Iconic multi-arts festival Vivid Sydney is finally back, a beloved harbourside food and wine festival returns, and a major new exhibition opens at the MCA. Here are the best things to do in Sydney this weekend.
Sydney is stepping into one of its biggest cultural moments of the year as Vivid Sydney officially returns this weekend, transforming the city with weeks of light installations, immersive experiences, live music, dining events and ideas programming across the harbour and beyond.
It’s also the final days of Sydney Writers’ Festival and your last chance to dive into its packed program of literary heavyweights, thought-provoking conversations and author events. However, if food and wine are more your thing, the Pyrmont Festival is back at the harbour foreshore to bring you some of NSW’s best food, wine and produce.
Art lovers also have a major new exhibition to add to the list, with acclaimed Indigenous artist Tony Albert unveiling Not a Souvenir at the Museum of Contemporary Art, a powerful new showcase spanning sculpture, photography, painting and installation.
Whether you’re chasing big ideas, light installations, gallery openings or a great glass of wine, plenty is happening across the city this weekend.
Things to do in Sydney this weekend
- Our top three picks
- Art Exhibitions
- Where to Eat and Sip
- Gigs and Concerts
- What’s on in Theatre
- Sporting Events
Our top three picks
Vivid Sydney
Vivid Sydney is officially back for 2026, kicking off this Friday and once again transforming the city with an expansive program of light installations, art, food, music, ideas and immersive experiences. Whether you’re wandering the Vivid Light Walk, sampling dishes at Vivid Fire Kitchen or watching the drone show light up Cockle Bay Wharf, there’s something for everyone at this year’s festival.
This weekend, we’re all about getting a first glimpse at the new light installations and seeing what the Vivid Fire Kitchen, which can now be found in Barangaroo, is cooking up this year. If you fancy something a bit more curated, there are still tickets for Danielle Alvarez and Mindy Woods’ multi-sensory feast at the Sydney Opera House’s Yallamundi Rooms, which will celebrate Indigenous ingredients, art and sound. On a budget? You can check out all the free events on our radar here.
Where: Citywide.
When: May 22-June 13.
Price: Over 80 per cent of the program is 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. Curated by the renowned Indigenous curator Bruce Johnson McLean, the exhibition considers the commodification and misrepresentation of Aboriginal people and culture, while celebrating survival and pride.
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, 140 George St, The Rocks NSW 2000.
When: May 21-October 19.
Price: Tickets from $28.
Sydney Writers’ Festival
Sydney Writers’ Festival has officially kicked off across the city, with more than 200 events and over 250 writers coming together for a celebration of storytelling, ideas and conversation. And the great news is much of it is free!
This weekend, internationally acclaimed authors will take to the stage to discuss their latest works, including Susan Choi, who will speak about her 2025 Booker Prize–nominated novel Flashlight; Florence Knapp, who will appear in conversation with ABC Radio National’s Claire Nichols; and celebrated storyteller Amitav Ghosh, who will explore themes of storytelling, memory and the future of the planet.
You can check out the full program here.
Where: Main hub: Carriageworks (245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh), other key venues include Sydney Town Hall, State Library of NSW, and community libraries.
When: May 17-24.
Price: Tickets generally range from $25 to $75.
Art Exhibitions
The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes Exhibition
Presented by the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Archibald Prize, Wynne Prize and Sulman Prize offer a vivid snapshot of contemporary Australian art and culture. The Archibald Prize, the country’s most prestigious portrait award, recognises outstanding depictions of notable figures from the worlds of music, journalism, media, stage and screen.
One of the country’s most anticipated exhibitions, this year’s annual showcase runs until August 16. You can explore the winning works and discover the stories behind the artists, subjects and portraits here.
Where: Art Gallery of NSW, Naala Nura building, lower level 2.
When: May 9-August 16.
Price: Adult tickets start at $30.
Biennale of Sydney 25th Anniversary
Renowned for providing a platform for bold ideas and boundary-pushing art, the Biennale of Sydney is a celebration of creativity, showcasing innovative works from artists around the world. It is renowned for commissioning and presenting extraordinary works from Australia and across the globe, having showcased more than 2400 national and international artists from over 130 countries.
Its 25th edition is titled Rememory and is inspired by celebrated author Toni Morrison, exploring the intersection of memory and history as a means of revisiting, reconstructing, and reclaiming histories that have been erased or repressed.
