This weekend, Sydney is pulling out all the stops. From buzzing street festivals to waterfront concerts and live sport, the city is brimming with ways to fill your calendar.
Things to do in Sydney this weekend
Editor’s Picks
This weekend, Sydney is serving up a near-perfect mix of culture, community and celebration. While last week was All About Women at the Sydney Opera House, this weekend should be a full-blown immersion into the world of art with the 25th Biennale of Sydney kicking off on Saturday. It’s launching with a big night of art and music framed by the historic bones of White Bay Power Station, which is shaping up to be one of the most memorable parties of the year.
And while that’s at the top of my list, there’s also plenty of other happenings that have grabbed my attention. Famous nostalgia-powered club night Retro is popping back onto the scene, taking over the first floor of The Bristol to remind us all just how good music was pre-TikTok. For Sunday, I suggest finally making your way down to Lakemba for Ramadan Nights and getting some cheese-pull videos up on the ‘gram.
There are also street parties, beer sessions, and Broadway hits to get across as well. It’s going to be an epic three days in Sydney.
Sydney Staples
1. 25th Biennale of Sydney
Launching on March 14, one of the biggest free arts programs in the world will take over the city and paper it with absolute creativity while tasking some of the world’s most active artists to interpret the theme of Rememory. That is, installations and works will sit at the intersection of memory and history as a means of revisiting and reclaiming histories, while reflecting on individual roots and exploring global themes. The major international arts festival will fill venues around Sydney with these fascinating works, from White Bay Power Station and Art Gallery of NSW to Campbelltown Arts Centre and Redfern Town Hall.
Where: Various locations
When: March 14 to June 14, 2026
Price: Free.
2. Lights On at White Bay Power Station
Marking the opening of the 25th Biennale of Sydney, Lights On transforms the cavernous White Bay Power Station into a one-night celebration of contemporary art and music. Wander through large-scale installations and immersive artworks before the exhibition officially opens, while live performances and DJs energise the vast industrial halls and outdoor spaces. With stages, bars and a festival atmosphere across the historic harbour-side site, it’s the first chance to experience this year’s Biennale in full party mode.
Where: White Bay Power Station, Robert St, Rozelle NSW 2039.
When: March 13, 7pm – 11pm
Price: $39
3. Ocean Lovers Festival
Sydney’s deep connection to the sea takes centre stage during the annual Ocean Lovers Festival, a city-wide program celebrating marine life, coastal culture and the communities working to protect it. Across beaches, harbours and cultural venues, the program blends science, wellness and creativity through talks, workshops, film screenings and outdoor experiences that encourage Sydneysiders to engage more closely with the ocean. Events range from guided kayak paddles and wildlife cruises to beach clean-ups, art installations and family-friendly discovery zones, alongside conversations with marine scientists, environmental advocates and ocean athletes. Many activities are free or low-cost, making it an accessible way to explore Sydney’s maritime identity while learning about the challenges facing the world’s oceans.
Where: Various locations across Sydney including Bondi and Manly.
When: Until March 31
Price: Many events free; some ticketed.
4. Lakemba Nights
Australia’s biggest Ramadan cultural celebration, Lakemba Nights, is back in Sydney, with the huge foodie festival welcoming visitors from across the country. Coinciding with the most sacred month in the Islamic calendar, the award-winning after-dusk event has become one of the largest multicultural gatherings in Australia. Shining a light on Western Sydney’s rich community spirit, Lakemba Nights (formerly known as Ramadan Night Markets) brings together a vibrant melting pot of flavours in one bustling precinct, celebrating Iftar and the nightly breaking of the fast during Ramadan.
This year, the iconic event will feature around 60 businesses from Lakemba and beyond that will transform Haldon Street into a global bazaar, with a variety of food stalls and trucks dishing up exotic cuisines. You can read our review of Lakemba Nights here.
Where: Haldon Street and The Boulevarde, Lakemba.
When: Thursday 19 February to Sunday 15 March, 6pm-2am every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday night.
Price: Free entry.
Sport Events
5. AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026
The AFC Women’s Asian Cup takes place every four years, with national teams belonging to the Asian Football Confederation battling it out to take the trophy. This year, Australia will host the tournament across five venues in three host cities, with matches set to take place at Sydney’s Western Sydney Stadium and Accor Stadium. Competing teams include Australia, Japan, China PR, Korea Republic, IR Iran, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, Uzbekistan, the Philippines and DPR Korea.
