The Sydney Festival doesn't
start until January but tickets to the main events may well sell out
as the festival attracts a lot of people from interstate and overseas.
In other words, book early or risk disappointment.
Sydney
Festival
Blue Mountains Music Festival,
Katoomba - Friday, 15th March to Sunday, 17th March
Katoomba, the unofficial
capital of the Blue Mountains, is playing host to a highly anticipated
Folk and Blues Festival. Some wonderful musicians are expected to take
part, including Luka Bloom, Arlo Guthrie, Gurrumul, Joseph Tawadros,
The Barons of Tang, Zoe Keating and many more. This folkie blues extravaganza
will have 8 undercover performance venues covering an expected 100 plus
performances. A single ticket will buy you the right to see as many
performances as you like.
Top
things to do in the Blue Mountains
Bondi Open Air Festival,
Bondi - ends Sunday, 3rd March 2013
It may not have felt like
it at times, but summer is not over yet, there is still life in summer
and autumn can wait. For top things to do in Summer, including Open
Air cinemas like the Bondi Open Air Festival, visit top things to do
this summer before it's too late.
Top
things to do in Summer in Sydney
Top Gear Festival Sydney
- Sydney Motorsport Park - Saturday, 9th March - Sunday, 10th March
If you are a big Top Gear
fan then the first thing you will want to know is will Jeremy Clarkson,
James May and The Stig be there? Well they said they were coming, along
a scattering of legendary racing drivers and celebrities. This is a
genuine Top Gear production combined with amazing stunts and challenges,
live action zones, exhibitions and more top gear. The Top Gear Festival
is scheduled as a one-off event, only to take place in Sydney, so it
is bound to be popular.
Festival for the Kimberley
– Friday, 8th March
When a beautiful place like
the Kimberley travels over 4,000 kilometres to visit a beautiful place
like Sydney, it only seems polite to drop by and say hi.
The Kimberley Whale
If you do, you might enjoy
some of the live Kimberley music, dancers, speakers, camels, the whale-sized
Kimberley whale puppet, market stalls, a sneak film preview, organic
food, mango smoothies and WA beer and wine.
The beautiful people of
the Kimberley
There is a political aspect
to this, mining is bad etc but nobody will expect you to chain yourself
to anything or march on Parliament - just relax and have a whale of
a time with the beautiful people from the Kimberley.
Thailand Grand Festival
- Darling Harbour - Saturday, 9th March - Sunday, 10th March
Experience a small part of
Thailand through this art, craft and cultural festival, including traditional
Thai leaf ornaments, shadow puppets and a mixture of western and eastern
family entertainment. Thai warriors will demonstrate the art of Muay
Thai and Krabi Krabong, there will be cooking demonstrations and a Thai
version of Masterchef. Thai Airways will be there attempting to entice
you away from Sydney with special festival discounts and offers.
Thirlmere Festival of Steam
- Sunday, 3rd March
You might think, 'steam trains
- big deal', but there's more than hot air coming out of this year's
Thirlmere Festival of Steam. There will be amusement rides, face painting,
airbrush tattoos, music, entertainment and even helicopter rides. The
Gala Parade is not be missed with its bands, performers, classic vehicles,
hot rods and many colourful and fun floats. The parade starts at 1pm.
You catch a train, steam naturally, from Sydney to get there. Also nearby
are the Thirlmere lakes and Royal National Park to enjoy as well as
some steamy events on the day before, so why not make a weekend of it?
Sydney Cellar Door (NSW
Wine Festival) - Hyde Park - Friday, 22nd February - Monday, 24th February
It's always nice to have
a stroll through Hyde Park even if it's just to get to work. How about
hanging around for a while with a glass of wine in your hand? Claiming
to be Sydney's biggest outdoor wine bash, the Sydney Cellar Door will
allow you to try the best from almost 100 wineries and to meet some
of the wonderful winemakers who created these masterpieces. Masterpieces?
Art in bottle? Too good to drink? How do we know unless we drink it?
If this is your dilemma, the Sydney Cellar Door has the solution. As
well as great vino there will be a stack of food, so stay a while, relax
and enjoy.
Sydney Shakespeare Festival
- Bicentennial Park to Sunday, 24th February
Shakespeare in the Park is
a popular international event held in many large cities around the globe.
