curtain sees Ben Adler’s Fiddler on a flat-roofed stage, the name of the village faces backwards towards the band sitting behind a high row of wheat fields. Tevye, a Jewish milkman, leads his family by their proud traditions. This means a loyal wife, visits to the matchmaker, five obedient daughters, and daily conversations with God. But this is a time of change, his daughters wish to break away from the closed community’s traditions amidst the backdrop of a changing world.  Throughout, we see more than just Tevye’s family dynamics needing to grapple with forces far greater than Anatevka can withstand.  Who are the cast and crew of Fiddler on the Roof? Jordan Fein’s direction gives ample scope for spectacle, particularly when Julian Cheng’s choreography is placed front and centre – the high-energy traditional dances are the show’s...
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The Garden

  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Marrickville
The Garden
The Garden
Photograph: El Glanic
Beautiful things are blooming in Marrickville. Following the delightfully offbeat success of The Grocery Store – an exhibition of wonderfully inedible everyday goods – Voluptuary Ceramics is transforming its warehouse yet again, this time into an enchanting, otherworldly garden. Running until August 30, The Garden is an immersive exhibition featuring garden-inspired ceramics, sculptures, paintings, textiles and tactile objects by more than 50 Australian artists, designers and makers. Each artist has been busy as a proverbial bee in their own studio, cultivating creations of garden-themed artwork and now they'll come together to display and sell their wares. Think hand-felted wool creations of mushrooms and moss; detailed paintings of ferns, fungi and flowers; metal sculptures of butterflies and bees; and whimsical ceramic blooms. From bold and bright to intricate and delicate, The Garden invites you to wander and wonder at nature’s bounty – and perhaps take home a little piece of this wonderfully imagined world. The Garden is on at Voluptuary World, Marrickville from July 25 to August 30. Find out more via their Instagram page.  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: The best markets in Sydney for farm-fresh produce or arts and crafts 25 fun (and delicious) things to do in Sydney for under $25  Have you had a bite at Eat Ozzo Marrickville yet?

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of)

  • Musicals
  • Sydney
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended
Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of)
Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of)
Photograph: Prudence Upton
Isobel McArthur’s Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) strips away the intellectual exclusivity of Jane Austen’s classic, not only making it accessible to a wide variety of audiences, but also making clear the sort of tools that Austen herself was using in her original novel: gender, satire, romance, and – most of all – comedy. There’s no Colin Firth here – but there are plenty of karaoke songs to hum along to. What is the premise of Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of)? Told by the servants who work tirelessly behind the main characters within Austen’s work, we’re given a slapstick comedy version of Pride and Prejudice. Dressed in white gowns with Doc Martens poking out underneath, the five-strong cast clean their way through the audience with yellow rubber gloves and individualised accents from across Great Britain. The fourth wall is destroyed immediately – they want you to be a part of the story. After a rather disturbing entrance involving a plunger and a rather messy toilet, Elvis Costello’s ‘Everyday I Write the Book’ launches us into literary territory and the premise is set up. Though you may only know the main characters of Pride and Prejudice, there were unsung heroes helping to push the Bennet sisters along their journey towards love and stability. Now, it’s their turn to tell a version of the events, with a song or two along the way – it’s best not to reason about the artistic merits or reasoning behind this addition, just go with it. Perhaps the jumbled selection of songs...
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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,...

