Things to do in Sydney this week

Halloscream will transform Luna Park for an eighth year into a ghoulish scare-fair with additional hair-raising adventures, roving park demons and horror-themed snacks over six spooky nights.

This fortnightly Wednesday night event from Since I Left You transports you to a different, far-flung corner of the world through the particular, evocative magic of cooking and mixology. Local producer Jonce will be roping in his friends to provide the evening's soundtrack, with a new, live Sydney musician taking the stage for each event. 

One person’s trash is another’s treasure, right? That’s the case for the ingeniously inventive artists celebrated by the Bower Reuse and Repair Centres. After a spell at the Parramatta outpost, their second annual Art from Trash moves into Redfern’s 107 Projects spot from October 16.

Parramatta’s Bankwest Stadium will play host to the Disney+ Drive-in, firing up the projector from October 22. They'll play a selection of classic animated tales and more recent live-action remakes – including The Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast – plus Marvel’s silliest superhero throwdowns. Of course, there will also be hyperdrive forays into a galaxy far, far away, offering a little something for everyone.  

You're about to get all the burrata you can handle when Salt Meats Cheese hosts their burrata night on Tuesday October 20. Each of the four Sydney venues will be offering a one-night only menu dedicated to burrata, with seven dishes starring the diva cheese. 

In a nutshell (a seashell?), Les Sculptures Refusées showcases the 'rejects' from Sculpture by the Sea. Some of Australia’s best sculptors will be on show at this open air exhibition situated at the historic Q Station in Manly. While we wait on new dates for the original seaside art stroll, this is our best alternative.

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Ciaran Gribbin to stepped into the enormous shoes left by Michael Hutchence in 2011, becoming the new lead singer of legendary Australian band INXS. He’ll perform an intimate gig at the Vanguard in Newtown on Saturday, October 24.

The Kitchens on Kent dinner series celebrates the return of the Langham's in-house eatery after months of shutdown. Elegant, inimate five-course degustations take place on Thursdays each fortnight, and each course comes paired with drinks – just not those you'd expect. 

The Rebel Women’s Big Bash League returns on October 25 for its sixth season with action-packed matches at North Sydney Oval and Sydney Showground Stadium (plus a one-off midweek clash at Blacktown International Sportspark).

The cinema that has previously brought you ambitious marathons of the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter film franchises is going green. Put your onions out and dust off your Smash Mouth CDs to embark on a quest far, far away (to Randwick) for the Ritz’s Shrekrospective. 

The MCA is back in a big way, and it's fully embracing the new normal, throwing focus on Australian artists. It’s in this spirit that we get absolutely spoiled with a cracking retrospective of Lindy Lee’s exhilarating career. Lindy Lee: Moon in a Dew Drop celebrates the Australian-Chinese artist’s genius, nimbly dancing through four decades of jaw-dropping creativity crossing mediums and cultures.

At Italian stalwart Pendolino's more casual younger sibling restaurant, La Rosa, a new pop-up steakhouse celebrates the best of British cuisine with a touch of Mediterranean pizzaz. Milan Cricket Club will be dishing up plates like Scotch egg with Oxford sauce; raw beef on dripping toast; grilled tongue on anchovy; whole flounder with green sauce and lemon; and a pig's head schnitzel.

The gang at Newtown's indie outfit New Theatre present a brand-new adaptation of Orwell’s other most famous work, Animal Farm, which plays until November 7.

Australia’s most prestigious arts prizes are back in a big way from Saturday, September 26, after being postponed by you-know-what. The show-stopping Archibald Prize is always a huge event on Sydney’s cultural scene, accompanied by the Wynne and Sulman prizes. This year's finalists give a glimpse into a colourful cross-section of contemporary Australian culture.

It's the eigth year of the Morrison Oyster Festival and Sydney still can't seem to get enough of those tasty little bivalves. During the month of October, the inner city restaurant and bar will boast oysters from 50 regions around Australia. Oyster Hour is back with $1.50 oysters from 6-7pm daily, and the weekend holds two-hour sessions of unlimited sparkling wine to accompany a dozen freshly shucked sea babies.

Superheroes is a play about two women on opposite sides of the world living small lives in a time of big politics. Written by Mark Rogers, it's a comfort for Sydney theatregoers to see Griffin continue its legacy of staging new Australian works. 