Where: White Bay Power Station, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney, Campbelltown Arts Centre, and Penrith Regional Gallery.
When: March 14-June 14, 2026.
Harry Potter: The Exhibition
The highly anticipated tour of Harry Potter: The Exhibition premiered at Paddington Pavilion in Sydney Olympic Park last week, confirming its status as 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-see for witches, wizards and devoted Muggles alike.
Where: Paddington Pavilion at Sydney Olympic Park, NSW 2127.
When: Opens May 14 until October 2026.
Price: Tickets start at $33.
Banksy Limitless
This immersive exhibition is making its way over from London after a successful debut, bringing the voice of one of the most influential figures in contemporary culture Down Under.
Banksy Limitless is an immersive art exhibition presenting a bold journey through the street-art icon’s ideas, imagery and legacy. Running from the beginning of April until the end of May, this multi-sensory exhibition is not one to miss.
Where: 155 George St, The Rocks, 2000.
When: April 3- May 31.
Price: From $42 per person.
Mike Hewson: The Key’s Under the Mat
New Zealand-born, Sydney-based artist Mike Hewson has transformed 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.
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.
Event Horizon
Conceptual artist Michaela Gleave brings a transcendental display of works to Woolloomooloo’s Artspace with her first major solo Australian exhibition. 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.
Where to Eat and Sip
The Pyrmont Festival
The Pyrmont Festival returns to Pirrama Park this weekend, bringing together more than 25 wineries, breweries and distilleries alongside some of the best produce from across NSW. Think cheese, chilli oil, chocolate, seafood and premium meats. Beyond the tasting stalls, expect a kids’ zone, family-friendly entertainment, food and wine masterclasses, art workshops and more. The best part? Entry is free.
Where: Pirrama Park, Pirrama Road, Pyrmont.
When: May 23 and 24, 11am-5pm.
Price: Free entry.
Fever-Tree G&T Week
Celebrate the beautiful creation that is a gin and tonic this month as part of Fever-Tree G&T week, which will run from May 18-24. Bars, restaurants and distilleries across Sydney will showcase G&T serves with curated menus and special pricing. Participating venues include the iconic Icebergs Dining Room and Bar in Bondi, Ester Spirits in Marrickville, Duke of Clarence in the CBD and Silvers Motel in Enmore.
The week also includes the inaugural Fever-Tree G&T Cup, a competition to crown the best gin and tonic in Australia and New Zealand, plus a chance for attendees to win a year’s supply of G&Ts.
Where: Citywide.
When: May 18-24.
Price: Free entry.
Afro Eats & Beats at Paddy’s Flemington
This Sunday, Afro Eats & Beats will take over Paddy’s Flemington to celebrate Africa Day, which officially takes place on May 25. The day is centred around African food stalls,think jollof rice, suya skewers, fufu, slow-cooked stews. There will also be a rotating program of live music, traditional performances, and African fashion and craft vendors to keep you entertained, plus a very special African Cuisine Cooking Demonstration.
Where: Duplex 18, 250 Parramatta Rd, Homebush West NSW 2140.
When: May 24, 9am-4:30pm.
Price: Free entry.
Gigs and Concerts
KT Tunstall
Live out your The Devil Wears Prada fantasy as you bop along to KT Tunstall’s “Suddenly I See” at the Metro Theatre. She’s celebrating the 20th anniversary of her groundbreaking, multi-million-selling debut album, Eye To The Telescope, and will play the five-times-platinum album in its entirety.
The Scottish singer-songwriter has a whole heap of iconic noughties songs (like “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree”) that will be sure to get the nostalgic crowd dancing.
Where: G2/624 George St, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: May 23.
Price: From $89.90.
Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE
One of Sydney’s most anticipated hip-hop shows of the year, American rapper and producer Earl Sweatshirt will take over the Concert Hall stage alongside New York rap standout MIKE. Earl first rose to prominence in the late 2000s as part of LA’s boundary-pushing collective Odd Future, alongside future superstars Tyler, the Creator and Frank Ocean.
If you’re already a fan of Tyler or Frank but haven’t yet explored Earl’s catalogue, this is the perfect chance to discover what could become your next favourite artist.
Where: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: May 24, 8pm.
Price: Tickets from $79.90.
