This weekend, Sydney is pulling out all the stops. From buzzing street festivals to waterfront concerts and live sport, the city if 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. Sydney Streets is finally making its much-anticipated return, transforming Redfern Street into a vibrant, car-free playground just in time to soak up the last stretch of summer weather. Out west, Lakemba Nights continues to draw crowds with its electric atmosphere and seriously good eats, while the Alliance Française French Film Festival is delivering a citywide dose of cinematic escapism.
Top of my list, though, is All About Women at the Sydney Opera House. Timed to coincide with International Women’s Day, the powerhouse program of talks, panels and sharp-tongued roasts brings together some of the most compelling voices of the moment. From journalist Emily Maitlis discussing the Epstein Files to celebrated British author Zadie Smith in conversation, it’s shaping up to be an inspiring and thought-provoking way to mark the occasion.
Sydney Staples
1. Sydney Streets
Kicking off on Redfern Street on March 7, Sydney Streets returns with its lively, free community pop-ups, temporarily transforming inner-city streets into hubs of culture, entertainment, and connection for an unforgettable day out. Local restaurants and cafes will be serving up plenty of deliciousness to snack and sip on, while market stalls will reflect Redfern’s rich First Nations culture, with Indigenous-led businesses alongside a dedicated Sand Circle hosting performances and activities.
Where: Redfern Street, Redfern NSW 2016.
When: March 7, 11am-10pm.
Price: Free.
2. All About Women at the Sydney Opera House
Coinciding with International Women’s Day, this festival brings a powerful program of talks to the iconic Sydney Opera House, spotlighting bold conversations on gender, culture and equality. From a feminist roast and a chat with author Zadie Smith, to a discussion of the Epstein Files and an exposé on medical misogyny, these talks have been carefully curated to bring expert speakers and impressive women to share their wisdom, knowledge and lived experiences.
Where: Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: March 8.
Price: Tickets vary but generally start at $35 per person.
3. Alliance Française French Film Festival
After the successful return of Tropfest, Sydney has once again proven its appetite for bold, unique cinema, making the arrival of the 37th Alliance Française French Film Festival all the more exciting. Last year, the festival had a record-breaking 199,000 admissions, reflecting the passion of French filmmakers and the cultural importance of the AFFFF.
You can catch plenty of French cinema across Sydney during the festival, which includes Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, Roseville Cinema, Palace Moore Park and United Cinemas Warriewood, all screening featured films.
Where: Taking place at cinemas across Sydney.
When: March 3- April 8.
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. ATEEZ
Renowned for their impeccably polished stage shows that feel like immersive musical journeys, K-pop sensations ATEEZ will headline two nights at Qudos Bank Arena this March. The eight-member boy group, which debuted in October 2018, has taken the K-pop world by storm with their high-energy performances, intricate storytelling and magnetic stage presence. Their remarkable rise was cemented this year when they were named “K-Pop Artist of the Year by iHeartRadio.
Fans can expect a show packed with dazzling choreography, compelling narratives, and the undeniable charisma that has made ATEEZ one of the genre’s most exciting acts.
Where: Qudos Bank Arena, 19 Edwin Flack Ave, Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127.
When: March 6 and 7.
Price: From $99.90.
8. Pulp
Performing live for the first time in 15 years, Britpop band Pulp returns to Sydney to take over the Sydney Opera House Forecourt for two exciting nights. They’ll be performing their iconic hits (think “Common People” and “Do You Remember the First Time?”), but also more recent ones, like 2025’s More, marking their first new material in a quarter century.
Where: Sydney Opera House Forecourt, Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: March 6 and 7.
Price: $159.90.
9. Sunset Sessions at Cockatoo Island
Cockatoo Island returns with its popular Sunset Sessions, running from January through April and showcasing a lineup of talented musicians on its Biloela Lawn stage every Saturday. You can enjoy the low-key performances from the comfort of your picnic blanket as the sun sets over the picturesque Sydney Harbour. Tickets cost $38 per person, with children 12 and under welcome for free with a paying adult. To get to the famous island, simply hop on the F3 and F8 public ferries from Circular Quay or Barangaroo.
Where: Cockatoo Island.
When: Saturdays from January 10 until April 4, 2026.