A multi-sensory, immersive art installation is transforming the Clock Hotel’s gin garden into an oasis of sound, light and spirits. Re-claimed is a collaboration between Sydney artist Sam Whiteside and creative studio Babekuhl. In addition to the installation itself, there will also be a series of live performances, masterclasses and limited-edition cocktails on offer.

Enigmatically dubbed 'Maybe Aria', a new collaboration between suave CBD bar Maybe Sammy and the inimitable Aria looks set to spice up the mid-week drinks during the month of October. Each Wednesday, the skillful mixologists of Maybe Sammy will take up residence in Aria's abode on the shores of Sydney Harbour, to mix up some fancy cocktails designed to pull you over the week's hump.

The latest addition to the Sydney's wave of socially distanced outdoor picture palaces, at the St Ives Showgrounds, has arrived just in time for a night of supernatural scares. There's a huge program ofmovies on offer throughout October, including feel-good classics, brand new blockbusters, and a horror-ific double bill on Halloween.

While not all tacos are created equal, we’re willing to bet the new pop-up restaurant at the Marly in Newtown is dishing out some of the best you’ll find on this side of the globe. Hashtag Burgers, the name behind the infamous Nameless Bar and Sydney’s OTT burger festival Burgapalooza, has teamed up with Mexican-born chef Juan Carlos to create Cabrones Taqueria.

While the city-wide Biennale of Sydney may have wrapped up, Bankstown Arts Centre has announced the smaller but perfectly formed inaugural Bankstown Biennale. It’s a celebration of the creative output of 20 Sydney-based artists.

Hugo Weaving and Wayne Blair co-star in this haunting new play marking Sydney Theatre Co's first post-lockdown production. The play explores the 1917 Wonnangatta murders from the perspective of two friends of the victim. Played by Weaving and Blair, the men arrive on a farm to visit their friend, Jim Barclay. When he's nowhere to be seen, they set out for answers, and for justice. 

The vibe of the top-to-bottom refurbishment of Sydney Tower’s top floor, now home to the loftiest cocktail lounge in the city, is not so much a nod to the ‘60s as it is a full-throated power ballad to the kitschest, campest, most swinging design trends of the age. Sitting 83 storeys above street level, Bar 83's transformation is something to see.

The Granny Smith Festival is all about chance and the luck of little acts (just like the story behind the humble apple variety, which was actually developed in Sydney). For this year's festival you can catch some outdoor flicks at a drive-in cinema over the weekend of October 3 - 4, see an artist's work take over Eastwood plaza, and check out a whole raft of online events.

While big stadium concerts are on hiatus for now, music is playing in more intimate venues across the city. Sydney now has a crop of nightspots bringing musicians back to the stage for reimagined, physically distanced gigs. Check out our list and get ready have a (seated) shimmy to jazz, rock or soul.

You might think that the difference between a park and garden is just a matter of semantics, but in truth, they’re different spaces. Parks are all about activity and versatility – they can become whatever we need them to be. Gardens on the other hand offer carefully curated experiences.

Do you love cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off, scones with jam and cream and tiered plates of petit fours? Sydney is obsessed with high tea, and with good reason – we know how to bake a good scone. Once you pair them with beautiful harbour views, like at the Mosman Barracks, or cultivated gardens at historic Vaucluse House, and throw in a cheeky glass of Champagne – you've got yourself an aspirational afternoon of leisure.

Check out glorious highlights of the beloved Japanese illustrator's prolific 40-year career in a retrospective hosted by the Japan Foundation in Chippendale. There are pieces on show from his ‘80s heyday right up until now, with Nagai as prolific and successful an artist as ever. 

You can face off with your foes (we mean, friends) at a new pop-up putt putt experience in Parramatta these school holidays. A Disney Pixar-themed mini-golf course is now landing at the Bank West Stadium on September 25, supplying reams of nostalgic putt putt fun.

Hello Auntie's luxurious new bottomless brunch at it's Darling Sqaure eatery is designed to have you feeling like you've spent beyond your means. Feast on a menu of delicacies like bo tai (aged beef tartare with caviar) and ca hoi tai (cured salmon with crème fraiche, tamarind gel and Jerusalem artichoke) – all for $70 per person. There's only one sitting each Saturday, between noon and 2pm.