Although the Mathildas don’t have any games scheduled over the weekend, you can see a variety of games this weekend at Western Sydney Stadium, including Bangladesh vs DPR Korea and Bangladesh vs Uzbekistan. You can purchase your tickets for the cup here.
Where: Matches played across Australia, with Western Sydney Stadium and Accor Stadium hosting matches in Sydney.
When: March 1-21, 2026.
6. Super Rugby Pacific
Super Rugby Pacific is the Southern Hemisphere’s premier pro rugby union club competition, made up of 11 teams primarily from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the Pacific Islands. The 83-match season kicked off on February 13, when the Waratahs took on the Queensland Reds at Moore Park’s Allianz Stadium. The Tahs have two games scheduled at Allianz Stadium on March 6th and 21st, so head down to Moore Park and give them your loudest cheers.
Where: Allianz Stadium, 40/44 Driver Ave, Moore Park NSW 2021.
When: Throughout March.
Price: Tickets from $25.
Gigs and Concerts
7. Linkin Park
The iconic lead for Linkin Park may have left us, but that hasn’t stopped the legendary nu-metal band from picking up where they left off and touring the world, with new leader singer Emily Armstrong from stepping up to the plate. While it may seem jarring at first, the new-look Linkin Park has been receiving rave reviews for their latest show, which they’ll perform twice this weekend out in Sydney Olympic Park.
Where: Qudos Bank Arena
When: Friday 13 + Friday 14, 2026
Price: From around $122 (resale tickets higher)
8. Fat Freddys Drop
One of New Zealand’s most bankable live acts, Fat Freddys Drop, tour Sydney quite regularly. And they are always in high demand for good reason. Their fun, playful stage presence and big, brassy hits always get the crowd going, and they’ll be doing it three nights in a row at Enmore Theatre, all to perform their debut album, Based On A True Story, in full. Such a chance, to hear a legendary band’s first album in full, doesn’t come around often.
Where: Enmore Theatre
When: March 13 – 15, 2026
Price: From $105 (limited tickets available, but more tickets available via Ticketek Marketplace)
9. Retro at The Bristol
Sick of whatever TikTok did to music? You’re far from alone, which is why nostalgia-powered nightclubs are all the rage right now. Taking over the first floor of The Bristol, Retro will return with a nightclub dedicated entirely to throwback anthems and paying tribute to anyone who screams “this my song!” when Abba comes on.
Where: The Bristol
When: March 14 from 7pm
Price: Free (join the guestlist online)
Art Exhibitions and Galleries
9. The Grocery Store
The Grocery Store has been flooding our social media feeds, as visitors head down to Marrickville to snap shots of the funky fake produce and inedible goods. The exhibition, which is located at Voluptuary Ceramics HQ in Marrickville, features food-themed works by over 20 artists, from Amy Claire Mills of Kirbee Lawler and Claire Cassidy of Rowland Studio. The vibrant Grocery Store is stocked with ceramic milk cartons, sequinned tomatoes, melting ice cream sculptures and plenty more.
Where: 124 Chapel Street, Marrickville, NSW 2204.
When: February 21-March 15, open daily 10am-4pm.
Price: Free entry.
10. Event Horizon
Conceptual artist Michaela Gleave brings a transcendental display of works to Woolloomooloo’s Artspace with her first major solo Australian exhibition. Using light, sound, performance, and chromatic experiments, she explores the nature of reality and highlights questions of movement, time, and bodily experience. In physics, an ‘event horizon’ is the boundary around a black hole, marking a threshold beyond which information cannot return to an external observer.
Using energy fields and physical materials such as mist, sound waves, atmospheric conditions, glitter, recycled timber, and inflatable objects, Michaela invites visitors to heighten their awareness of their own process of perception and to explore new ways of seeing and feeling.
Where: Artspace, 43–51 Cowper Wharf Roadway, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011.
When: March 6-June 7.
Price: Free.
