The weekend, Sydney is bursting with festive fun, a seemingly endless array of markets, and a host of cultural highlights to explore. Here are our top picks for all the best things to do in Sydney this weekend.
Editor’s Weekend Picks
This weekend, I’ll be heading to Taronga to get up close and personal with Hari, the cutest Rhino in town. Then i’ll check out the opening weekend of The Hooligans exhibition at The White Rabbit Gallery for a bit of unconventional art. The Second Life Markets at Carriageworks will be my go to for last minute Christmas shopping from their treasure trove of vintage finds. I’ll then stop by the Surry Hills Christmas Fair, which is perfectly placed right on Crown Street near all of Surry Hills’ incredible bars and restaurants (perfect for a bite to eat after watching the Santa Paws dog parade). And i’m excited to see Pete Murray perform live for his current tour Longing Summer.
- Editor’s Weekend Picks
- Sydney Staples
- Festive Fun
- Gigs and Concerts
- Art Exhibitions and Galleries
- What’s on in Theatre
Sydney Staples
Meet Hari at Taronga Zoo
This weekend, head to Taronga Zoo and see their exciting new arrivals, including Hari, Sydney’s only Greater One-horned Rhino, who will live in the brand-new Rhino Reserve. He’s joined by three playful Asian Water Buffalo, Kahn, Sahasi and Babu, who are sure to charm visitors with their big personalities and love of mud baths.
Taronga is also gearing up for the school holidays with a lineup of fun, hands-on experiences. From the Wild Ropes Treetop Adventure to the immersive Keeper for a Day program, there’s an experience for every kind of animal lover. They’ll also be celebrating the release of Disney’s Zootopia 2 by creating the ultimate Junior Investigators Trail around the zoo. Kids can follow the clues, solve puzzles, snap photos with Zootopia characters, and crack the case for a chance to win exciting prizes, including tickets to see Zootopia 2.
You can enter to win one of five family passes in our competition with Taronga Zoo here.
Where: Taronga Zoo, Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman NSW 2088.
When: Throughout December.
Price: Adult tickets start at $49.50, Children (4-15): $33, Infant (under 4 years): Free.
The Big Bash League
Australia’s professional T20 cricket competition, the Big Bash League (BBL), will come to Sydney this December, warming up cricket fans for the Sydney stint of the Ashes in January. The BBL sees eight city-based franchises take each other on, including Sydney Sixers, Sydney Thunder, Melbourne Stars, Melbourne Renegades, Brisbane Heat, Adelaide Strikers, Perth Scorchers and Hobart Hurricanes.
On December 20, the Sydney Sixers will take on the Sydney Thunder at the ENGIE Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park.
Where: ENGIE Stadium, Grand Parade, Sydney Olympic Park, NSW 2127.
When: December 20 at 7:15pm.
Price: Tickets start at $29.04.
Outdoor Cinemas
Sydney reigns supreme as the city of stunning outdoor cinemas, even taking the title of ‘World’s Most Beautiful Cinema’ with the Westpac big screen on the harbour. This weekend, you’ll be able to check out Moonlight Cinema in Centennial Park, which is BYO and pet-friendly, Mov’In Bed Cinema in Barangaroo, which has the cosiest set-up of all the cinemas, and Bondi’s Sunset Cinema, the screen sitting right next to Sydney’s iconic beach. From festive films like Love Actually to huge blockbusters including Wicked: For Good, the outdoor cinemas are serving up incredible programs, making them the perfect place to enjoy with a date, a mate or your family.
Where: Across Sydney, though in December, the main ones are in Barangaroo, Centennial Park and Bondi.
When: Throughout December.
Price: Prices range starting at $12.
Festive Fun
Carriageworks Christmas Market
The Carriageworks Christmas Market will return to Sydney’s Eveleigh precinct this December, transforming the space into a one-day festive hub featuring over 120 stalls. Returning favourites from the Carriageworks Farmers Market will make an appearance, as well as some special guest vendors selling gourmet produce, unique gifts and festive hampers. Enjoy extended shopping hours (from 8am until 3pm) and DJ La Foxy Fuzz’s spinning tunes as you shop and soak up the festive spirit.
Where: Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh NSW 2015.
When: Saturday, December 20, 2025.
Price: Free entry.
Jolly Christmas Night Markets
Jolly Market is the closest thing Sydney gets to a European Christmas market each year, fashioned towards the French style with wooden chalets, artisan Christmas gifts, pop-up French wines, and most importantly, melted cheese stations. Yes, you’ve got artisan market stalls and street food vendors like just about every other Christmas market in Sydney, but you can also munch on duck confit sandwiches and dip crispy pieces of bread into cheesy fondue.