Sydney's version, the Sydney Shakespeare Festival, is held at Bicentennial
Park with the ANZAC Bridge as a backdrop. Be entranced by 'Much Ado
About Nothing' and 'As You Like It' as you picnic under the stars sharing
a timeless cultural classic.
Paddington Pub Fest - Paddington
- Thursday, 14th February - Sunday, 17th February
If you are ever on the lookout
for a good pub (that's pub not bar), Paddington possess some of Sydney's
finest. The Imperial, the Royal Hotel, the Paddo Inn to name but a few.
The Paddington Pub Fest has a lot of good material to work with and
if you get comfortable where you are there's no rush, the pubs will
be open again tomorrow.
Tropfest - Domain - Sunday,
17th February
Tropfest is big on small
movies, a feast of great small films in fact, and it won’t cost you
anything to see them. Tropfest will get you out into the great outdoors
of the Domain and into a laid back atmosphere of relaxed picnic film
watching pleasure. Even well behaved pets are invited. There will be
live music, entertainment, food, bars, red carpet arrivals and the awards
ceremony. The gates open at 11am followed by a rush of people armed
with picnic blankets aiming for the best spots.
Sydney Latin Festival -
Sydney Olympic Park - Thursday, 31st January - Sunday, 3rd February
The world's best Latin dancers
are coming to Sydney; the World Latin Champions no less, are moving
gracefully towards Olympic Park to show us how to Salsa, Zouk, Bachata
and Samba. There will be Latin DJs, teachers and dancers all proving
that the art of dance is alive and thrusting. This is what hips were
made for, among one or two other things perhaps, so get yours ready
for action.
The Big Issue Street Football
Festival to Monday, 28th January
I tell you, these players
are so good they could play on water, and indeed, they will. The soccer
pitch that will host this fine tournament will be afloat in Darling
Harbour. Over one thousand proponents of the world’s most beautiful
game will take part in 300 matches played over 11 days of footballing
splendour.
Night Owls Kids Film Fest
- Monday to Tuesday, 22nd January
Just why we should be encouraging
our kids to stay up with the owls aside (most kids don't seem to need
much encouragement!) this has to be the greatest film festival for small,
and not so small, people since last year. Although there are films for
bigger people to.
Darling Quarter
It is all happening around
the new bit of Darling Harbour, or old bit renamed, called the Village
Green precinct in Darling Quarter. The films are free (now we have your
attention) and the entertainment starts at 5:30pm, with screenings commencing
at 6:30pm. BYO rug and food, although this is Darling Harbour so there
are plenty places happy to ensure you won't starve. You will find Darling
Quarter just south of the IMAX Theatre. The official address of this
new, marketable part of Sydney is 1-25 Harbour Street.
Little Big Shots
As part of the proceedings
there will be a series of short films from the Little Big Shots international
film festival aimed at kids up to the age of 15. The highlight of which
promises to be a 90-minute screening of Little Big Shots' best of on
Sunday, 20th January, including 'The Gruffalo's Child'. So there you
go, two festivals for the price of free.
Santa Fest - Darling Harbour
- Saturday, 24th November to Christmas Eve
It is strongly rumoured that
the real Santa will be dropping in on Santa Fest just to see what all
the fuss is about - Ho, Ho, Ho
Bondi Short Film Festival
- Bondi Beach - Saturday, 24th November
Does creativity have its
limits? At the Bondi Short Film Festival it is 15 minutes and no more.
Get your tickets to see 100% pure Aussie talent aiming for their 15
minutes of fame.
Woollahra Festival - Woollahra
- Thursday, 15th November - Sunday, 18th November
Malcolm
Turnbull, man of ideas and a zebra
The Woollahra Festival is
a mixture of art and ideas. The idea being that if you attract a whole
bunch of people with the promise of great music, performance art and
comedy, more good ideas will follow.
Malcolm Turnbull
As you might expect, the
weekend is the busiest with diverse performances in jazz, magic, circus
and dance. On the ideas front, "If we have got it so good, why
do we feel so bad" with Malcolm Turnbull, is on at 7pm for an hour
on Friday, but it could well go on for a lot longer than that. It might
be a good idea to book in advance.
Parramasala - Festival of
South Asian Arts - Church Street - Thursday, 8th November to Sunday,
11th November
Bollywood
Block Party
We live in a world of contrasts
full of wonderful, creative people. Some of the most talented come to
Parramatta every year. It's called Parramasala. Highlights include the
Bollywood Block Party, The Trouble with Asian Men, Susheela Raman &
Band, Krishnan’s Dairy, the Masala Markets and lets not forget
the Festival Bar, a great venue from which to enjoy the free program
of music, dance and film on the Parramasala Outdoor Stage.