11. NSW at Night
Powerhouse and the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner have teamed up for a new photography exhibition, which will be displayed at NSW Parliament House from March 3 to 26. NSW photographers Andrew Quilty, Tajette O’Halloran, Anthony Rigby-Smith and Jade D’Amico have been commissioned to document the state’s night-time culture across Sydney’s inner city, Western Sydney, Wollongong and the Northern Rivers. The result is an intimate look at a variety of demographics headed out at night, from the evening run clubs in Wollongong to the thumping clubs of Sydney.
Where: Fountain Court, Parliament House.
When: March 3-26, weekdays from 9am-5pm.
Price: Free.
12. The Hooligans
White Rabbit Art Gallery in Chippendale is home to one of the world’s most significant collections of contemporary Chinese art. It recently reopened with a bold new exhibition, titled The Hooligans, which will run until May next year. The new exhibition has been introduced by the gallery as exploring the term “Hooligans”, with its summary stating, “rabble-rousers, riffraff, scoundrels, and criminals. Troublemakers, wanderers, deviants, misfits. They’ve gone by many names — but to the Chinese state, they were once known simply as The Hooligans.“
The Hooligans explores how Chinese artists learned to think beyond imposed boundaries in the face of relentless restrictions, using a variety of media to celebrate speaking up, daring to defy and refusing to cooperate. Exhibitions at White Rabbit Gallery are free to enter, so if you’re looking to peruse a gallery without breaking the bank, White Rabbit should be top of your list.
Where: White Rabbit Art Gallery, 30 Balfour Street, Chippendale, NSW 2000.
When: Friday, 19 December-May 17, 2026.
Price: Free entry.
13. Encounter by Ron Mueck
Internationally celebrated artist Ron Mueck returns to Australia with a major new exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW. 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.
14. Data Dreams: Art and AI
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.
Where: Galleries Level 3, MCA, 140 George St, The Rocks NSW 2000.
When: November 21, 2025- April 27, 2026.
Price: Adult tickets are $35, Concession $28. Under 18s go free. You can buy your tickets here.
15. 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: Running until May 3, 2026.
Price: Special exhibition tickets start at $25 per adult.
16. 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.
The Key’s Under The Mat is the current talk of the art world, marking Mike Hewson’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: Running until August 23, 2026.
Price: Free.
What’s on in Theatre
17. Purpose
The most awarded new American play of 2025 is currently lighting up Wharf 1 Theatre, fresh from winning the 2025 Tony Award for Best Play, the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2025 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award. The story follows an influential African American family that stands firmly on the highest pedestal of American politics, producing congressmen, celebrity pastors and civil rights leaders.
When their estranged youngest son, Nazarethm returns home with an unknown house guest, secrets and tensions threaten to topple the perfect family’s empire. With biting humour, a stellar cast and a sharp exploration of family, power and hypocrisy, this is one new play you won’t want to miss.
Where: Wharf 1 Theatre, The Wharf, Wharf 4/5/15 Hickson Rd, Dawes Point NSW 2000.
When: February 2-March 22.
Price: Tickets from $112 per person, under 30 tickets from $62.
18. 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, until March 28, 2026.
Price: From $59 plus booking fee.
19. Madama Butterfly
Back by popular demand, this must-see production of Puccini’s famous opera features some of the world’s best singers as well as emerging Australian stars. Elaborate staging includes a real moat dotted with floating candles, Japanese paper screens and colourful costumes. The audience will be transported to Nagasaki, where they’ll follow the story of Cio-Cio San, a young woman who falls in love and marries Pinkerton, a US Navy lieutenant. In doing so, she gives up her family and life as she knows it, only to be brutally betrayed by Pinkerton, which leads to her ultimate demise.
Head to the iconic Sydney Opera House to witness a production that has earned its place as one of the most-loved and widely performed operas of all time.
Where: Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: Showing until March 25, 2026.
Price: From $79.
Where to eat and sip
20. Kyiv Laneway Live Fire Series
Kyiv Social is turning its Chippendale laneway into a live-fire kitchen for a pair of Sunday pop-ups celebrating Inner West chefs and open-flame cooking. Each guest chef takes over the grill for a one-day menu paired with their own soundtrack, serving bold street-food style dishes alongside cold beers and a relaxed laneway crowd. The event also continues Kyiv Social’s social enterprise mission, with the restaurant supporting refugee employment and donating meals locally and in Ukraine
Where: Kyiv Social, 202 Broadway, Chippendale NSW 2008.
When: March 15, from midday until sold out.
Price: Pay as you go.
