UPDATED: September 7
Spring is here, and Sydney is making the most of it. From colourful kites soaring over Bondi to world-class theatre and major art exhibitions, there’s plenty to get out and enjoy this weekend.
Culture vultures have plenty to get excited about this weekend, with the Sydney Fringe Festival bringing its wonderfully eclectic mix of comedy, music and visual arts to venues across the city. In theatre headlines, My Fair Lady opens at the Sydney Opera House this week, celebrating 70 years since its Broadway debut. CURRENT by Sydney Dance Company also continues its run, whereas Velvet Inferno comes to a close on Sunday.
Over in the Eastern Suburbs, Bondi’s Festival of the Winds will fill Sydney’s most iconic beach with colourful kites, live entertainment and food vendors. Meanwhile, the Australian Fitness Expo is bringing the energy to ICC Sydney, Melbourne favourite Good Measure is popping up at Single O in Surry Hills, and Henson Park is the place to be for an AFLW derby, a schooner and an afternoon of footy on the grassy hill.
Read on for our full list of things to do in Sydney this weekend.
Things to do in Sydney this weekend
Our top picks
Sydney Fringe Festival
The Sydney Fringe Festival is so much more than a mix of theatre, visual arts, music and comedy. This open-format, relentlessly inclusive arts festival is an outsized celebration of creativity, expression and storytelling.
With shows covering every topic imaginable, from a one-woman show about cooking sensation Nigella Lawson to a musical adaptation of George Orwell’s gloomy dystopian novel, 1984, it’s not one to miss. There’s also a Best of the Fest show at Newtown Hotel this weekend, a great way to see some of the top Sydney Fringe Festival highlights.
Where: Across the city.
When: September 1-30.
Price: Ticket prices vary by event.
Festival of the Winds
Who wouldn’t want to run along Bondi Beach with the breeze in their hair and colourful kites soaring overhead? Enter Festival of the Winds, Australia’s most anticipated kite flying event on Bondi Beach. Celebrating its 48th year, this free aerial spectacle often attracts crowds of 50,000 visitors, eager to see the collection of huge, flying kites. The festival also brings cultural performances, live entertainment, children’s activities, workshops and food vendors to Bondi’s coastal backdrop.
Where: Bondi Beach.
When: September 13, 10:30am-4pm.
Price: Free.
Paper Daisy Spring Festival
Sydney’s biggest paper daisy display will take centre stage at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan this spring. The six-week celebration of flowers, family fun, live music and food will unfold against a spectacular sea of pink and white, created from approximately one million paper daisy seeds grown each year for the blooming display. Plenty of food and drink options will be available, from burgers and coffee to ice cream and gozleme, plus lawn games, free crafts, and even a bookable painting experience.
Where: Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, 362 Narellan Rd, Mount Annan NSW 2567.
When: September 4-October 11.
Price: Free.
My Fair Lady
Opera Australia celebrates 70 years of My Fair Lady since its glorious Broadway debut this September. 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.
Rookwood Heritage Day
One of Sydney’s most fascinating historic sites is opening up for a free day of tours, demonstrations and discovery as part of NSW History Week 2026. Taking place at Rookwood General Cemetery and Crematorium, Rookwood Heritage Day will let visitors go behind the scenes of the working crematorium. Guests can watch a grave-digging demonstration, explore the restored Frazer Mausoleum and take a trackless train through the historic grounds.
There will also be vintage hearses, heritage exhibitions, live music, food and a chance to discover the stories of famous figures buried at the cemetery, including Louisa Lawson, Mei Quong Tart and Captain Moonlite. This quirky day out is a must for history buffs and anyone with a fascination for the spooky, the strange or the morbid.
Where: Rookwood General Cemetery and Crematorium, Memorial Ave, Rookwood NSW 2141.
When: September 13, 9am-2pm.
Price: Free.
Theatre, comedy and dance
CURRENT
Sydney Dance Company presents CURRENT, bringing audiences up close to contemporary dance in the intimate Neilson Studio at The Wharf. The program features three world premieres by Raghav Handa, Jenni Large and Azzam Mohamed, alongside the Australian premiere of Rafael Bonachela’s acclaimed duet E2 7SD.
Where: Neilson Studio, Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, Wharf 4, 5/15 Hickson Rd, Dawes Point NSW 2000.
When: September 3-20.
Price: Tickets from $35.
Aaron Chen
Hilariously deadpan comedian Aaron Chen brings his brand-new stand-up show, Technology, to the State Theatre this September. Expect surreal humour, awkward delivery and the kind of escalating absurdity that has made him a fan favourite.
Where: State Theatre, 49 Market St, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: September 8-11, October 7-8.
Price: Tickets from $71.10.