Sculpture by the Sea - Bondi
Beach - Thursday, 18th October - Sunday, 4th November
I always seem to write the
same things about Sculpture by the Sea. Stuff like, go, you must go,
don't miss this etc. It is just one of those events that just works
so well year after year. If there is one criticism, it is that they
could do more for families, maybe a kids sculpture section might go
down well (note that one down, you heard it here first).
Cockatoo Island
Film Festival - Wednesday, 24th October - Sunday, 28th October
One of Sydney's great strengths
is it does the outside fun stuff extremely well. After all, if you live
or visit this gorgeous place, why would you want to spend your time
inside. So if you want people to come to your new festival that is mostly
about being inside, how do you do it? You host it in the middle of Sydney
Harbour in some amazing venues - welcome to the very first Cockatoo
Island Film Festival. "This exceptional combination of setting
(and) content" looks like a being a winner.
Surry Hills Festival - Saturday,
27th October
Let there be music, there
will be three stages of music, let there be art, there will be a "full
Arts program" and let there be things for the kids to do, there
will be a Children’s Festival area to play in. So what else would
we like, how about some markets? Tick to that one. Food? Oh yes, from
all corners of the globe. So, will you come? It'll be even better with
you there.
Strathfield Food Festival
- Strathfield - Sunday, 28th October
Turn your Sunday lunch into
something a little special with a trip to the Strathfield Food Festival.
The festival boasts its own exclusive food stalls and live cooking demonstrations.
Marrickville Festival -
Marrickville - Sunday, 21st October
Marrickville Festival is
a local affair of art, craft, great food and entertainment. Around 30,000
showed up last year, and subject to the weather, more are expected this
year.
Sydney Children's Festival
- Monday, 24th September - Friday, 5th October
The Children's Festival comprises
of a range children's theatre and workshops dotted around Sydney. It
includes a few old favourites like the Gruffalo's Child at the Sydney
Opera House and an interesting idea with the Spot on Family Fun Days
which combines shows with "free indoor playground and activities"
allowing the kids to burn up some energy. The workshops are designed
to encourage creativity allowing the kids to make, draw, perform and
have a lot of fun.
Sydney Fringe Festival -
Everywhere - Friday, 7th September - Sunday, 30th September
The Sydney Fringe Festival
used to be based in Newtown but this year the Fringe is everywhere (how
can a fringe be everywhere?) At this rate of expansion there will be
a Fringe War on the NSW/Victorian border. Expect the new, the insightful,
the not quite funny, the pretentious, the irreverent and amongst it
all, the occasional flash of brilliance.
Cabramatta Moon Festival
- Cabramatta - Sunday, 23rd September
A common reason people say
they like to travel is to experience something a little different. One
of Sydney's largest cultural festivals, the Cabramatta Moon Festival,
can do that for you without the airfare, in fact, apart from the funfair,
there's no fare at all.
The Moon Festival Performances
and Attractions
Top billing is Australia's
Got Talent Grand Finalists, dance crew Kookies n' Kream, but that's
not say that Chinese entertainer Master Peng Cheng Mu won't get an equally
strong response with his face changing act. For cuteness, who can beat
a children's lantern parade whilst for spectacle, movement and colour
you can't go past a spot of Lion dancing.
Festival Fireworks
Among the many other reasons
to attend are that the food will be awesome, the Vietface Fashion Pageant
will be beautiful and it will all end with a bang at 8pm with a 'spectacular'
fireworks display.
Auburn Festival - Wyatt
Park, Church St, Lidcombe - Saturday, 15th September, 10am - 4pm
One of the nice things about
living a wonderful city like Sydney is the world likes to come and visit.
So how does the sound of the Arabian Nights sound? Would some African
drumming and dancing move you, or perhaps some ancient Kurdish music
or the spectacle of a bit of Mongolian throat singing? You could also
see some Turkish Oil Wrestling (not something you see everyday), as
well as Martial Arts demonstrations and 'Flyball' dog racing.
Blackmores Running Festival
- Sunday, 16th September
Sadly time is up for anyone
looking to register a group onto Blackmore's Sydney Marathon, Half Marathon,
Bridge Run and Family Fun Run. However, it is worth getting in touch
with the organisers as they may be able to help you run as part of an
existing group.
