UPDATED: October 12
- Here’s everything you need to know about what’s happening around Sydney this long weekend.
- From major events and exhibitions to live music, theatre, food and drink.
- Use our guide to plan your perfect weekend in the Harbour City.
Sydney is putting on a show this weekend, with a brand-new coastal festival, world-class live music and one of the city’s most beloved outdoor art exhibitions all kicking off.
One of the weekend’s biggest drawcards is the return of Sculpture by the Sea, which sees the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk transformed into a spectacular open-air gallery, with striking sculptures set against Sydney’s iconic ocean backdrop. And if that’s not enough for any art fans, there’s also a brand-new exhibition opening up at the MCA, celebrating Māori artist Robyn Kahukiwa.
Over in Manly, the inaugural Surf + Sound Festival will bring live music, public art and exciting food and drink deals to the Northern Beaches. Labelled as a love letter to Sydney’s beachside suburb, the festival is not one to miss, especially if the weather plays nice.
If music is more your thing, Italian electronic artist Anyma is bringing his visually spectacular ÆDEN World Tour to The Domain, while British singer-songwriter Cat Burns takes to the stage at the Enmore Theatre.
From art to theatre, food to music and sport to shopping, here are the best things to do in Sydney this weekend.
Things to do in Sydney this weekend
Our top picks
Sculpture by the Sea
Is there any yearly arts event more “Sydney” than Sculpture by the Sea? We think not. Each year, artists from around the world are invited to create site-specific works that line the cliffs between Bondi and Bronte (as if the coastal walk wasn’t already unfairly beautiful).
The unique clash of colour, creativity and nature makes October the best time to stroll down the iconic path from Bondi to Tamarama. You can find out more about the upcoming art walk (which will celebrate its 30th year in October) by reading up on our insider’s guide here.
Where: Bondi to Tamarama Coastal Walk and Marks Park.
When: October 16-November 2.
Price: Free.
Surf + Sound Festival
A new coastal festival is kicking off on the shores of Manly this weekend. The inaugural Surf + Sound Festival will launch across three consecutive weekends from October 16 to November 1, transforming Manly Wharf through a live music program, a free public art trail, food and dining experiences, plus community programming.
Conceived as a celebration of Manly and the Northern Beaches, the new festival will feature performances by some of Australia’s most influential acts, including Skegss, The Whitlams, Skunkhour, Winston Surfshirt and Mudhoney. You can check the full festival program here.
Where: Manly Wharf and Manly Beach.
When: October 16-November 1.
Price: Events are free to attend.
Bledisloe Cup
The annual rugby union rivalry returns in October, with Australia and New Zealand going head-to-head for the huge trophy (which weighs more than eight kilograms!). Head to Accor Stadium to watch the Wallabies take on the All Blacks on home turf.
Where: Accor Stadium, Edwin Flack Ave, Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127.
When: October 17.
Price: Tickets from $55.
50% off at Vinnies
Iconic pre-loved retail store Vinnies is offering a huge 50% storewide and sitewide to celebrate World Op Shop Day. Taking place on Saturday, October 17, the offer is available at Vinnies NSW shops and online at Vinnies Finds. Time to set your alarms and get ready to rummage through the rails to take advantage of this very rare deal.
Where: Vinnies stores across NSW.
When: October 17.
Price: 50% off.
Robyn Kahukiwa: My Ancestors Are Always With Me
A new exhibition celebrating the work of Sydney-born Māori painter Robyn Kahukiwa opens at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia this week, marking the first Australian exhibition dedicated to the artist following her recent passing.
The exhibition offers a timely opportunity to explore Kahukiwa’s bold, uncompromising work, which challenged representations of Māori identity, culture and political struggle, with a particular focus on the experiences and status of Māori women.
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, 140 George St, The Rocks NSW 2000.
When: October 14, 2026-February 7, 2027.
Price: From $35, under-18s go free.
Gigs and Concerts
Anyma presents Æden
DJ, producer and multidisciplinary artist Anyma, renowned for his immersive audiovisual performances, is bringing his highly anticipated ÆDEN World Tour to The Domain this weekend. Expect a mesmerising fusion of cutting-edge visuals, hypnotic techno beats and mind-bending digital art, making this a must-see for electronic music fans.
Where: The Domain, Art Gallery Rd, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: October 17
Price: Tickets from $203.77.
Cat Burns
Multi-BRIT nominee and 2024 Mercury Prize nominee Cat Burns is back in Sydney this Saturday, celebrating the release of her project ‘How to be Human’ on her first headline tour Down Under. You’ve probably shed a tear to her hit song “go” before, and just one year on from her top ten debut album ‘Early Twenties’, Cat is back, performing her most personal and introspective body of work to date. Don’t miss out.
Where: 118-132 Enmore Rd, Newtown NSW 2042.
When: October 17 at 8pm.
Price: Tickets from $102.70.