Price: Adult tickets: $38 per person.
10. LAST CHANCE: Twilight at Taronga Summer Concert Series
The world’s most beautiful zoo knows how to throw a great event, and the Twilight at Taronga concert series is no exception. Set against the zoo’s iconic harbour backdrop, this annual summer tradition brings world-class live music to Sydney for five consecutive weekends. This weekend, the talented Bliss n Eso take to the stage on Friday, before the most in-demand concert of the whole series, Bjorn Again on Saturday.
Where: Taronga Zoo, Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman NSW 2088.
When: February 6 until March 7.
Price: Tickets start at $67.15.
11. New Wave Concert Series at Sydney Fish Market
If you’ve been meaning to check out the new Sydney Fish Market at Blackwattle Bay, consider this your sign. The waterfront precinct is turning up the vibe with free live music from emerging local artists, the perfect excuse to wander through, grab a bite and soak it all in. This weekend is all about R&B, Jazz & Indie Pop Fusion, with musicians Kalena, Yasmina Sadiki and Yorke taking to the stage and entertaining you as you chuck back oysters and peel another prawn.
Where: Sydney Fish Market, Civic Plaza.
When: Saturday, February 28, 5pm-8pm.
Price: Free.
Art Exhibitions and Galleries
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. Super Nature
This free exhibition marks the start of the Art Gallery of NSW’s exciting 2026 calendar, exploring four thematic spaces: the intersections between people and the environment, the role of gardens as memorials, the wild nature that lives alongside (and sometimes within) us, plus the cultivation of nature for survival and sustenance.
Exciting new acquisitions will be shown for the first time, including four colourful paintings by Butcher Cherel Janangoo that tell of the medicinal properties of bush foods and their cultural significance to Gooniyandi people. New and exciting digital media will also be displayed, including teamLab’s computer-generated interactive animations Flowers and people – gold 2025 (pictured above), where flowers slowly bud, blossom, grow, and decay on digital screens.
Where: Art Gallery of NSW, Nalla Nura building, Lower level 2.
When: February 7, 2026, February 2027.
Price: Free.
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. 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
21. 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.
22. 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.
23. The Great Gatsby: A Jazz Ballet Odyssey
Not to be confused with the Sydney Opera House’s Gatsby at the Green Light, this production is a fusion of ballet, tap and jazz, reimagining F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless classic with all the 1920s flair you could dream of. World-class dancers have been directed and choreographed by Joel Burke to a score blending Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, James P. Johnson’s The Charleston, and bold new works by Emmy award-winning Jason Fernandez, as well as Dominic Cabusi. Head to the Capitol Theatre this February to be fully immersed in this glitzy dance spectacle.
Where: 13 Campbell St, Haymarket NSW 2000.
When: February 19- March 8.
Price: From $79.90.
24. 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
25. Chiswick Female-Led Wine Market
Nestled in the leafy suburb of Woollahra, the Chiswick will mark International Women’s Day in style, showcasing top female winemakers and offering abundant opportunities to sample exceptional women-led wine labels from across the globe. The market will take place from 2pm-7pm, featuring trailblazing female producers including Monica Gray from See Saw Wines, Allanna Wigley from Thea Wines and Paula Pipan from Pipan Steel.
Where: 65 Ocean St, Woollahra NSW 2025.
When: March 7 at 2pm-7pm.
Price: Tickets cost $10.
26. Philthy Chapel
This Sunday, iconic brewery Philter will team up with one of the country’s top steak destinations, Marrickville’s 20 Chapel, for a dreamy collab titled “Philthy Chapel”. Grab a 20 Chapel Snack Pack, a spin on the steak restaurant’s late-night classic offering casual snacks suitable for a brewery, but to the standards of the beloved steak haunt. Built around their cult wagyu-fat wedges, the packs layer premium beef, fries and punchy housemade sauces into a brewery-ready format designed for sharing over beers.
There’ll be flowing Philter beers, signature cocktails and DJs spinning 90s hip-hop well into the evening, setting the scene for a seriously good Sunday session.
Where: Philter Brewing, 92-98 Sydenham Rd, Marrickville NSW 2204.
When: Sunday, March 8, from 11:30am until 9pm or sold out.
Price: Free entry.