The team behind Manly's modern Japanese eatery Daniel San has decided to mock up its own version of a pink-hued sakura paradise. From late September and for the whole month of October, the airy beachside venue will transform into a blushing floral bower, decked out with thousands of cherry blossom stems to emulate the two weeks in spring when the streets of Japan are filled with blooming cherry trees.

The Imperial Hotel in Erskineville is back with its super saucy drag 'n' dine experience, Rood Food. This multi-course dinner paired with an adults-only drag revue is not for the faint of heart (BYO pearls to clutch). Dine on suggestive dishes that will make you blush and be entertained with a comedic show by the Impy's resident drag queens. 

The Dendy Newtown is running a five-week Rainbow Retrospective of awesome queer cinema from September 24. Catch schlocky cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, as well as masterclasses in yearning like Call Me By Your Name, or Our Cate bedazzling Rooney Mara in Todd Haynes’ impeccable drama Carol, Céline Sciamma's lush Portrait of a Lady on Fire, and Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight.

The triumph and the tragedy of Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh has captivated people worldwide, with his art speaking to audiences far beyond the normal gallery-hopping set. Now Sydneysiders can soak up the sweeping, soaring beauty of works like ‘Vase with Twelve Sunflowers’ and ‘Starry Night over the Rhone’ at unimaginable scales.

While you won’t find the greasy-haired potions masters or famed boy wizards at this creative drinking experience in Kings Cross, you will have a lot of fun if you’re keen on the occult. Brew devilish concoctions in your cauldron – but not before you implore the skills of dark sorcery to unlock your potion ingredients in an escape room style challenge. 

For those born without the gift of a green thumb, Little Succers' range of cute, deliverable DIY terrariums featuring hardy succulents were a godsend. While in-person classes were halted for much of the year due to restrictions, you can book in to the build-your-own-terrarium bar at Little Succers' Surry Hills studio from mid-September. 

The Royal Botanic Gardens' light-filled glasshouse, the Calyx, is back in action with a brand new floral display called In Bloom. With more than 20,000 flowers in a dizzying array of colours, it's a spectacle to be seen.

This spring will have to look a little different to previous years. While many social restrictions across Sydney have been relaxed or lifted in recent months, the virus is still present in our communities. Fortunately, there are plenty of springtime activities in Sydney that make the most of the great outdoors while still allowing for physical distancing – so give these a try, and enjoy spring in safety.

When the sunny season kicks in, crowds flock to Sydney's most famous sandy stretches, but with well over 100 beaches to be found in and around the city, there are plenty of secluded shores to choose from if you'd prefer to sunbake with minimal human contact.

For a sizable chunk of 2020, the nicest view most of us could hope for was the one through our living room window. So, since we’re allowed to roam free across the state once more, we reckon it’s about time you levelled-up your vista. Just cop an eyeful of these breathtaking sights in and around Sydney, then start planning your next day trip to behold them IRL.

Harbourside hotel Pier One is putting on a new series of creative classes in conjunction with some renowned local brands. On Saturdays you can get arty over brunch, and on Sundays you can learn flower arranging with brunch then wield the brush as you master makeup over sunset cocktails. 

There's no reason your swim time should suffer when the sun isn’t shining. The Harbour City has several excellent indoor and outdoor heated pools which operate year-round, and after a lengthy shutdown as new safety protocols were hammered out, most of them have now reopened to the public. Here’s our pick of the best of the bunch you can visit right now.

Slide on your glass slippers, affordable fine dining fave Nel has reopened its doors for physically distanced dining and they’re inviting you to be their guest with the return of a Disney-themed degustation. ‘Once Upon a Time’ involves eleven dishes with a nostalgia-inducing creative touch.

The 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art has reopened its Haymarket gallery space with a cutely named exhibition series. Holding Patterns is a revolving show that champions the cultural contribution of four artists in a time of crisis, showcasing adaptability in the face of disruption.

There is a wealth of purpose-built climbing gyms all over this fine city sporting some of the best facilities in the country. Go grab a buddy and start scaling those heights.