What’s on in Theatre
SIX the Musical
Six the Musical transforms Henry VIII’s six wives into pop icons, remixing 500 years of history into an electrifying 80-minute concert. A global hit from the West End to Broadway, this riotous celebration of the women wronged by the infamous king is fit for royalty.
Where: Theatre Royal, 108 King St, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: October 9-December 20
Price: Tickets start at $69.50.
Mamma Mia!
This dreamy celebration of love, laughter and friendship transports audiences to sunny Greece, soundtracked by ABBA’s greatest hits. Packed with dynamic choreography, infectious energy and feel-good fun, this dazzling production is guaranteed to have audiences smiling.
Where: The Concourse, 409 Victoria Ave, Chatswood NSW 2067.
When: October 9-25.
Price: Tickets from $89.
The Lion King
The blockbuster musical The Lion King continues its run in the Harbour City. The original Australian production of The Lion King premiered at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney in October 2003, returned for a second run in 2013, and is now back at the iconic venue 13 years later.
You can read our review of the stunning show here.
Where: Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell St, Haymarket NSW 2000.
When: Until November 1, 2026.
Price: From $165.
A Room With A View
Grace Chapple transforms E.M. Forster’s beloved novel of love and discovery into a passionate stage production filled with romance, yearning and self-discovery. Follow Lucy Honeychurch through sun-drenched Tuscany as she finds herself navigating a life-changing choice between two men.
Where: 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills NSW 2010.
When: October 3-November 1.
Price: Tickets from $58.
LAST CHANCE: The Elevator
Sharp, funny and fearless new Australian comedy The Elevator made its world premiere in September, and will continue to entertain audiences through to mid-October. This no-fluff office satire is a whirlwind of laughs and truth bombs as CEO Margot returns from mat leave, ready to face the fallout from her company’s PR nightmare.
Where: Ensemble Theatre, 78 McDougall St, Kirribilli NSW 2061.
When: September 18-October 18.
Price: Tickets from $90.
My Fair Lady
Opera Australia is celebrating 70 years of My Fair Lady since its glorious Broadway debut. Catch the beloved story of Eliza Doolittle’s transformation from Cockney flower girl to society lady, featuring charming classics including ‘Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?’ and ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’.
Where: Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: September 10-October 31.
Price: Tickets from $89.
Art Exhibitions and Events
Nolan: Origins at Art Gallery of NSW
This October, the Art Gallery of NSW will showcase around 100 major works by leading 20th-century Australian artist, Sidney Nolan. Featuring his iconic 1946–47 series depicting bushranger Ned Kelly, the exhibition explores how Nolan shaped and questioned ideas of ‘Australia’ through his depictions of St Kilda, the Wimmera, K’gari, Central Australia and north-eastern Victoria.
You can find out more about the exhibition here.
Where: Art Gallery of NSW, Naala Nura Building, Lower Level 2.
When: October 3, 2026- February 7, 2027.
Price: Tickets from $35.
LAST CHANCE: Tony Albert: Not a Souvenir
One of Australia’s most exciting young Indigenous artists of today, Tony Albert’s new exhibition at the MCA brings together his work across sculpture, photography, installation, painting, and assemblage alongside major new commissions.
Tony Albert: Not a Souvenir introduces a new word (one the artist himself coined): Aboriginalia. It refers to the mass-produced kitsch featuring stereotypical and often racist depictions of Aboriginal peoples. Albert (Girramay, Kuku Yalanji, Yidindji people) has been amassing a huge collection of these uncomfortable souvenirs since he was a child, and his new exhibition reclaims the kitsch to celebrate cultural pride and survival instead.
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, 140 George St, The Rocks NSW 2000.
When: Until October 19.
Price: Tickets from $28.
Margaret Olley: Australian Intimiste at NAS
Celebrating one of their own alum, the National Art School (NAS) is currently presenting Margaret Olley: Australian Intimiste, presenting an intimate look at one of Australia’s most beloved painters. Through the lens of the European artistic tradition of intimisme, the exhibition pays homage to the quiet poetry of domestic life, with a focus on Olley’s six-decade career.
Drawing from significant public and private collections, the exhibition traces Olley’s preoccupations from early interiors to her later richly textured compositions featuring floral arrangements, antiques, and domestic objects.
Where: 156 Forbes St, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010.
When: July 31-October 24, Monday-Saturday, 11am-5pm.
Price: Free.
Brett Whiteley: Coming Home
The Brett Whiteley Studio in Surry Hills recently underwent a two-year renovation and has now opened to the public with an incredible new exhibition, titled Brett Whiteley: Coming Home.
Upstairs, Whiteley’s studio remains an intimate time capsule, a look into his workspace, his famous graffitied walls and his extensive collection of books and trinkets. Downstairs, the new opening exhibition brings together some of his most celebrated works, from the 1976 Self-portrait in the Studio to the monumental 16-metre-wide Alchemy.
