Looking to make some last-minute plans for in Sydney this weekend?
Whether you’re a local steaming towards the end of the work week or a family looking for the best kid-friendly activities in Sydney this weekend, the Sydney Travel Guide has your back.
We’ve crawled through Sydney’s stacked list of events to bring you some of the most exciting ways to experience this beautiful city each weekend. Take note of the events below, from live entertainment to new art exhibitions, stage shows and free things to do in Sydney.
Things to do in Sydney this Weekend
1. Musical: Titanique
Irreverent, wacky and fun. Titanique promises a great time as the tongue-in-cheek musical reimagines the classic tale of Jack and Rose with a bit more involvement from French chantreuse Celine Dion.
The very limited season for this campy musical kicks off at Surry Hills favourite The Grand Electric this weekend. It’s only playing until the end of this month so you haven’t got much time to catch the production. With Music theatre and cabaret legend Marney McQueen slinking into the lead role as a Celine Dion, we’re expecting a very entertaining way to kick off the weekend.
Before you head along, make sure to read our take on Titanique.
Where: The Grand Electric; 199 Cleveland St, Surry Hills NSW 2016
When: From September 13
Price: From $75
2. Family Fun: Power Up Festival
Rozelle’s heritage White Bay Power Station is charging up for Power Up Festival this weekend. The free multi-day lifestyle festival will turn this immaculately preserved power station—the oldest in Sydney—into a carnival of magic, art, live music, food and drink from some of Sydney’s best local talent. Take the kids along to the Friday with a series of cabaret, magic and cultural performances. Saturday takes a turn towards live music and theatre. Sunday wraps it all up with classical music and all-ages masterclasses. Plus, you can join a heritage tour of the massive venue, previewing what’s touted as the city’s next big event space for lifestyle and the arts.
Where: White Bay Power Station; Robert St, Rozelle NSW 2039
When: September 20-22; from 10am
Price: Free
3. Live Music: Manly Jazz Festival
New Orleans comes to Sydney as the annual Manly Jazz Festival, the longest running music festival of its kind, returns to The Corso. Head along to this free festival to catch more than 70 performances from local and international oufits spanning all kinds of jazz, from swing to classic and new age. Spend time in the pop-up Bucketty’s Jazz Garden or catch performances in iconic Manly venues like The Steyne and Manly Library.
Where: The Corso; Manly NSW 2095
When: September 20-22; from 11am
Tickets: Free
4. Date Night: Cocktail & Dumpling Making Class
If you’re looking for a unique date idea this weekend then take note of this one-of-a-king cocktail and dumpling making masterclass. The very hands-on workshop will take guests through two styles of dumplings before steaming them in the kitchen so everyone can enjoy those little parcels of herbs and spices at the end of the night. Pork & lemongrass dumplings and mushroom & vegetable dumplings are on the cards, as are cocktails to pair them with, with guests learning how to build a perfect lychee cocktail and a unique popo trio cocktail.
You’ll find this workshop at Honkas in Potts Point, with space reserved for up to 50 people only.
Where: Honkas; 11 Roslyn St, Potts Point NSW 2011
When: September 20
Price: $99
5. Shopping: Big Design Market at Carriageworks
Weekend markets are great, but if you really want to score big then you’ll need to head along to the Big Design Market. This three-day mega-market takes over Carriageworks this weekend, once again bringing makers from across the country (and New Zealand) in one space to showcase all things design. Over 200 independent brands will be taking part in the yearly event, including artisanal food and drink brands to keep you topped up throughout the day.
Where: Carriageworks; 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh NSW 2015
When: September 20-22 (from 11am on Friday; from 10am on Saturday and Sunday)
Price: $6 (free for kids 12 years and under)
6. Pop Culture: Oz Comic-Con Sydney
Oz Comic-Con is going all out for its Sydney edition this year, with its vibrant communal atmosphere in full-force with special guests, cosplay competitions, gaming booths and talks from pop culture legends. This year, Giancarlo Espostio (Gus Fring from Breaking Bad) and John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harness from Doctor Who) will pop up at Sydney Showgrounds for Q&As and signings, leading a lineup of celebrities that play right into the heart of pop culture fandom.
Where: Sydney Showground; Grand Parade, Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127
When: September 21-22; 9am – 5pm
Tickets: $45
7. Family Fun: Real Festival in Penrith
Take the kids out west to Penrith for the free-entry Real Festival. Once again, Tench Avenue will turn into a lively stretch of art installations, pop-up bars, arcade games and live entertainment lying on the banks of the Neapean River. The family-friendly event will be be packed with hands-on workshops all day, as well as on-water activities. When sun falls, the festival lights up as an illuminated playground with dynamic public installations.
Where: Tench Avenue, Jamisontown, Sydney NSW 2750
When: September 21-22 (4pm – 10pm on Friday; 12pm – 10pm on Saturday)
Price: Free
8. Day Party: Sydney Streets in Haymarket
Part of Sydney’s huge transformation over the past few years (and beyond) has been the Sydney Streets program. Throughout spring and summer, the City of Sydney takes some of our most popular strips and shuts out traffic for the day, curating a pedestrian-only block party fuelled by friendly-family entertainment, food stalls and pop-up bars.
The first Sydney Streets is going down this weekend, taking over Haymarket by shutting down Dixon, Hay, Little Hay and Sussex Streets. From 9am to 11:30pm, the streets will be pedestrian-only, celebrating the many flavours of Chinatown while showcasing the area’s vibrant culture.
Where: Hay St, Haymarket, Sydney NSW 2000
When: September 21; 9am – 11:30pm
Price: Free
whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
9. Family Fun: St Ives Fire, Food & Wine Festivals
It’s not often Sydney gets a full-blown fire festival (note, “fire”, not “fyre”) so this Saturday is a great chance to head on up to the ritzy North Shore suburb of St Ives and give yourself over to the immersive mix of music, entertainment, food and drink. The all-ages festival will be firing on all cylinders with mesmerising fire shows and fire-breathing for the family, amusement rides and jumping castles, plus stallholders from local makers. And if that doesn’t float your boat, the festival will also hand a variety of kites for the kids to fly while you stuff yourself silly over at the food trucks.
Where: St. Ives Showground, Jim Watson Arena, 450 Mona Vale Rd, St. Ives NSW 2075
When: September 21; 5pm – 10pm
Price: $10
Wait, don’t scroll yet! St Ives isn’t done for this weekend either, with Sunday set for a big food & wine festival. Dozens of wineries, distilleries and breweries will have stalls set up on St Ives Village Green from 10am – 4pm for adults who want to work a little day drinking session into their weekend. Some of Sydney’s best food businesses will also be on hand, including Burger Head and The Citrus Factory. If you need to take the little ones along, take note that North Shore Mums will be on hand with face painting and they’ll be plenty of live music throughout the day.
Where: St. Ives Village Green; Village Green Parade, St. Ives NSW 2075
When: September 22; 10am – 4pm
Price: Free
10. Markets: Bondi Markets
Head along to Bondi Beach Public School on Sunday before 1pm and dive right into a sea of stallholders touting trendsetting new brands and vintage gems. Bondi Markets is always one of the most anticipated weekend markets in Sydney due to its laid-back vibe and fashionable locals. Plus, you can make a day of it and remind yourself why Sydney is such a natural beauty by doing the Bondi to Coogee walk for the hundredth time.
Where: Bondi Beach Public School; Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach NSW 2026
When: September 22; 10am – 4pm
Price: Free