Sea Life Sydney Aquarium is welcoming a brand new resident, and she’s a beauty. Weighing in at 120 kilograms and 75 centimetres long, Plugga is a rescued Australian Green Sea Turtle. This 30-year-old female moved to the Darling Harbour aquarium after a 534 kilometre, six-hour journey from Coffs Harbour – which was a complete success, according to the aquarium. Swing by and say hi. 

Clay Sydney’s new Enmore studio offers chilled-out one-off workshops suitable for total beginners as well as short courses covering wheel-throwing, hand-building, firing and glazing techniques for the clay-curious. If you fancy learning the basics while throwing back a bevvie, the wine and clay night might just be up your alley. 

To market, to market? Whether it’s the promise of brekky pho or the racks of vintage threads that gets you out of bed in the morning, these are the markets that we've been itching to get back to, with their local produce, creative wares and delicious snacks.

In good news for seasoned sketchers and newly minted hobbyists alike, the Camelot Lounge's popular mid-week life drawing sessions are back on. Have your pencil at the ready as a nude model takes to the stage for two sets of artistic posing between 6.30pm and 8.15pm. 

The notion of ‘family’ has long been a cornerstone of queer identity and a major new exhibition at the UNSW Galleries explores what ‘being together’ means for different queer subcultures – in Australia, internationally and across time. The work of 15 artists (or artist collaborations), along with a series of films, plus material from the Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives, has been compiled for the exhibition.

If you haven't visited this Darlinghurst Museum, it's about time you did. There is a misunderstanding that the Jewish Museum is only meant for Jewish people to visit, or only of interest to WWII buffs. In reality, the museum’s mission is to make history accessible through the lens of the Jewish experience, and in doing so, help us to understand our present. Check out new exhibitions like Jews from Islamic Lands while you're there.

There are plenty of opportunities near Sydney for novice hikers to experience the great outdoors without trekking too far from civilisation. In the national parks that sit on the city’s fringes, you'll find several wonderful hikes that are perfect for those who prefer a relaxed amble to a major expedition.

International borders look set to remain sealed until at least next year and restrictions on interstate travel are still in effect for much of the country. Fortunately, there's a wealth of great getaway options right here in New South Wales ready and waiting to receive eager holidaymakers. 

Hoorah! Sydney Bridgeclimb is open to the public again. Yes, you have to wear an unflattering grey jumpsuit – but if climbing the fourth-longest single-span steel arch bridge in the world is a should-see for out-of-towners and visiting celebrities, then it’s an absolute can’t-miss for locals.  

The Australian National Maritime Museum has reopened to the public with two stellar new exhibitions to see. Under Southern Skies and From Kupe to Cook explore not just the traditional, colonial perspectives of James Cook's navigation (and 'discovery') of Australia and the Pacific, but also the perspectives of First Nations people involved in those encounters.

The fine artists from Cork and Canvas are inviting us back into the studio again. That’s right, you can dip your brush and wet your whistle in public once more at their Crows Nest and Darlinghurst sip and paint studios.

If there’s one cheese out there that’s captured everyone’s hearts and minds, it’s got to be burrata. In just 90 minutes, the experts at Omnom Cheese will teach you how to make your own in this hands-on class. The curd masters are back and ready to re-launch their new, smaller classes designed for ultimate health and safety. 

In excellent timing for the upcoming long weekend, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service is opening up a range of campsites all around to state to welcome punters. Regional travel has been given the green light from June 1, which means NSW citizens will be able to travel for a holiday or any other recreational purposes around the state. 

Sometimes you just want to exchange your everyday for an alternate reality where plush robes come hand-laundered to your door. We have rounded up some of the most luxurious hotels in NSW for you to escape the rigours of modern life with on a truly indulgent vacay. 

Follow your traveller's instinct and get away for a day to one of our best day trips from the city – featuring quaint villages, seaside hangouts and mountain escapes. Around a two-hour drive or a scenic train ride away, you'll find yourself rambling through eucalyptus gums, gazing out over gorgeous ocean cliffs, or watching the world go by in a sleepy village. 

Whether you're looking to go for a run, walk your dog, have a sedate picnic or just take a break from your four walls, these are the parks to visit. They have sprawling open spaces, free barbecues and shaded spots to while away an afternoon or simply catch a break at lunchtime.

Here are some of the best outdoor fitness stations from across Sydney, which you can access 24-hours a day and completely free.