Unlock The Rocks

  • Things to do
  • Food and drink
  • The Rocks
Unlock The Rocks
Unlock The Rocks
Photograph: Supplied | Como Italian
It may be tempting to hibernate inside this winter, but The Rocks is giving you every reason to rug up, head outside and savour the season. For the month of August, you can take part in a $25 cocktail and canapé trail available at not one, but 20 of The Rocks' finest bars and restaurants, catch some tempting happy hours, settle in for weekday lunch deals and check out the newest openings that have Sydney talking.  Here are just some of the deals and meals you have to add to your hitlist: $25 Cocktail and Canape Trail  Fortune of War: Salted Caramel Espresso Martini and caramelised popcorn Glenmore Hotel: Mini Martini and an oyster El Camino Cantina: Pocket Rocket Rita and taco MCA rooftop: Native Garibaldi and smoked trout Endeavour Tap Rooms: Spicy Mule and chicken wings  Happy hours  Mercantile Hotel: $11 pints Como Italian: three spritzes and light bites midweek from 4pm to 6pm The Garden: everything $7 everyday from 5pm to 6pm  Midweek lunch specials Luna Lu: $55 two-course express menu from Monday to Thursday, 12pm to 3pm The Orient and Mrs Jones: winter warmers specials – $19 chowder or $29 chicken pie  Hooked and Harvest: $10 seafood snack pack with a drink Izakaya Mitto: $15 express teriyaki chicken donburi  What’s new Grappa: focaccia and salumi with an Amante Spritz, $25 Cocktail and Canape Trail The Cut (from the crew behind Rockpool Bar & Grill): Pie and Pint experience The Tailor Room: Martini with olives or chips, $25 Cocktail and Canape Trail ...
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Mike Hewson: The Key’s Under the Mat

  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Sydney
Mike Hewson: The Key’s Under the Mat
Mike Hewson: The Key’s Under the Mat
Art Gallery of New South Wales | Mim Stirling
If you've ever wondered what would happen if a kid's drawing of their wildest dream utopia suddenly came off the page and into real life, you're in luck, because that's pretty much what's happening right now beneath the Art Gallery of NSW.  Artist and professional disruptor Mike Hewson has taken over the weird subterranean world of The Tank with his one-of-a-kind new exhibition, Mike Hewson: The Key's Under the Mat, where for the first time ever, all the main lights in the normally pitch-dark Tank will be switched on, revealing a weird wonderland of interactive art pieces and play equipment that have to be seen to be believed. We're talking: A steam room with stained glass windows that you can actually sit in, a functioning sauna with bespoke church pews, five actual operating public barbeques that you can cook on, rushing water to play in (seriously, bring your swimmers), a working laundry,  and a free-to-use recording studio, plus a whole plethora of bright and delightful surprises that are all about getting community together, to do cool stuff, for free. Basically, break your imagination and delete all adult expectations. This is unlike anything we've ever seen.  Kids who aren't afraid of some risk are also one of Hewson's big targets with this show (although parents, rest easy, the floor is specially made out of recycled soft rubber that's rated for use in public playgrounds), with the space also home to a wild children's playground. Intrepid kidlets can test their...

Famelia Wine School

  • Wine bars
  • Newtown
Famelia Wine School
Famelia Wine School
Photograph: Lily Austin
When owner-sommelier Amelia Birch opened Famelia on Newtown's Enmore Road in 2023, her focus was simple yet special: to champion wines made by female winemakers and women-led wineries. Famelia is all about making wine approachable, inclusive and fun.  Now, this Inner West wine bar and bottle shop is taking things one step further with the launch of Famelia Wine School. Held every second Tuesday, the new series of guided tastings is designed to help anyone build confidence and gain knowledge through conversation, hands-on tasting and regional deep-dives – without any pressure or pretense. Rather than telling you what you should like, each session encourages you to trust your own palate while exploring how grape varieties, climate, soil and winemaking techniques shape what's in your glass. Staying true to Famelia's ethos, every wine poured throughout the program comes from women winemakers or female-led partnerships. All we've got to say is, gather your friends and send this out on the group chat.  Get all the details and make a booking via the Famelia website. Upcoming Famelia Wine School events Region Spotlight: Jura, FranceTuesday, July 28 | 6.30–8.30pmExplore one of France's most fascinating wine regions through a guided tasting of Jura's distinctive whites, elegant reds and iconic Vin Jaune. Chenin. Chardy. Chablis.Tuesday, August 11 | 6.30–8.30pmCompare six Old World and New World wines to discover what sets Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Chablis apart. Region...
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