Things to do in Sydney this week

Just as the warmer days have started setting in, Sydney Harbour has welcomed a glorious new addition – in the form of a free-to-access swimming pool in the heart of the city. Pool by Pier Bar is bringing beach club energy to the Harbour City – with guests at Pier One’s airy indoor-outdoor venue invited to cool off in a pop-up harbourside swimming pool. Running until Friday, January 31, the pop-up swimming pool is transforming the sun-soaked corner of harbourside into an adult playground. Order drinks and summery snacks – like Pier Bar’s signature Margaritas and golden bowls of calamari and soft shell crab – and settle in for a perfectly-fuelled afternoon spent in and out of the water. The pool is netted, so you don’t need to worry about any unwanted friends, and there are towels available to hire at $10 a pop if you don’t want to carry a damp towel home.  Group numbers are capped at 25, but if you want to gather a group of 24 for a day of drinks by the harbour – go forth. The view of the sunset from Pier Bar – dropping behind Walsh Bay and bathing the pier in buttery light – is one of the best in Sydney, so it’s worth staying all day. Access to the pool is free, but a minimum spend of $75 per person applies for groups of ten people and more. Keen? You can book over here.   Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED:  Want more fun? Here’s what’s on in Sydney this weekend. And these are our favourite...

If the idea of a chilly European-style Christmas market really gets you going, then boy, do we have the marché for you. From Friday, December 13 to Saturday, December 22, the organisers of the epic Bastille Festival are back with their European-themed extravaganza’s Christmas edition – falling snow included. Le Jolly Market – a classic European winter market, complete with wooden chalets, melted cheese stations and a glimmering Christmas tree – is popping up this year in a sparkly new super-central location.The annual festive affair will be bringing a whole heap of European charm to Belmore Park – an often overlooked pocket of green in the heart of the city. You’ll find Belmore Park just opposite the Eddy Avenue exit of Central Station, and from December 13 until December 22, it will be transformed into a Christmas-themed wonderland.  Guests can expect food stalls slinging all the European favourites: fresh crepes, cheese fondue and – naturally – a whole lot of wine. Other foodie highlights include escargot, moules frites and cute-as-anything Christmas pastries. With five wine bars and 40 food stalls, plus 35 stalls offering everything from handmade ceramics to locally-crafted spirits, this is your one-stop-shop for a dose of festive cheer. Plus, you’ll find a whole heap of gifts for less than $20 – an affordable way to add a little affordable European charm to your Christmas haul. Le Jolly Market will be open to the public from 5pm until 10.30pm every evening...

There’s something so intriguing about exploring the depths of the ocean, because we don't get many chances to check out what's down there. If you’re not a diver but you’ve always wanted to see what happens underneath the ripples of the water's surface, check out this ocean photography exhibition that's returning to the Australian National Maritime Museum.From November 28, the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2024 exhibition will feature all of the winners and finalists of the prestigious prize, which is led by the London-based Oceanographic Magazine.  The exhibition will display 118 of the most awe-inspiring wildlife shots ever snapped, immersing you in the otherworldly magic of the ocean and bringing you face-to-face with some of the sea's most majestic creatures. Particular highlights will no doubt be getting your peepers on the winning image from photographer Rafael Fernández Caballero. His incredible photo of a Bryde whale feeding on a heart-shaped baitball was taken in Baja California Sur, Mexico during the Mexican sardine run. The stunning shot was chosen from more than 15,000 images by a panel of expert judges.  There are plenty of other award-winning photos on display across 10 categories, including the Ocean Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Ocean Adventure Photographer of the Year and the Ocean Fine Art Photographer of the Year.   Tickets are on sale now with discounts available for concessions and children and family passes on offer. All tickets include access to...