Cronulla Spring Festival
- Bondi (just kidding) - Saturday, 8th September to Sunday, 9th September
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The
Cronulla Spring Festival may not be as big as the Strathfield Spring
Festival, but hey, they have a beach and it lasts for two whole days.
There will be free entertainment including popular kid’s shows
Dirtgirl, Ice Age 4, LazyTown Zumba and the Jitterbugs.
Festival of the Winds -
Bondi Pavilion Bondi Beach - Sunday, 9th September, from 11am
The Festival of the Winds
is one of my personal favourites because it's so down to earth.. "Australia’s
largest and most exciting kite flying festival" will fill the skies
with kites of all shapes and sizes. You don't have to be an expert kite
flyer, anyone can get the wind up. You can BYO, buy one or make your
own. If you wish you could fly like a kite, try a ride on the Pacific
Fly Motion Bungy trampoline.
Spring Dance
Festival - Sydney Opera House - Monday, 20th August - Sunday, 2nd September
With the end of winter in
sight it is time to get some spring into the step with the best in the
business. If you are into dance, the Spring Dance Festival will move
you.
Strathfield's Big Spring
Festival - Strathfield - Sunday, 2nd September
The Strathfield Spring Festival
will be the biggest big thing since last year's festival, and that was
super big. Top billing on the entertainment side of things is X-Factor
winner Reece Mastinon, and he might even bring his dad (it being Father's
Day 'n' all). If that's not enough, or doesn't even register, there
will be a ‘Sports Quarter’ with AFL, Cricket, Soccer, Basket
Ball and the Martial Arts all represented. If you are still unconvinced
how about carnival rides, market stalls, community displays, showbags,
food, games, a fishing clinic, model car racing and a "Kidz World
of fun for the children". This is going to be big.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival
- Sydney Town Hall - Tuesday, 21st August - Saturday, 25th August
The Mercedes-Benz Fashion
Festival is another thing to help bring in Spring. The weather is warming,
so is your wardrobe up to it? Now is the time for a fashionable experience
with "style workshops, pop up bars, live performances, beauty trend
consultations and secure exclusive retail offers"..
Ultimo Science
Festival - Thursday, 16th August - Sunday, 26th August
You are never
too young to be into science. Well almost, anybody older than six months
according the Ultimo Science Festival. Nursery rhymes, story telling,
science shows and craft. There's more to a good science festival than
I certainly realised.
Science for
the Oldies
For the adults
there is pub science, science-art and film. You can attend lectures
on amazing topics by extraordinary speakers, comedy (might be a bit
geeky though) and laboratory tours.
Mars "Seven
Minutes of Terror" Curiosity Rover
If there is
one criticism we have of the Ultimo Science Festival is that they do
not appear to cover the recent Mars landing despite the huge amount
of publicity it has, and continues, to receive. Clearly there is a lot
of curiosity out there, just not in Ultimo.
Moocooboola Festival - Hunters
Hill - Sunday, 5th August
A throng of thousands are
expected to attend the Moocooboola Festival in Hunters Hill. There will
be over 100 stalls to browse, and 2 stages of entertainment to enjoy,
a dog show to watch along with the Grande Parade. Staff from the Hunters
Hill Hotel will be there to ensure nobody gets too thirsty. Entertainers
include the Lounge Bar Lotharios and Judy Bailey's Jazz Connection.
Boronia Park Oval
View
Larger Map
Moocooboola Festival is taking
place at Boronia Park Oval with its city views, bushland surrounds and
parking.
The Rocks Aroma
Festival, Sunday 29th July - 10am - 5pm
The Aroma Festival
is all about freshly ground coffee, delicious baklava, chocolate strawberries,
cupcakes, rich hot chocolate and spiced chai. This year, Aroma has four
global regions where you can experience the different tastes and, of
course, aromas from the Orient, "The Continent" (Europe),
"The Latin Quarter" and "The Oasis". So grab yourself
a cup of coffee and take your nose on a trip around the globe.
There will be caffeine fueled entertainment including belly dancing,
salsa, samba and, of course, camels(?)