Current Joys
Making his Sydney Opera House debut, Nevada-born singer-songwriter Nick Rattigan, aka Current Joys, returns to Sydney to bring his lo-fi bedroom pop and experimental sounds to the Joan Sutherland Theatre. Known for his 2015 smash song Kids, Current Joys, who has over a billion streams, takes to the stage as part of Vivid LIVE, the annual multi-arts festival’s annual music takeover.
Where: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: May 24, 8:30pm.
Price: From $69.90.
What’s on in Theatre
The Lion King
In very exciting news for Sydney’s theatre fanatics, blockbuster musical The Lion King has returned to the Harbour City. The original Australian production of The Lion King premiered at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney in October 2003, returning for a second run 10 years later in 2013, and is now back again 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: April 18-August 9, 2026.
Price: From $165.
Anastasia
Since its Broadway debut in 2017, Anastasia has captivated sold-out audiences and collected more than 15 major international awards, and it has now finally made its debut Down Under.
Rising star Georgina Hopson will lead the cast as Anya, alongside international stage sensation Robert Tripolino as Dmitry. Showbiz legend Rhonda Burchmore will take to the stage as Countess Lily, with Australian theatre royalty Nancye Hayes AM as the Dowager Empress.
Where: Sydney Lyric Theatre, Pyrmont.
When: April-July 19.
Price: Tickets from $69.90.
Steel Magnolias
Before Steel Magnolias was a movie that made you laugh and cry it was a play – and it’s going to make you laugh and cry all over again. In this dazzling new production, an extraordinary ensemble of local talent led by Lisa McCune, Belinda Giblin, Debra Lawrance, Mandy Bishop, Jessica Redmayne and Lotte Beckett unite to bring the heart of a small Southern town to Sydney audiences.
Set in Truvy’s beauty salon, these local women come together to share their joys and struggles – plus a little neighbourly gossip – but when tragedy strikes, it is in these same four walls that they find comfort, support and the unbreakable bonds of friendship.
Where: Theatre Royal Sydney, 108 King Street, Sydney (beneath 25 Martin Place).
When: May 13 – May 30.
Price: From $59.
The Pirates of Penzance
Potts Points’ Hayes Theatre is known for bringing incredible, homegrown Aussie productions to the stage, and now, for the first time ever, one of its landmark musicals is headed to Pyrmont’s Foundry Theatre. The Pirates of Penzance is a fast-paced, immersive revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan classic, where just five performers take on the roles of pirates, lovers, sisters, major-generals, and many, many more.
This show had a sold-out extended season at the Hayes in 2025, so be sure to catch it at The Foundry before it wraps up the season.
Where: Foundry Theatre, inside the Sydney Lyric, Pirrama Road, Pyrmont.
When: May 12-June 7.
Price: Tickets from $59.90 per person (transaction fees apply).
84 Charing Cross Road
Adapted from Helene Hanff’s beloved non-fiction book, 84 Charing Cross Road comes to life on stage at Ensemble Theatre for a limited season. The story follows a sharp-tongued New York writer and a reserved London bookseller who begin a correspondence over their shared love of rare books, only to discover an unexpected lifelong friendship.
Where: Ensemble Theatre, 78 McDougall St, Kirribilli NSW 2061.
When: May 1-June 13.
Price: Adult tickets start at $95.
An Iliad
A weary, sharp-tongued poet (played by international star David Wenham) takes the stage at Wharf 1 Theatre to retell the story of the Trojan War, a tale he has carried across centuries of human conflict.
In Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare’s powerful adaptation of Homer’s epic, the ancient myth is reimagined as an intimate, urgent reflection on war, division, and humanity’s enduring cycles of violence.
Where: Wharf 1 Theatre, The Wharf, Wharf 4/5/15 Hickson Rd, Dawes Point NSW 2000.
When: April 13-June 21, 2026.
Price: Tickets from $79.
Sporting Events
Super Rugby Pacific: NSW Waratahs vs ACT Brumbies
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, with the Grand Final scheduled to take place less than a month away, on June 13.
This weekend, the NSW Waratahs return to home turf to take on the ACT Brumbies in a blockbuster clash at Allianz Stadium. Head down on Friday evening, grab a schooner and cheer on the Tahs as they try to secure a win.
Where: Allianz Stadium, 40/44 Driver Ave, Moore Park NSW 2021.
When: May 22, 7:35pm.
Price: Tickets from $25.