Crawl under the blankets with a glass of wine and settle in on the beach for another season of screenings in bed at Barangaroo. This fun twist on the classic outdoor cinema has been running since 2016, offering Sydney’s film buffs the chance to see new releases and beloved cinematic moments on the big screen while snuggling up under the doona. After a successful set-up of their unique pop-up beach at Barangaroo in 2023, Mov'in Bed is back for its shoreline affair. With the new Metro station nearby, snuggling up under the stars in this beautiful harbourside spot has never been easier.  This year, Mov'in Bed returns with 160 queen and king-sized beds, perfect for two or three people. Level up your experience with an extra-cosy VIP bed in the West Hotel VIP area, complete with butler service, bottomless popcorn and a complimentary glass of champagne on arrival. For top-tier comfort, the Ultimate VIP bed also features a West Hotel's signature mattress and a fully stocked bar fridge with complimentary soft drinks – only two tickets are available each night, so get in quick. Summer blockbusters headline this year's Sydney season, including the hotly anticipated Wicked movie adaptation, cheeky duo Deadpool and Wolverine, and the latest creation of Gladiator II. Strap in for the festive season too with showings of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Elf, and Love Actually.  The beach cinema will be offering dine-in-bed dinner service, this year featuring hand-crafted pizza, burgers,...

UPDATE, DECEMBER 9: Clearly, we can't get enough of this ridicoulously funny show! Titanique has just announced that this Sydney-exclusive season has been extended all the way through summer, until March 30. Prepare to board! Read on for our critic's five-star review:  Ah, the Titanic. An unsinkable cultural icon, the “Ship of Dreams” has appeared in almost as many movies and stage productions as the songs of Canada’s queen of the power ballad, Céline Dion. It’s even got a two-and-a-half-hour (surprisingly serious) movie musical adaptation based on Maury Yeston’s Titanic: the Musical. Although, none can hold a candle to the cultural impact of James Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster – you know, the one with Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. So, with nostalgia being such hot property right now, it was only a matter of time before we got the camp-as-hell musical fantasia-made-for-and-by-the-gays that is Titanique. Created by Marla Mindelle (who originated the role of Céline Dion – well, as imagined in this show), Constantine Rousouli (who originated the role of Jack) and director Tye Blue (whose countless industry credits include working on the casting team of RuPaul’s Drag Race), Titanique is revisionist history at its best. Loaded with Céline Dion’s greatest bangers, it casts Queen Dion herself (played so wonderfully by cabaret legend Marney McQueen here in Aus) as the narrator of the tragic tale, who continuously places herself at the center of the action – quite literally –...

Que the jingle bells for your office commute: the beloved annual Martin Place Christmas Markets are back for 2024, kicking off on Thursday, November 28 with a super-festive four-day pop-up market illuminated by a magical twinkling light canopy. The merry CBD markets will then be held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in December leading up to Christmas (AKA the biggest day in Mariah Carey’s calendar) – so you can get gifts for your loved ones and support small businesses at the same time. How’s that for Christmas cheer? From ripe and juicy cherries to festive wreaths, deliciously-scented candles, boutique wines, Christmas puddings, handcrafted jewellery and chic homewares, these markets are stacked with excellent stalls and passionate stallholders, set to bring festival cheer to even the most Grinch-identifying CBD worker. You’ll find the Christmas markets in the pedestrian boulevard of Martin Place in the heart of the city – just above the huge Martin Place metro station. You can find out more about this super-central Christmas shopping extravaganza over here.Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, straight to your inbox. Get in the festive spirit with these Christmas markets running all throughout the November and December.

The Australian Museum’s latest exhibition, Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru, is landing in Sydney with one of the most impressive gold collections to ever tour the globe.  From November 23, this blockbuster exhibition will take you back in time with over 130 artefacts showcasing the daily lives, spiritual practices and extraordinary achievements of societies in ancient Peru. In addition to the stunning gold collection, you’ll also find priceless treasures on display, including exquisite jewellery and funerary objects unearthed in royal tombs. The exhibition explores civilisations that predate the Incas, including indigenous groups who lived in the Andes mountains and the desert coastal strip of Peru as far back as 10,000 BCE. The exhibition dives into their rich history, including their fascination with natural life cycles, birth and death. Upgrade your visit with a thrilling VR experience that takes you on an expedition to the Incan city of Machu Picchu for an add-on fee. Using cutting-edge technology, you’ll explore this UNESCO World Heritage site from the comfort of 360-degree motion chairs, immersing yourself in the sights, sounds and sensations of this mysterious city in the sky—all without leaving Sydney. If you want to delve deeper, an exciting series of expert-led talks and experiences are coming soon to the museum. The AM's Journey to Peru series will explore various aspects of Peruvian and Incan culture, covering topics from archaeology to astronomy...