Sydney’s biggest Christmas night markets are yet to release their full vendor and performer lineups, so stay tuned to see who will be showcasing and entertaining in Sydney’s favourite precinct this holiday season.
Where: Circular Quay and The Rocks.
When: December 11 to 21, weekdays 4pm-10:30pm, weekends: 11am-10:30pm.
Price: Free.
Christmas at the Cathedral
Head along to St Mary’s Cathedral near Hyde Park from December 12 to find one of Sydney’s most beloved Christmas festivals. Christmas at the Cathedral will be buzzing in the weeks leading up to December 25, bringing a scene of Xmas market stalls, live music and family-friendly activities to fill the days and nights with pure holiday cheer.
It all takes place under a towering Christmas tree with a beautiful nativity scene planned for this year. Each year, Christmas at the Cathedral is designed to a theme as well, and in 2025 that’ll be Charles Dickens’ classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge. You’ll see the theme brought to life in many of the designs, as well as in the dazzling light projection show curated by The Electric Canvas, reflecting off both the main and western sides of the Cathedral.
Where: St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney.
When: December 12 – 25, 2025 (light show from 8:30pm).
Price: Free.
Martin Place Christmas Markets
The long-running Martin Place Christmas Markets will return to the heart of the CBD for four festive weeks this November, featuring gourmet food, artisan shopping, fun-filled entertainment and, of course, the city’s iconic Christmas tree. There will be 56 stalls offering a variety of goods, meaning you can head there after work and get your Christmas shopping sorted. Enjoy live music, festive eats and an Instagrammable backdrop at the famous CBD market.
Where: Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: Thursday, November 27 to Saturday, December 20, every day at 11am-9:30pm.
Price: start from $47.85
Gigs and Concerts
Phantastic Ferniture
The Metro Theatre will host this gig as part of their “Dare to Fern in Love” tour on Friday night 19th December. The band describe themselves as “the project of old friends” Julia Jacklin (vocals), Elizabeth Hughes (guitar) and Ryan K Brennan (drums) who “wanted to shake the shackles of their meticulously crafted solo work to experience a second, giddy adolescence”. This tour celebrates their first new sounds since their 2018 critically acclaimed debut album. With a big fan base in New Zealand, ‘the ferns’ will be performing their very first international shows Melbourne, Sydney and Blackheath. Known for their live and loose garage pop, Phan Fern will be playing new singles Dare to Fall in Love and Change My Mind, as well as favourite’s Fuckin N Rollin, Gap Year, and Dark Corner Dance Floor in what they call a “famous Christmas Extravaganza.”
Where: The Metro Theatre, Sydney
When: December 19, 2025 (from 8:00pm).
Price: Free.
Click here to book your tickets.
Cryptopsy
Friday night will boast Cryptopsy at Crowbar Sydney with a bunch of great support acts. The same venue will transform on Saturday night for Spiderbait and on Sunday, prepare for a night of Tonight Alive. This is the hottest venue in town for an entire weekend of performances that will get Sydney rocking. Spiderbait’s story is a good ole underdone one. Three friends from the small Aussie town of Finley forged ahead with a dream and 25 years later they made it. Starting in a shed on Janet’s farm, they moved to thje big smoke of Melbourne and quickly gained a following in the tight music scene. Now, with seven acclaimed albums, multiple ARIA Awards, and a significant live presence, Spiderbait is a much-loved Aussie success story.
Where: Crowbar, 345 Parramatta Rd, Leichardt, Sydney
When: December 20, 2025 (from 8:00pm).
Price: Prices vary from Friday to Saturday and Sunday. See website for prices.
Click here to book your tickets.
Pete Murray
Pete is doing the rounds of Sydney this weekend as part of his “Longing Summer Tour”. He will play Friday night at the Miranda Hotel and Saturday night at Ettamogah Hotel. One of Australia’s most loved current singer-songwriters, Pete Murray is a multi-platinum-selling artist who has sold over 1.2 million albums. He has also released three ARIA chart-topping albums, and earned 17 ARIA Award nominations. Fans are excited for his new music and his most ambitious tour yet, claiming 2025 as an exciting new chapter for Pete Murray.
Where: Miranda Hotel and Ettamogah Hotel.
When: December 19 & 20, 2025 (from 7:00pm).
Price: General admission starts from $70
Click here to book your tickets.
