The City of Sydney is one of the largest event producers in Australia. We proudly produce four major annual events, including Art & About Sydney, Sydney Christmas, Sydney New Year’s Eve and Sydney Chinese New Year. We also provide substantial grants funding for other major festivals throughout the year.
You can view the full spectrum of events across Sydney at our What’s On site.
Situated in the beautiful Paddington Reservoir Gardens, the City of Sydney Lawn Library is popping up from Saturday 29 March to Sunday 6 April. Bring a coffee and browse the shelves, have a relaxing read on a deckchair, or enjoy the free Wi-Fi with some cool jazz.A City librarian will be on hand to explain the range of library services available from midday to 2pm on weekdays and 10am to 3pm on weekends.
Sydney Christmas is a five week celebration of festive events, promotions and interactive experiences. The city transforms into the ultimate summer Christmas playground, with the iconic Martin Place Christmas tree twinkling in a blanket of lights and Sydney Town Hall lit up in glittering projections.
Sydney New Year’s Eve rings in the new year for millions of people in Sydney, across Australia and around the world with an exhilarating fireworks display across glittering Sydney Harbour.
Sydney Chinese New Year is one of the largest celebrations outside mainland China. It’s a vibrant feast for the senses, as a Twilight Parade, markets and other festivities light up the city with colour and flavour. 2014 will celebrate the Year of the Horse.
Art & About Sydney is an annual collaborative arts festival where every street, laneway, building site, intersection and thoroughfare is a canvas for creation and storytelling.
NAIDOC Week is held across Australia to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
smartARTS is a mini-fest held during National Youth Week, which showcases the creative talents and initiatives of people 15 – 26 years in the areas of visual arts, film, performance arts and music. It features a cutting edge art exhibition, live music, theatre, film, projections, interactive installation projects and a series of workshops.
National Youth Week (NYW) is a state-wide celebration of people aged 12-25 in Australia. It is organised by youth in communities across the state to give their peers an opportunity to share ideas, attend live events, and have their voices heard on issues of concern to them.
The Kings Cross Festival aims to change the conversation about the area, celebrating its rich history, diverse population and the bohemian cultural life of this gritty, inner-city, ultra-urban neighbourhood.
A 10-day celebration of the best wine, food and art from the Pyrmont and Mudgee Regions. Events include ‘Meet the Winemaker’ sessions, special lunches and dinners from top chefs, live music and an art and photography exhibition.
Every year in November, the residents of Surry Hills and surrounds come together for a Festival Day of roaring live music, artisan, ethical and vintage market stalls, arts, workshops and food.
Seen by over 65 million people, Disney’s landmark musical event The Lion King opens at The Capitol Theatre this December for a strictly limited season. Brilliantly re-imagined by acclaimed director Julie Taymor, Disney’s beloved film is transformed into a spectacular theatrical experience that will redefine your expectations of theatre.
The Living in Harmony Festival celebrates our city’s cultural diversity. Together with many community organisations, Sydnesiders are invited to explore a rich program of events including multi-cultural city tours, cultural days, talks, workshops, exhibitions and panel discussions.
Enjoyed by Australians all over the world on 26 January, Australia Day is more than just a public holiday. From welcome ceremonies for new citizens around the country, to well-loved two-up competitions and local thong throwing contests – it fills the air with smell of barbeque and some of Australia’s best music, as the nation celebrates outdoors.
Yabun is the largest single day indigenous festival in Australia, drawing an audience of between 10,000 and 15,000 people on Australia Day. It is one of the most important indigenous music events in the country reflecting the wealth of indigenous creative talent.
The Biennale of Sydney is Australia’s largest and most exciting contemporary visual arts festival. Held every two years, the Biennale is a three-month exhibition, with an accompanying program of artist talks, performances, forums, guided tours, family days and other special events – all free to the public.
Sydney Fringe is an independent festival for the visual and performing arts. It’s the state’s largest alternative arts event and a celebration of a variety of disciplines. The Fringe delves into each precinct’s unique cultural offerings and explores our central and inner west suburbs.
Sydney Film Festival is one of the world’s longest-running film festivals, which screens feature films, documentaries, short films and animation from around the world, in venues across the city. The festival encourages and supports excellence in Australian filmmaking and celebrates ‘courageous, audacious and cutting-edge’ cinema with its official competition.
Sydney Writers’ Festival is Australia’s largest annual celebration of literature and ideas. For one week in May, it presents over 300 events (half of them for free), bringing together authors of the very best contemporary fiction and writers of cutting edge non-fiction, including some of the world’s leading public intellectuals, scientists and journalists.
Sydney Mardi Gras is a global beacon of diversity, acceptance and support of LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, and Intersex) rights. It is a broad program of cultural and social activities enjoyed by local communities and international audiences. The festival is world-famous for the Mardi Gras Parade which illuminates Oxford Street each February.
Every January, Sydney Festival enlivens Sydney with a bold celebration of the highest quality art and big ideas. The program’s audacious contemporary programming is always kaleidoscopic in its diversity, from burlesque circus to New York rap to Russian theatre and has presented to us some of the biggest international artists – including names like Björk, Brian Wilson, Grace Jones.
