So Sydney…Our Festival ends with a flourish. Let’s revive free opening night party for Sydney Festival 2026

• The Sydney Festival 2025 has ended – the last by Festival Director Olivia Ansell
• New Festival Director Kris Nelson is promising the “boldest and best” for 2026 – it’s opening year
• The Sydney Travel Guide is launching a campaign to revive the free festival opening party for its 50th year in 2026
• READ MORE: Was Model Murder the best show at Sydney Festival this year?

The Sydney Festival came to a close this weekend. Time to consider the Sydney Festival 2026.

There were 130 events, 22 world premieres, 24 Australian exclusives and over 50 free events this year.

Here at Sydney Travel Guide, we ended on a high: Katie Noonan performing Jeff Buckley’s Grace at the Wharf 1 Theatre was a joy to behold, and strangely a fitting epitaph for this festival: a bold mix of rock chic, jazz child and singer for the people. Noonan is a wonderful Australian talent—I’m not sure any other nation could produce someone with such a vocal range, eclectic musical tastes and professional yet inclusive performance.

This year’s festival was one of many hits… and just a few misses.

We loved Siegfried & Roy: The Unauthorised Opera and A Model Murder—a Sydney-centric story of a model who shot her two-timing boyfriend and got away with it. Sadly we didn’t get to see Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden concert—but we applauded the idea despite the weather.

Even the ghost ship at Walsh Bay was wonderfully frightful in the night—though not, perhaps, so obviously explainable during daylight.

The Thirsty Mile was probably not one of the festival’s biggest hits.

But we felt there was something missing. And now we know what it is. In years gone by, the festival opened with a city-wide street party, with snap shots of the shows free for everyone to taste and test. It brought the arts to the streets—and we believe it is time for revival.

We urge arts minister John Graham, who is doing an excellent job of rebuilding our arts industries, to consider reviving the free Sydney Festival festival opening night next year.  it was once an invariable highlight of the New Year and genuinely brought the festival to the masses.

The opening night party was a hugely popular event on the Sydney Calendar, but was discontinued in 2012 due to State Government funding cuts.

It was an amazing event, and included free concerts by the likes of Grace Jones, The Cat Empire and Al Green.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the festival’s then executive director Christopher Tooher told the ABC the decision to end First Night was due to a change in direction from then incoming director, Lieven Bertels, along with a change in available funding.

Meanwhile, next year—the Festival’s 50th—will see Canadian Kris Nelson assume the role of Festival Director for Sydney Festival from 2026 to 2029.

Nelson joins following a six-and-a-half year stint as Artistic Director and CEO at the prestigious London International
Festival of Theatre (LIFT).

Sydney Festival Chair, Kate Dundas, said: ” His innovative approach to programming, commitment to diverse voices, and deep understanding of both artists and audiences will ensure that Sydney Festival continues to thrive as a dynamic and
inspiring cultural event. We look forward to the bold and exciting vision Kris will bring as we embark on this next chapter.”

The Canadian migrant is set to relocate to Australia later this year after more than a decade spent living and working in the UK and Ireland.

Nelson’s dynamic programs as Artistic Director and CEO with LIFT featured the likes of 24-hour theatrical phenomenon The Second Woman by Sydney’s own Randall and Breckon, named The Guardian’s top theatre pick of 2023, and past Sydney Festival
favourite, the indoor beachside opera work, Sun & Sea.

He also commissioned premieres of several globally successful British works including I Am From Reykjavik by Sonia Hughes and
The Making of Pinocchio by Cade & MacAskill. I

Ahead of his move to Sydney, Kris Nelson said: “Becoming Festival Director of Sydney Festival is a tremendous opportunity. I love Sydney Festival’s DNA—it’s truly one of the world’s greats. It’s a festival that originates new ideas and ways of seeing the world as it shares powerful, daring and joyful performing arts with audiences across the city.

“I’ve long been inspired by the ambition, diversity and talent in the Australian cultural sector, and I love the festival’s ability to
empower Australian artists to create their boldest and best. Sydney is an exciting world city – vibrant, sophisticated and multicultural. I can’t wait to make it my home and lead the team to create future-facing festivals that shape the times and resonate with audiences in every corner of the city.”

Let’s hope one of his first tasks will be to bring back the Sydney Festival street party.

Read More

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