Heathers: The Musical
Based on the iconic film starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, Heathers: The Musical is deliciously dark and hilarious, with a cult-favourite soundtrack that has made it a hit with musical theatre fans. The musical will play at Rooty Hill’s Coliseum Theatre from August 26 to 29 before moving to the Roslyn Packer Theatre from September 1 to 19.
Where: Roslyn Packer Theatre, 22 Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay NSW 2000.
When: September 1-19.
Price: Tickets from $69.90.
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 October 4, 2026.
Price: From $165.
Fiddler on the Roof
The beloved 1964 musical is running until October 3 at the Theatre Royal, following its sold-out season in London, where it set the record for the best-selling musical of all time at the Barbican Theatre and won three Olivier Awards, including Best Musical Revival.
The story is set in the tiny village of Anatevka in 1905, where milkman Tevye (Troy Sussman) lives his life by their proud traditions. For his five daughters, this means a visit from the matchmaker, played by Sigrid Thornton. As each daughter challenges his beliefs, against the backdrop of a changing world, Tevye struggles to embrace the unfamiliar as anti-semitic pressures increase in the region.
You can read our review of the show here.
Where: Theatre Royal, 108 King St, Sydney 2000.
When: Until October 3.
Price: Adult tickets from $89.
LAST CHANCE: Velvet Inferno
Sashay your way into Velvet, a nightclub where disco reigns supreme, and the dance floor calls your name. Velvet Inferno is a 70-minute, non-stop spectacular featuring timeless anthems, powerhouse performances and gravity-defying acts, all inspired by the legendary New York nightclub, Studio 54. Directed by Craig Ilott (Gatsby at the Green Light, L’Hotel, Velvet Rewired), the high-energy event takes over the Sydney Opera House’s Studio until mid-September.
Where: Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: Until September 13.
Price: Tickets from $49.90.
Where to eat and sip
MUCHO Tequila & Mezcal Festival
MUCHO Tequila & Mezcal Festival is taking over Centro 88 this Sunday, bringing more than 30 producers from across Mexico to the CBD bar. Whether you’re a tequila aficionado or keen to expand your palate, it’s a chance to discover new favourites and learn more about the spirit.
From 3pm-7pm, guests can collect a tasting glass and make their way around 12 curated tasting stations, with agave experts on hand to unpack the people, places and production methods behind every bottle. And because no tequila festival is complete without a Marg, there’ll be $13 Margaritas, $10 Palomas and $8 lagers to keep the afternoon flowing.
Where: Centro 88, 86-88 Pitt St, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: September 13, 3pm-7pm.
Price: Free entry.
Good Measure X Single O
Melbourne cafe royalty Good Measure is blessing Sydney with its presence this Sunday, as part of a one-day pop-up in collaboration with Single O Surry Hills. Good Measure is behind the viral Mont Blanc coffee (which is basically sweetened coffee topped with cold foam, orange zest and nutmeg), which will lead the menu at the pop-up event, using Single O’s Honduras Marcala. They’ll also pour a line-up of their other signature beverages, making this a must-visit for coffee fanatics.
Where: 60/64 Reservoir St, Surry Hills NSW 2010.
When: September 13, 8am-3pm.
Price: Varies based on coffee order. Mont Blanc: $12, Mandarin Cold Brew: $10, Momo-Strawberry Iced Tea: $10.
LAST CHANCE: Nour: Decade of Dishes
Nour, Surry Hills’ beloved Middle Eastern restaurant, celebrates its tenth anniversary this September, presenting an anniversary menu to commemorate the milestone. ‘A Decade of Dishes’ showcases all the plates and chefs that have helped shape the restaurant’s legacy, and will be available for 11 days, from September 3 to 13.
The star-studded menu includes dishes from four chefs, Roy Ner (who worked at Nour in 2018), Ben Williamson (2019), Paul Farag (2019-2024), and Ibrahim Kasif (2024-2026). Highlights include Williamson’s falafel crumpet, Farag’s wood-fired coconut basbousa, Ner’s camel, egg and olive sambousek and Williamson’s crisp cauliflower, grape sauce, smoked labne and almond crumb. Sign. Us. Up.
Where: 3/490 Crown St, Surry Hills NSW 2010.
When: September 3-13.
Price: The Decade of Dishes Banquet costs $129 per person.
Art exhibitions
The 2026 Photographer of the Year exhibition
Get up close to some of nature’s most striking shots at the 2026 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition. This completely free annual exhibition contains images of wildlife, landscapes and the changing natural environment across Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea, all captured by talented professional, emerging and junior photographers.
Selected from 2129 entries by 501 photographers across 71 countries, this year’s winning images include a critically endangered sawfish moving through a group of sea turtles, royal penguins brought to a halt by an enormous elephant seal and a Tasmanian devil fighting for survival.
Where: Australian Museum, 1 William St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010.
When: September 12, 2026-February 14, 2027.
Price: Free entry.