Art Exhibitions and Galleries
The Hooligans at the White Rabbit Art Gallery
The White Rabbit Art Gallery in Chippendale will be reopening on the 19th December for much acclaimed exhibition The Hooligans. Also described as riffraff, scoundrels, criminals, troublemakers, wanderers, deviants and misfits, this exhibition is known to the Chinese state and celebrated in Sydney for being the rabble-rousers that they are. This exhibition is a collection of artists who refuse to cooperate and defy the rules. Showing right up until May next year, this will be an exciting weekend of opening, celebrating the artists who claim to speak for those sacrificed to keep the peace.
Where: White Rabbit Art Gallery, 30 Balfour Street, Chippendale, NSW 2000.
When: Friday 19 December until May 17, 2026
Price: Free entry
Click here for more information.
Encounter by Ron Mueck
Internationally celebrated artist Ron Mueck returns to Australia with a major new exhibition. Encounter is the largest exhibition by the artist ever to be presented in Australia, and comprises sculptures drawn from across the globe. If Mueck’s recent exhibition in Seoul is anything to go by, where 100,000 people visited in just 20 days, Encounter is set to draw huge numbers in Sydney. Of the 15 sculptures featured in the exhibition, nine are making their Australian debut, with one never-before-seen work, Havoc, commissioned especially for Sydney.
Mueck is known for his hyperrealistic sculptures, which range from minute to massive, conveying themes that explore our relationship with the world, including birth, death, alienation and togetherness. We had a first look at the exhibition last week, and you can check out our review of the incredible works here.
Where: Art Gallery of NSW, Naala Badu, Lower Level 2, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: December 6, 2025- April 12, 2026.
Price: Adult tickets: $35, Youth: $18.
Data Dreams: Art and AI at the MCA
The first of its kind in a major Australian Museum, the new exhibition at the MCA, Data Dreams: Art and AI, considers artificial intelligence and its impact on contemporary life through the work of 10 visionary artists. Presented as part of the Sydney International Art Series 2025-26, this Aussie premiere explores how AI is transforming the way we live, think and create, focusing on a range of concerns, including the relationship between technology and power, and how algorithms and datasets are influencing our worldviews. Experience the immersive installations, AI-generated films, hallucinatory images, and mind-expanding sculptures as you delve into the fascinating, yet also frightening, world of artificial intelligence.
Where: Galleries Level 3, MCA, 140 George St, The Rocks NSW 2000.
When: November 21, 2025 until April 27, 2026.
Price: Adult tickets are $35, Concession $28. Under 18s go free. You can buy your tickets here.
Ocean Photographer of the Year Exhibition
The premier exhibition of the Ocean Photographer of the Year opened at the Australian National Maritime Museum last week, showcasing a striking collection of winning and finalist images from over 15,000 global entries. Featuring 112 breathtaking images that celebrate the beauty of our ocean and highlight the importance of marine conservation, the exhibition raises awareness about the climate crisis affecting our natural world. From tiny baby pufferfish to majestic humpback whales, the display aims to celebrate the brilliance and diversity of ocean life, with Sydney being the first city in the world to show the full collection of images on display.
Where: Australian National Maritime Museum, 2 Murray Street, Darling Harbour, NSW 2000.
When: From Thursday, November 6, 2025.
Price: Special exhibition tickets start at $25 per adult.
Ricky Swallow, Bent Forms
Who would’ve thought that what was missing from your shot of the Opera House was a giant bent stainless steel spoon? Ricky Swallow’s commission for the MCA’s Loti Smorgon Sculpture Terrace sees four huge spoons dotted across the lookout. They were created by Swallow from scaled-up wax prints of actual teaspoons, which he bent into various shapes. Head to the terrace and enjoy panoramic views of Sydney’s iconic harbour as you check out the wacky pieces of art by Swallow. If you loved Sculpture by the Sea, this exhibition is also worth a visit.
Where: Loti Smorgon Sculpture Terrace, MCA, 140 George St, The Rocks NSW 2000.
When: Showing until July 20, 2026.
Price: Admission from $20.
Dangerously Modern
This brand-new exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW celebrates the remarkable women artists who overcame social barriers to forge international careers beyond Australia. This exciting exhibition is the first to celebrate the vital role of Australian women in shaping international modernism, featuring iconic figures like Margaret Preston, Nora Heysen and Grace Cossington Smith, as well as the under-recognised Agnes Goodsir, Justine Kong Sing and Helen Stewart. The exhibition will show more than 200 works, expanding visitors’ understanding of modern art movements, including realism, impressionism, post-impressionism, cubism and abstraction.