Bondi Feast
Festival to Saturday, 28th July
The Bondi Feast Festival
is all about little bits of music, comedy, theatre, food and they even
serve winter warming wine. The comedy includes Erotic Fan Fiction (Eddie
Sharp), Story Club and Cut and Paste, music is supplied by local bands,
a Beach Dance Party is planned along with a performance of the Adelaide
Fringe Festival award winning play 'Rocket Town' by Emily Steel.
Winter Magic Festival -
Katoomba - Saturday, 23rd June
There is one thing to know
about Katoomba in June, it isn't warm, rug up. Katoomba's Winter Festival
magically banishes traffic from its main drag and replaces it with an
army of artists, musicians, dancers, drummers and choirs. The Winter
Magic Grand Parade is worth seeing and there will be plenty of market
stalls and people to look at, as everybody is encouraged to dress in
costume. Make it a warm one.
Head On Photo
Festival - Across Sydney - Friday, 4th May - Sunday, 3rd June
The 3 year old Head On Photo
Festival features a wide range of photography across all genres with
over 200 events at 100 venues. Most events are free including both indoors
and outdoors exhibitions, workshops, artists’ talks and much more.
The festival's focus is the Head On Portrait Prize, Australia's major
innovative showcase for portrait photography.
Tiny Stadiums Festival -
Erskineville - ends Saturday, 9th June
The Tiny Stadiums Festival
is emerging as a Sydney Festival of some merit. Among the many different
art forms and intriguing performances is Sweet Child of Mine, a "theatrical
investigation", which theatrically investigates the joys of not
communicating with ones family. The Festival is widely (thinly?) spread
around Erskineville so it might be best to print out the "quick
guide program and map" off of the PACT (Centre for Emerging Artists)
website. Just click below:
Pyrmont Festival
of Wine, Food and Art - Friday, 18th May - Sunday, 27th May
There are is an art to producing
fine wine and a good feed. You can appreciate all three at the Pyrmont
Festival of Wine, Food and Art. Pyrmont’s top chefs team up with
Mudgee’s finest wine producers with a series of "Meet the
Winemaker" wine and food matched lunches & dinners, Cooking
Classes, Wine Appreciation, Cheese Master Class...and much more.
Sydney Writers Festival
- Monday, 14th May - Sunday, 20th May [School Days Monday, 21st May
- Friday, 25th May]
The Sydney Writers' Festival
presents some of the world's finest poets, novelists and authors. Whilst
most of the Sydney Writers’ Festival action takes place at Walsh
Bay, events are also held at venues throughout Sydney and regional NSW.
SmARTarts Arts & Cultural
Festival - Friday, 13th April - Friday, 27th April
SmARTarts Arts & Cultural
Festival is all about visual art, design, performance arts and music.
Art installations and experimental electronic music will engage the
mind and senses and, as part of the festival launch party, a unique
clay animation project will be created and filmed before your very eyes
"The smart ARTS Festival
is a great opportunity for young people to learn from one another and
others in the industry. We encourage young people to participate and
learn new skills." Sydney Lord Mayor
Short and Sweet
- Newtown - Every Wednesday to Saturday 8pm and Sunday 5.15pm till 31st
March
There are short film festivals
- so why not short play festivals? Short and Sweet claims to be "the
biggest little play festival in the world" so big is good after
all? Every night of the festival,10 plays will compete for under 10
minutes each. Both judges and the audience can vote on each performance.
More than 180 acts will be challenging each other to reach the gala
final.
Sydney Horror, Sci-Fi and
Fantasy Film Festival - Dendy Newtown - Thursday, 22nd March - Sunday,
1st April
If you like a little horror
in your life, would love to blast off to some distant planet or maybe
just fantasise about it, then you should find something of interest
at the Sydney Horror, Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film Festival. The festival
includes short films, feature films and screenplays.
Sydney Festival
2012
If you are looking
for the Sydney Festival it's so big. bad and beautiful it's got a page
all of it's own plus some shameless self promotion but lets not go there
..I think 
. But then
again, don't bother as it has finished.
Australian
Film Festival - Randwick (HQ), Eastern Suburbs, City and City Fringe
- Wednesday, 7th March - Saturday, 17th March
The Australian Film Festival
includes Swerve, Hail, More 4 Me, Burning Man and Murder Mouth (as part
of the Australian Short Film festival). You can expect a few unreleased
features, outdoor screenings and the Australian Film Walk of Fame, famous
for it's low profile.
