As Sydney settles into the final weekend of May, the city is showing no signs of slowing down.
This weekend’s highlights range from major cultural moments to fresh openings, including the debut of the new Bridge Museum and the free opening celebrations for Barangaroo’s newest venue, The Cutaway. There’s also plenty happening beyond the CBD, with live jazz in Cronulla and market stalls filling Robertson Park at Watsons Bay.
Vivid Sydney has officially switched on for another year, lighting up the harbour and streets with installations, food experiences and events. Looking for something a little different? We have that covered, too. Think martinis paired with custom rat tail extensions in Newtown, and a Harry Potter exhibition (open to all muggles) in Sydney Olympic Park.
It’s a big weekend for music, too. Lil’ Kim will be opening Carriageworks’ Vivid music program on Friday with an exclusive, one-night-only gig, and K-pop queens i-dle will be thrilling fans at Qudos Bank Arena with their impressive vocals and dance moves.
Whether you’re chasing Vivid lights, live music, family-friendly activities or a relaxed afternoon at an art gallery, here’s our guide to the best things to do in Sydney this weekend.
Things to do in Sydney this weekend
Our top 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. 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.
Explore the new Bridge Museum
Opening on Wednesday, the Bridge Museum will celebrate its opening week, unveiling an immersive new experience that explores the story behind one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Through interactive displays, multimedia storytelling and historic artefacts, visitors can delve into the bridge’s eight-year construction and the thousands of workers who helped bring it to life, while gaining a fresh perspective on its place in the city’s history.
Standard entry to a day session for an adult is $39.95, a child (3–13) is $22.95, while children under 3 visit for free. Operators recommend allowing around 60–90 minutes to explore the museum’s exhibitions and discover the history and stories of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Insider tip: Go in the evening to take in the sunset and the glowing lights of Vivid Sydney.
Where: Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Rocks, NSW 2000.
When: The museum officially opens on Wednesday, May 27.
Price: Tickets start at $39.95 for adults for a day session.
AFL: Sydney Swans v Richmond
The 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership continues this weekend as the Sydney Swans take on Richmond at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Kicking off at 1:15pm, the match is a chance to get behind the Swans as they look to secure a home-ground win. Grab a schooner, throw on your red and white scarf and settle in for an afternoon of footy.
Where: 4 Driver Ave, Moore Park NSW 2021.
When: May 30 at 1:15pm.
Price: Tickets start at $49.
Pair martinis with rat tails at Bar Planet
At STG, we’re all about spotlighting the best, weirdest and wackiest events happening in Sydney. And this pop-up is in a league of its own.
Lean into the latest nostalgia-fuelled trend at Bar Planet this weekend, where Inner West salon Extra Silky is taking over the Newtown martini bar for an afternoon of custom braided rat tail extensions. Running from 3pm to 5pm on Sunday, guests can book in for made-to-order, colour-matched rat tails, with prices starting from around $30. The pop-up is part of Bar Planet’s ongoing series of creative collaborations spotlighting local Inner West businesses.
Where: Bar Planet, 16 Enmore Rd, Newtown NSW 2042.
When: May 31, 3pm-5pm.
Price: Approximately $30 per rat’s tail.
The best free events
The Cutaway Barangaroo’s opening weekend
This weekend will see Barangaroo’s newest venue, The Cutaway, come alive with a program of live music, immersive performances, interactive workshops and family-friendly activities.
Saturday will see an array of large-scale projections light up the precinct, accompanied by music, live art-making and cultural workshops. On Sunday, there’ll be a range of free activities for all ages, including weaving, flower crown making and jewellery workshops. You can check out the full opening weekend schedule here.
Where: 1 Merriman St, Barangaroo NSW 2000.
When: May 30 and 31, 1pm-5pm.
Price: Free.
Watsons Bay Autumn Market
One of Sydney’s most scenic markets returns for its autumn edition, set against the stunning harbour backdrop of Watsons Bay. Featuring over 150 stalls, visitors can peruse artisan products, jewellery, fashion, fresh produce, gourmet food and sweet treats, while younger market-goers can enjoy kids’ rides and family-friendly entertainment.
Where: Robertson Park, Watsons Bay.
When: May 31, 9am-3pm.
Price: Free entry.
Cronulla Jazz and Blues Festival
Live music, ocean views and five days of jazz and blues in Cronulla, what more could you want? The beachside suburb will host over 200 performances across 24 stages from Wednesday to Sunday, with locations stretching from Kurnell to Gymea. Some shows are completely free with no tickets required: simply check the schedule, find a show that suits you and head down. To see the full lineup across the five days, click here.
Insider tip: Want to make a day of it? Check out our guide to Cronulla here, for the best places to eat, sip and play in the suburb.
Where: Venues across Cronulla, Kurnell and Gymea.
When: May 27-31.
Price: Prices vary, with some sets completely free and unticketed.
Art exhibitions
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 to us (one that 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 instead celebrate cultural pride and survival.
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, 140 George St, The Rocks NSW 2000.
When: May 21-October 19.
Price: Tickets from $28.
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.
Gigs and concerts
Lil’ Kim
Lil’ Kim will be performing a huge landmark show as part of Vivid Sydney 2026, taking over Carriageworks for a huge show on Friday. The trailblazing female rapper changed the music industry, with her bold sexuality, killer confidence and undeniable talent. She’ll be celebrating her two albums, Hard Core and The Notorious K.I.M., in Carriagework’s iconic warehouse-style music space, with tickets starting at $99 plus a booking fee.
Where: Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh NSW 2015.
When: May 29 at 5pm.
Price: From $99, plus a booking fee.
i-dle
i-dle are heading Down Under for their fourth global tour, 2026 i-dle WORLD TOUR [Syncopation], set to light up Qudos Bank Arena for a one-night-only spectacle that’s sure to be on every K-pop fan’s radar (just ask their 13.3 million Instagram followers).
Renowned for their bold, empowering concepts and viral hits like Tomboy, Queencard and Nxde, the group continues to defy industry norms. With a hands-on approach to songwriting and production, i-dle have carved out a distinct creative identity, cementing their status as one of South Korea’s most influential and successful girl groups.
Where: Qudos Bank Arena, 19 Edwin Flack Ave, Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127.
When: May 30, 7:30pm.
Price: From $189.
Theatre and musicals
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.
LAST CHANCE: 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.