Well, that rabble rouser Jesus Christ is at it again. Stirring up the people of Judea, angering Caiaphas and the Pharisees, encouraging a revolt against the occupying Roman government – although Governor Pontius Pilate doesn’t seem particularly fussed. Still, even among his own followers there’s dissent in the ranks – his bestie, Judas, seems particularly ticked off. Jesus better watch his sandaled step – and hey, that’s an awfully big Cross taking up a lot of real estate on the stage? I have to assume you’re familiar to at least some degree with the general drift of Jesus Christ Superstar; after all, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s rock opera is based on one of the most popular books ever published, the Bible – or at least, parts of the New Testament. First staged on Broadway in 1971 (although it was a concept album first, the composers having had trouble finding anyone who would stump up cash for an arguably-blasphemous take on the story of Christ) it was the longest-running West End production of all time until Webber’s own Cats outpaced it in 1989.  It is a spectacular interpretation... passionate, creative, and immensely impressive Now, of course, it’s a classic of the stage, with revivals occurring regularly. Here in Australia, we’ve had Jon English as Judas (1972), John Farnham as Jesus (1992), and even rock ‘n’ roll nerd Tim Minchin as the former in the 2012 Arena Tour (technically not an Aussie production, but Minchin certainly is). Indeed, it was the...

Descend down the escalators in the Art Gallery of NSW’s ultra-chic modern north building, and you’ll see an enormous octopus perched above the entrance to one of the most anticipated exhibitions of the Sydney summer – step inside a futuristic cyber cityscape with Cao Fei: My City is Yours. An unfurling of purple tentacles beckons you to step into the multidimensional world of this influential Chinese contemporary artist, and become totally immersed in playful and inventive multimedia installations. Cao Fei (pronounced ‘tsow fay’) encourages you to jump into an inviting pit of foam cubes, walk through installations embedded with found objects, perch on a yoga chair to watch a short doco, lay down to watch another video projected onto the ceiling, sit in an original 1960s cinema chair from Beijing to watch a sci-fi film, and even strap in for a VR experience.  The exhibition offers a unique blend of virtual worlds and cutting-edge technology, as well as tributes to fallen city haunts both here and abroad. But for many Sydneysiders, the most remarkable sight will perhaps be the pitch-perfect recreation of the Marigold, the much-loved yum cha institution from Sydney’s Chinatown, which sadly closed for good in December 2021. Inspired by the restaurant’s 1990s Canto-decor, original furnishings have been salvaged for this uncanny installation – including the chandeliers and light fixtures, tables and chairs, regal red carpeting, and gold signage. All of this is juxtaposed by some...

It’s time to stop and smell the popcorn and grab your picnic basket – this popular outdoor cinema is returning to the beautiful surrounds of Centennial Parklands this summer. From November 22, 2024, Moonlight Cinema is back in action for its 29th year in Sydney and screening a bunch of flicks in the open air and under the stars. The program features a stellar line up of 2024 Box Office blockbusters, festive movie favourites and family flicks right through to March 30, 2025. The Moonlight experience is about more than the movie. You can snuggle up in the comfiest of bean bags – and so can your furry best mate, because dogs are allowed! It’s BYO friendly (so chuck a bottle of bubbles on ice) but if you’re famously under prepared, have no fear – there’s a phalanx of food trucks, licensed bars for libations and on-site activations flogging free samples, to boot.  There are multiple ticketing options at various price points to choose from. Are you the extra-AF type? Level up your outing with the ‘Mount Franklin Lightly Sparkling Platinum experience’, which includes sparkling water (naturally) plus a food package and personal waiter service direct to deluxe double bean bags. If you're an outdoor cinema aficionado, it's worth signing up as a Moonlight Cinebuz member for reduced-price tickets, every time. So what’s playing this summer? Moviegoers can expect a line-up of some of 2024’s biggest Hollywood blockbusters, including Challengers, The Fall Guy, The Substance, Wicked,...