Taste of Sydney
Festival - Centennial Park - 8th - 11th March
The Taste of Sydney allows
you to tuck into 40 odd mouth-watering dishes accompanied by some award-winning
wines. There will be a whole lot of eating and drinking going on. There
will also be "Do It Yourself" sessions aka cooking schools
and tasting masterclasses. Alternatively, just relax and watch the cooking
elite do their thing.
Future Music Festival -
Randwick Racecourse - Saturday, 10th March
It's back to the Future Music
Festival - also in Randwick. Headline acts include Superstar DJs Swedish
House Mafia, Fatboy Slim and Paul van Dyk. Future Music Festivals past
have sold out.
Targets Kids
Day Out Festival 2012 - Sydney Showgrounds, Sydney Olympic Park - Saturday,
3rd March
What do children's
entertainers do when they aren't on TV or stage - they get ready and
perform for the Kids Day Out Festival. The biggest names in Kids Showbiz
will be here including none other than Postman Pat, Bananas in Pyjamas
and Shaun the Sheep. If that's not enough, there will be Indoor Rides
Arena, XBox 360 Gaming Arena and an ABC 4 Kids Stage.
Australian
Open of Surfing - Manly Beach to 19th February
Australian
Open of Surfing is not just about the best surfers in world, you'll
also get to see some awesome skaters and some interesting beach art.
The Australian Open of Surfing is an international event affiliated
to the world’s largest action sports festival, the US Open of
Surfing.
Tropfest - Sydney's Domain
- 19th February, 11am – 2pm: Trop Jr 3pm -11pm: Movie Extra Tropfest
Australia
Tropfest is Australia’s
most well known short film festival and the largest festival of its
kind in the world and its free to get in. Tropfest boasts live music
and entertainment, public catering and bars, red carpet arrivals and
keenly awaited film screenings and an awards ceremony.
Ocean Pacifika Festival
- Bondi Pavilion - Sunday, 27th November 2011, 11.00am - 4.00pm
The annual Ocean Pacifika
Festival is a free festival full of Pacific Island dance and music,
children’s craft workshops, arts and crafts stalls and a host
of information and environment stalls to help us learn about our beautiful
oceans and how to make sure they stay that way! Come and meet Venus
the inflatable whale, get up close and personal with sea creatures at
the Marine Discovery Centre’s touch tanks, go for a rock pool
ramble, get involved in a beach clean up, watch documentary films in
the Seagull screening room or browse the many information and craft
stalls on the day.
Bondi Short Film Festival,
Saturday, 26th November
The Bondi Short Film Festival
is an ‘amateur’ competition but don't let that put you off.
The quality of the films in last year’s festival was highly impressive
and this is a great opportunity to see some very interesting and thought
provoking work. The growth in popularity of this 11 year old event is
reflected in the fact that most tickets have already been sold. If you
are lucky, you might still be able to get tickets for the evening session.
Glebe Music Festival - St
Scholastica’s Chapel - Saturday, 26th November, 3pm
Join Josie and the Emeralds
for the Glebe Festival “I Call and Cry” featuring sacred
and secular love songs and consorts from the 16th century by William
Byrd, John Dowland, Thomas Tallis, Jacques Arcadelt and Antonio de Cabeçon.
There will also be an arrangement by Brooke Green of Andrea Pandolfo’s
Albanese depicting the plight of Albanian asylum seekers and dedicated
to boat people everywhere.
Harvest Festival - Parramatta
- Sunday, 13th November
There is a first time for
everything, and this Sunday marks Harvest Festival's first outing. With
The National, Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev and Bright Eyes it sounds
like it won't be the last. Portishead, unheard of in Australia for 13
years, will also be there to ensure everybody reaps the benefit of a
great Harvest.
Newtown Festival - Sunday,
13th November
The Newtown Festival has
a great alternative vibe to fill it full of interesting things, sounds
and people. This year promises:
- 3 music stages
- Huge kids and family zone
- Vocal Local Village
- Writers Stage
- Eco area
- MC Cyclery Games Arena
- Interactive workshops
- Street Theatre and Art
Spaces
- Newtown Festival Dog
Show
- 280 market stalls
- Food stalls offering
a taste of the globe
- Licensed bars
Novemberfest - Saturday,
5th November - 10am until 4pm
Quiz for you. What is Novemberfest?