Where: Brett Whiteley Studio, 2 Raper Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010.
When: Open Thursday to Sunday, 10am-4pm.
Price: Free.
Black Myth at White Rabbit Gallery
White Rabbit Gallery’s latest free exhibition, Black Myth, opened to the public on June 25, marking the 33rd exhibition in the gallery’s history. The exhibition draws on the viral Chinese video game Black Myth: Wukong, which is a contemporary retelling of the classic novel Journey to the West.
The Assistant Curator at White Rabbit Gallery, Meng-Yu, tells us that the exhibition “poses the question: what role does myth still play in an age driven by technology and rapid urban development?”
Where: White Rabbit Gallery, 30 Balfour St, Chippendale NSW 2008.
When: June 25-November 15, Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-5pm.
Price: Free.
Near at Hand: Dobell Australian Drawing Biennial 2026
Featuring 11 contemporary artists from across Australia, the Dobell Australian Drawing Biennial is the country’s leading exhibition dedicated to contemporary drawing.
Titled Near at Hand, the exhibition explores drawing as an intimate art form, showcasing personal mark-making, inner imaginings and up-close observations of the everyday. Artists make use of a range of materials, from pastel and pencil to watercolour, light and thread, showcasing the evolving possibilities of one of the world’s oldest art forms.
Where: Art Gallery of New South Wales, Naala Nura, Art Gallery Rd, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: September 12-March 7.
Price: Free.
Body Worlds: The Anatomy of Happiness
Want to discover the fascinating facts behind the human body? This globally acclaimed exhibition explores how the body works, bringing real specimens and interactive displays to Sydney for an educational experience that’s as fascinating as it is fun.
Seen in more than 175 cities by over 58 million visitors, it’s finally Sydney’s turn to get up close with the human body at Body World: The Anatomy of Happiness.
Where: 155 George St, The Rocks NSW 2000.
When: September 17-April 4.
Price: Tickets from $37.
Definitive Dupain at State Library of NSW
This exhibition at the State Library of NSW is the first major retrospective of Australia’s most famous photographer, Max Dupain. Drawing from his complete body of work, visitors can discover 200 images and original prints on display, from his most iconic photographs (including Sunbaker) through to unseen works and experimental gems.
The images will be shown alongside Dupain’s own words, offering a rare insight into the man behind the lens and his creative philosophy.
Where: Galleries, State Library, 1 Shakespeare Place, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: August 24, 2026-July 18, 2027.
Price: Free.
Mervyn Bishop: Close Up at State Library of NSW
Another one of Australia’s most important photographers, Mervyn Bishop: Close Up celebrates the historic moments and pivotal people he famously captured, while exploring the private influences that shaped his groundbreaking career as Australia’s first Aboriginal press photographer.
His body of work chronicles both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia, and has featured in dozens of incredible exhibitions over several decades.
Where: Exhibition Galleries, State Library, 1 Shakespeare Place, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: October 18, 2025-February 7, 2027.
Price: Free.
Lorrie Graham: Photojournalist at State Library of NSW
Another impressive photography exhibition at the State Library displays five decades of photography by Lorrie Graham, the pioneering and influential photojournalist.
Curated by Graham herself, this major retrospective brings together significant events, remarkable people and everyday moments, alongside intimate interviews in which Graham shares personal reflections on her career and the stories behind her photographs.
Where: Photography Gallery, State Library, 1 Shakespeare Place, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: September 14, 2026-October 31, 2027.
Price: Free.
Where to Eat and Sip
The Great Graze Barangaroo
The Great Graze, Barangaroo’s family-friendly foodie festival, returns this weekend, bringing a feast of flavours to Barangaroo. Celebrating the suburb’s vibrant restaurant and bar scene, the immersive festival invites visitors to graze their way through a curated line-up of food stalls and pop-ups, serving up dishes from some of the precinct’s most-loved venues.
This year, the festival will also partner with Indigiearth to showcase First Nations food, ingredients and flavours, from crocodile rolls to Kangaroo and bush tomato mince. Entry to the 25 food stalls is completely free, and there’ll also be live music to keep you entertained as you snack away.
Where: Wulugul Walk, The Streets of Barangaroo, Barangaroo, NSW.
When: October 17 and 18, 12pm-6pm.
Price: Free entry.
SRG Hospitality’s The Spring Club
As we head into the end of the year, SRG Hospitality is launching the Spring Club, Taittinger Champagne at $99 a bottle and fresh oysters at $3 each, across nine venues: Riva, Ripples Rose Bay, Akti, Ripples Chowder Bay, Ripples Little Manly, Sails, Summer Salt, The James, and The Fenwick.
Where: Across nine of SRG Hospitality’s venues.
When: October 6-November 15.
Price: $99 bottles of Taittinger Champagne, $3 oysters.