Where: Art Gallery of NSW, Art Gallery Rd, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: October 11- February 15, 2026.
Price: Adult tickets: $35, Youth: $18.
Mike Hewson: The Key’s Under the Mat
New Zealand-born, Sydney-based artist Mike Hewson is next in a long line of artists aching to take over The Art Gallery of NSW’s unique, subterranean Nelson Packer Tank space, turning the industrial bunker into a concrete jungle with a park, play space, construction site, and a communal area framed by sculptural works.
Mike Hewson: The Key’s Under The Mat opened last Saturday, and is the current talk of the art world. It marks the artist’s first solo presentation in an art museum, a platform to heighten his unique approach to what an all-ages playground looks like. Visitors are encouraged to meet, dwell, play, make, perform and explore while interacting with the park’s various features. You can even do a load of laundry or take a shower in the space!
Where: Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney.
When: From October 4, 2025.
Price: Free.
What’s on in Theatre
Gatsby at the Green Light
After the sell-out success of its premiere season, GATSBY at the Green Light will return for a sultry stint at the Sydney Opera House this weekend. Transforming the Studio into a 1920s-inspired club, the show revolves around cabaret, outlandish performances and all the glitz and glamour of the Roaring Twenties.
Despite being inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel, the show doesn’t follow the storyline exactly; instead, it immerses audiences in the dazzling world of Gatsby’s legendary parties. Think debauchery, sensuality and opulence. The show will feature ARIA Award-nominated artist Odette, who will sing soulful tunes as performers spin, twirl and fly through the air. Canadian circus artist Spencer Craig, who specialises in aerial loop, will be hosting the show as charismatic yet mysterious Gatsby. Soaring by his side will be daring Caitlin Thomson-Moylan, who will play his eternal (but doomed) love Daisy.
Where: The Studio at Sydney Opera House.
When: From December 13, 2025.
Price: From $59 plus booking fee.
Pretty Woman The Musical
One of the most loved rom-coms of all time is coming to the stage in Sydney this weekend. Based on the 1990 Hollywood film starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, Pretty Woman: The Musical is written and directed by the same team who created the film: J.F. Lawton and Gerry Marshall. Bursting with glamour, charm and all the iconic moments you know and love, the musical hit will arrive at Theatre Royal Sydney this Sunday. ARIA-award-winning pop star Samantha Jade will bring Vivian Ward to life, making her very exciting stage debut in the upcoming production. You can read our interview with her here.
When: From November 30, 2025 until January 4, 2026.
Where: Theatre Royal Sydney, 108 King St, Sydney NSW 2000.
Tickets: From $69 per person.
READ MORE: 5 Christmas musicals in Sydney you need to see in 2025
Back to the Future: The Musical
When it opened in London, Back to the Future: The Musical quickly became a success story, scooping up the Best New Musical award at the Laurence Olivier and What’s On Stage awards. It also swiftly transferred to Broadway. Now, the musical is dazzling Sydneysiders at the Lyric Theatre, with breathtaking visuals and a real flying DeLorean.
The exciting cast lineup includes Tony Award-winning actor Roger Bart, who will reprise the role of Doc Brown, having impressed audiences in both the West End and Broadway. Starring opposite him as Marty McFly will be Axel Duffy, a rising star from Brisbane. You can read our review of the new production here.
Unfortunately, the show will close prematurely on January 25, 2026, and will not complete its tour of Australia as previously planned. Make sure to support the show and catch it at the Lyric this summer, before it packs up Down Under for good.
When: Friday, September 26, until Sunday, December 28, 2025.
Where: Sydney Lyric Theatre, 55 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009
Price: From $89.
The Book of Mormon
Regarded by many as one of the funniest (and most outrageous) musicals of all time, The Book of Mormon was written by the masterminds behind South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone. The musical tells the story of two young missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: “perfect” Elder Kevin Price and socially-awkward Elder Arnold Cunningham.
Kevin hopes his mission will take him to sunny Orlando, Florida, but instead, the mismatched pair are sent to a remote village in Uganda. The result is chaos, comedy and a lot of outrageous satire. We won’t spoil the show, but if you want to find out more, read our review here.
When: Showing until Sunday, January 25, 2026.
Where: Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell Street, Haymarket NSW 2000.
Tickets: From $69 per person.
READ MORE: The Book of Mormon is back in Sydney — here’s everything you need to know