Is it like Octoberfest in November? Here are some clues:
"This will be a great family day out with:
- Many fun rides,
- Sporting challenges & games,
- Traditional food & drinks,
- Homemade cakes,
- Ice cream,
- Reptile zoo with shows on our big stage,
- Face painting,
- Art and craft,
- Second hand boutique: clothes & books,
- Stage entertainment,
- Silent auction,
- Christmas stalls and workshop,
- NSW Audi Club"
So it's one of those..
The Australian
Beer Festival - Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th October
Let me tell
you story. There is a pub in Cumberland Street in the Rocks called The
Australian Hotel. They make good pizza (for a pub) and they host a beer
festival every year. You could forgiven for thinking, pub, beer, festival
- yeah right, they are going to sell some boutique beers and call it
the Australian Beer Festival meaning just them, its their name after
all. You might have been right the first year, seven years on and it
has grown a little bit:
"This year,
Gloucester Street will be completely shut down, lined up with drinking
stalls and inundated with beer connoisseurs, the beer curious and beer
lovers from across the country. ..over 120 different beers...live entertainment....BBQ
stalls ..Gourmet Pizzas.
The public will also be able
to taste and judge beers from over 20 brewers nation wide helping the
festival crown the People’s Choice Awards. More than 12,000 people
are expected to attend the festival and 20,000 litres of beer to be
consumed over the two-day event."
The Greenway
Festival, Cooks River - ends Saturday 29th October
The Greenway
festival walks and talks and rides and eats and goes arty and bush on
its way along the Cooks River until the 29th October.
The Battle
of the Festivals - Marrickville vs Strathfield - Sunday, 23rd October
There are two
festivals on today battling to be best in the west. Marrickville Festival
is three times as big as Strathfield having curried favour last year
with the international Crave Festival organisers. Not to be out done,
Strathfield has bitten back with 'Asian Fusion',
"the Strathfield
Food Festival will bring the best tastes from the best restaurants,
with live cooking demonstrations, competitions and the launch of the
Strathfield Good Food Guide."
So which is best? both of
course - do both! Just have a light breakfast before you go out!
The Sydney
Rides Festival Launch, Taylor Square, Darlinghurst - Saturday, 8th October.
Festival ends on 16th October
The Sydney Rides
Festival hits the streets with music, song, food, bike stalls and Clover
Moore - the Lord Mayor of Sydney. The festival will also include a "Bike
Games Arena Spectacular", "Ride to Work Day Breakfast",
an art exhibition, a film festival, various bike rides and a "City
of Sydney chill-out zone".
Newtown Theatre Sydney Fringe
Festival - Friday 9th September - Sunday 2nd October
Here we go again, fasten
your seat belts, buckles and shoe laces - The Fringe is back. Does The
Fringe prove that people don't just remember the worst? This festival
can be a hit and miss affair. Or maybe the opposite is true. Either
way, if you are prepared to get it, then you probably will. The most
you should have to pay is $32.50 and you can leave if it's really bad.
The hoped for highlights include:
• The Moving Picture
Show: Silent Movies with a not so silent 12-piece orchestra.
• Complicated Creatures: A multimedia cabaret.
• Bite Size: A series of 10-minute plays covering the theme "Things
are not what they seem" (possibly to be followed by "I think
I've been here before")
• The Day The Sky turned Black: The stories of everyday people
who fought Australia's Black Saturday Bushfires.
• The Dysfunctional Project: The trials and limp humour of male
sexual dysfunction.
Whilst the subject matter
may not be be totally unique or even inviting, the story is often in
the telling. Now I've lowered your expectations, go on, be brave and
give it go.
Blackmores Sydney Running
Festival - Sunday 18th September
Blackmores get points if
only for variety with a Sydney Marathon a Sydney Half Marathon plus
a 9k run and even a 4k family run. So whatever your level of fitness,
or non fitness you can easily take part. Another plus is the course,
taking you over a car less Sydney Harbour Bridge and finishing at the
Opera House. There are still places available, but not many.
Last year Blackmores Sydney
Running Festival raised a massive $2.3 million for charity. At the time
of writing, they are just under a million for this year - so they need
your help - but you'd better be quick..
Spring Food & Wine Festival,
Entertainment Quarter - 24th September - 25th September, 11am - 5pm
This is a nice way to warm
up for the following long weekend. Indulge without going over the top
with a little "gourmet fare and fabulous wines whilst being entertained
by the smooth sounds of jazz, funk and soul."