Brett Whiteley: Coming Home
The Brett Whiteley Studio has officially reopened after two years of renovations that meant the iconic space was closed to the public. Located in the celebrated artist’s final home and studio in Surry Hills, the gallery offers an intimate and unfiltered encounter with the life and practice of Brett Whiteley.
The studio has reopened with a new exhibition, titled Brett Whiteley: Coming Home, showcasing ambitious works produced by the artist in the 1970s. Offering an array of 80 paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramics, prints, photographs and sketchbooks, the works showcase the energy and variety of Whiteley’s practice following his return to Australia after a decade of living and working abroad.
Where: Brett Whiteley Studio, 2 Raper St, Surry Hills, NSW 2010.
When: Open Thursday to Sunday, 10am-4pm.
Price: Free entry.
Margaret Olley: Australian Intimiste
The National Art School is celebrating the legacy of one of its own, displaying more than 60 of Margaret Olley’s artworks. The exhibition is drawn from public and private collections of the beloved artist’s work from throughout her six-decade career since graduating from the NAS.
Where: National Art School, 156 Forbes St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
When: Until October 24, 2026
Price: Free
Avatar: Forms of Vishnu
This ambitious exhibition is the largest presentation of South and Southeast Asian art shown at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in over 20 years, and the first Australian exhibition devoted to the Hindu deity Vishnu. It brings together more than 200 works, both historical and contemporary, ranging from ancient sculptures, textiles, and paintings to photography and installation.
Where: Art Gallery of NSW, Art Gallery Rd, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: Until October 5, 2026.
Price: Adult tickets from $35.
Black Myth
Sydney’s White Rabbit Gallery, which showcases one of the world’s most significant collections of Chinese contemporary art, is located on a hidden backstreet in Chippendale. The gallery presents two exhibitions each year, and its current exhibition, titled Black Myth, will show until November 8.
Black Myth draws inspiration from the viral Chinese video game, Black Myth: Wukong, which is a modern retelling of the legendary novel Journey to the West. An epic fantasy, teeming with spirits, demons, ghosts, mythical beasts, gods, and immortals, it follows the monk Tang Sanzang and his three unlikely disciples as they undertake a pilgrimage from China to India.
The best part? Entry to White Rabbit Art Gallery is completely free.
Where: White Rabbit Art Gallery, 30 Balfour St, Chippendale NSW 2008.
When: Until November 8, 2026.
Price: Free.
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.
Harry Potter: The Exhibition
The highly anticipated tour of Harry Potter: The Exhibition is currently showing at Paddington Pavilion in Sydney Olympic Park, and it’s an absolute must-see for all Potterheads.
Visitors can step behind the scenes of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts universes, exploring iconic moments, characters, settings and creatures alongside authentic props, original costumes and immersive galleries inspired by the films and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. This exhibition is definitely a must-visit for witches, wizards and devoted Muggles alike.
Where: Paddington Pavilion at Sydney Olympic Park, NSW 2127.
When: Until October 2026.
Price: Tickets start at $33.
Sport, health and wellness
The Australian Fitness Expo
Australia’s biggest fitness festival, the Australian Fitness Expo, is returning to Sydney this September, taking over ICC Sydney this weekend. Expect three days of high-energy competitions, celebrity athletes, free workouts, fitness challenges and more than 150 health and wellness brands, with everything from strongman and powerlifting to CrossFit and street workouts on the program.
Even if you’re not a gym junkie, there’ll be plenty to see, shop and try, with show-only deals, giveaways and seriously impressive feats of strength and endurance.
Where: ICC, 14 Darling Dr, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: September 11-13.
Price: Tickets from $20.
Barangaroo You Wellness Month
Barangaroo is encouraging Sydneysiders to put themselves first this month with the return of Barangaroo You Wellness Month, bringing a program of free and low-cost movement, mindfulness and wellness experiences to the bustling, urban suburb.
The weekend program includes Barangaroo Bootcamp, a free HYROX-style outdoor training session at Hickson Park every Saturday. For something a little more relaxing, Cedar & Salt is bringing a wood-fired, Nordic-inspired sauna and cold plunge experience to Barangaroo, with sessions starting from $30. There’s also Still Sundays: free sessions featuring yoga, breathwork, sound healing and meditation, set at the peaceful Pier Pavilion. You can check out the full program here.
Where: Locations across Barangaroo, including Barangaroo Reserve, Barangaroo South and Marrinawi Cove.
When: September 1-30.
Price: Prices vary by event, with most being low-cost or free.
AFLW: Sydney Swans vs GWS Giants
Head down to Marrickville’s Henson Park, grab a schooner and settle in on the grassy hill for an afternoon of footy and good vibes. With the Sydney Swans taking on the GWS Giants in an AFLW derby, expect plenty of local rivalry, big hits and a lively crowd.
Where: Henson Park, 32 Centennial Street, Marrickville NSW 2204.
When: September 13 at 2:35pm.
Price: $15.
