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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.

Calling all Ted Lasso fans: Woollahra’s Lord Dudley is transforming into the Crown & Anchor this week (Aug 5-7) with themed pub grub, trivia, darts and free pies for the first 100 people through the door.

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

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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Bennelong in London

  • Dawes Point
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended
Bennelong in London
Bennelong in London
Photograph: Daniel Boud
A new work by revered Australian playwright Jane Harrison (The Visitors, Stolen) is always one to be celebrated. Her works tackle and investigate both the past and present existence of First Nations communities, weaving a contemporary lens through which she aims to reconcile, teach and honour. The newest Sydney Theatre Company-commissioned work, Bennelong in London, is no different. Here, Harrison dissects the historical narrative of Woollarawarre Bennelong, a man who found himself in an unprecedented moment in history. At the centre of the work is a complex individual whose historical narrative has been documented by the colonisers and whose history can only truly be known by his actions. This is a play that is ultimately a conversation between generations, focusing on identity, representation and the responsibility that comes with one’s story. What is the premise of Bennelong in London? Sebastian (Guy Simon – Stolen, Holding the Man) is a contemporary First Nations actor preparing to audition for the role of Woollarawarre Bennelong (Googoorewon Knox – Hamilton) in an unnamed project. It’s clear from the outset that he can’t quite get a grip on the portrayal of one of the most significant figures in the early years of invasion as he shoots numerous takes on a precariously propped phone. Harrison’s plot takes no time in getting to the crunch – after an offhand plea to summon the spirit of Bennelong for help, Sebastian gets what he asks for in the form of the figure...
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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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Black Myth

  • Art
  • Galleries
  • Chippendale
Black Myth
Black Myth
Photograph: Hamish McIntosh
Greek mythology is definitely having a moment thanks to Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster The Odyssey, but Sydney’s very own White Rabbit Gallery is the place to be if you want to learn about Chinese mythology.  Established in 2009 to showcase philanthropist Judith Neilson's remarkable collection of 21st-century Chinese contemporary art, The White Rabbit Gallery in Chippendale has become one of Sydney's most fascinating cultural spaces. And now, David Williams brings us Black Myth, the gallery's 33rd exhibition that explores how ancient Chinese myths continue to shape our modern, technology-centric lives. Inspired by the hit 2024 video game Black Myth: Wukong – a modern reimagining of the 16th century Chinese novel Journey to the West – the exhibition examines the darker side of mythology and the enduring power of storytelling. Journey to the West follows the monk Tang Sanzang and his travelling companions: the mischievous Monkey King Sun Wukong, the pig-faced Zhu Bajie and the loyal river ogre Sha Wujing as they embark on an epic quest to retrieve sacred Buddhist scriptures. Mirroring that legendary adventure, the video game Black Myth explores journeys of every kind – physical and metaphysical, inner and outer – while delving into the Chinese ideas of transformation and transcendence. Artists include Sun Xun, whose intricate woodcuts and ink paintings create entire imagined worlds; Zong Ning, who reinvents ancient legends through contemporary photography and everyday...
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Famelia Wine School

  • Wine bars
  • Newtown
Famelia Wine School
Famelia Wine School
Photograph: Joshua Pike
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 from July to October 2026, 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...
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Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes

  • Art
  • Galleries
  • Sydney
  • Recommended
Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes
Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes
Photograph: AGNSW/Jenni Carter
Australia’s most popular arts event is back in action for 2026, with the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes bringing a fresh batch of painterly expressions to the walls of the Art Gallery of NSW from May 9 to August 16.  They call it “the face that stops the nation”, and the Archibald Prize has indeed been courting controversy and conversation for more than a century now. This popular portrait prize is always filled with famous faces, with artists from all over Australia (and also New Zealand) capturing the spirit of the times through paintings that capture the likeness of the personalities that define their communities. Melbourne-based artist Richard Lewer is the winner of the Archibald Prize 2026 – he won over the judges with a stunning portrait of Pitjantjatjara Elder, senior artist and ngangkari (traditional healer) Iluwanti Ken. RECOMMENDED: A beginner's guide to the Archibald Prize. The winner of the 2026 Packing Room Prize was announced a week earlier, with the Packing Room Pickers (a.k.a. the Art Gallery staff who receive, unpack and hang the entries) selecting Sean Layh's striking painting of actor Jacob Collins as their favourite Archibald portrait this year.  Meanwhile, the Wynne Prize awarded the best landscape painting of Australian scenery or figurative sculpture to YolƋu artist Gaypalani Waáč‰ambi, and the Sulman was awarded to Lucy Culliton for the best genre painting, subject painting or mural project.  The annual finalists exhibition is a real must-see,...
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The Garden

  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Marrickville
The Garden
The Garden
Photograph: Supplied
Beautiful things are (nearly) 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 from July 25 to 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?

The Addams Family

  • Musicals
  • Elizabeth Bay
The Addams Family
The Addams Family
Photograph: James Reiser
"They're creepy and they're kooky / Mysterious and spooky / They're altogether ooky / The Addams Family."  If you love that jingle and the famously freaky family associated with it, you'll be thrilled to know that The Addams Family is haunting Hayes Theatre, Potts Point until August 9. Cue dark humour and death stares in this in this Gothic musical comedy where love, family and chaos collide.  Brought to life by the acclaimed team behind The Producers, this new production is directed by Julia Robertson (The Producers, Metropolis) and choreographed by Shannon Burns (Gutenberg! The Musical, The Producers). Based on the beloved characters created by cartoonist Charles Addams, the musical follows Wednesday Addams as she falls for a “normal” boy – forcing the wonderfully weird Addams clan to confront love, acceptance and the awkward business of meeting the in-laws. Leading the cast is Erika Heynatz as Morticia Addams (Legally Blonde, Menopause the Musical), bringing plenty of gothic glamour to the iconic matriarch. Marcus Rivera steps into the role of devoted husband Gomez Addams (Miss Saigon, City of Angels), while Jenny Guigayoma plays Wednesday Addams (Nine, Peter Pan) and Georgia Oom takes on the mischievous Pugsley (Werkaholics, Footloose). Evan Lever brings his peculiar charm to Uncle Fester (The Normal Heart, Muriel’s Wedding), Deborah Galanos embraces the chaos as Grandmama and Elliot Aitken makes his professional debut as the deadpan Lurch. The Addams Family delivers...
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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...

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,...
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