Cronulla Spring Festival
- Cronulla Plaza - Saturday 10th - Sunday 11th September
The Cronulla Spring Festival
is one of Sydney's biggest beachside festivals with over 100 market
stalls, carnival rides, kids corner, outdoor adventures expo and well
being fair plus free entertainment.
The link below provides a
full program of event and happenings in PDF, so you should be able to
print it out pretty easily.
Festival of the Winds, Bondi
Pavilion Bondi Beach - Sunday 11th September, 11am - 4pm, .
The Festival of the Winds
is one of my personal favourites because it's so down to earth.. "Australia’s
largest and most exciting kite flying festival" will fill the skies
with kites of all shapes and sizes. You don't have to be an expert kite
flyer, anyone can get the wind up. You can BYO, buy one or make your
own.
Manly Arts Festival- Friday
2nd September - Sunday 4th September
The Manly Arts Fest consists
of a wide range of stuff including visual art, music, workshops, youth
and kids events, theatre, performance and literary events. So you are
bound to find something of interest.
A new feature this year isn't
even in Manly. "On the Beach" is a new exhibition from Scotland
Island and Pittwater’s western foreshores. It focuses on the "gems
of the beach culture and swimwear collection"
(p.s. The Manly Arts Program
is a PDF file, so it might take a while to load up)
Festival of
Wildflowers - St Ives - 28th August
I wasn't even
sure you could actually have a festival of wildflowers but there you
go, life is an adventure. The good thing about this wildflower extravaganza
(you can never say that word too much) is that there will be no aliens
or dinosaurs lurking in the bushes (see
Muogamarra Nature Reserve). So what can you expect from the festival
of wildflowers in St Ives?
- Aboriginal Art
- Aboriginal Dance and Didgeridoo
- Guided bushwalks with
experts on plants, insects and Aboriginal culture
- Native plant sales
- Talks on native birds,
frogs, backyard ponds and bush foods
- Kids Bush Craft Corner
- Master Mueller's Minibeast
Walk
- Dipnetting for tadpoles
with the Frog and Tadpole Society
- Native animal presentations
by Taronga Zoo
and, hopefully, some flowers
going wild. Food will be available along with real (as in plastic cup
with maybe froth on top) coffee. The Festival will be there waiting
for you come rain or shine. Grab your hat or brolly, friends and enjoy.
Gusto - Italian
Food Festival - 21st August
If you like Italian, and
who doesn't, you should enjoy this. The whole family can enjoy the tasting
room with its numerous creations and traditional dishes from Australia's
best Italian restaurants. You can pre-book your hungry little ones into
the "kids in the kitchen". They should have fun learning how
to make pasta and pizza.
Sydney Fashion Festival
Sydney - 23rd - 27th August - Sydney Town Hall
It's getting warmer, well
that's what I keep telling myself anyway. Spring is, if not in the air,
on the horizon so throw open your closet and throw out last years gear.
Now is the time for a new frock or maybe that sexy pair of socks you've
been after (socks rule!). If you go to this fashion show you can experience
the "Experience". You will be welcomed then ushered into the
"spectacular collection showroom". Once seated, you should
'experience' a whole thirty minutes of fashion showing then it's party
time. "Hang out", spot a celeb and get photographed. There
will be hair and make-up consultations, styling presentations and, of
course, the Festival Bar. The Festival experience will leave you "buzzing".
ARC - Magic Winter Festival
- Marrickville - Saturday July 30th - 12pm to 7pm
Costume parades, music, drummers,
fire-twirlers, face paining, a jumping castle, puppets, exhibitions
and yummy food.
Darling Harbour 21st Jazz
& Blues Festival 10th - 13th June
Darling Harbour Jazz &
Blues Festival is celebrating it's 21st Birthday by inviting you to
a very special Jazz party. Australian jazz virtuoso James Morrison,
the 17-piece all girl Sirens Big Band and US legends Topsy Chapman and
the Ron Carter Trio, Katie Noonan, Tina Harrod, Misinterprotato, Jeff
Duff & the Prophets, the Catholics, Ten Part Invention, the Buddy
Knox Blues Band and many more.
You don't want to miss this
FREE event.
Sydney Film Festival - 8th
to 19th June
'Happy
Happy' at the Sydney Film Festival
The Sydney Film
Festival (SFF) is one of the longest running film festivals in the world.
The SFF focuses on the best new films from around the world including
short films, Australian films, documentaries and archive titles, many
of which have been recently restored.
Sydney Writers Festival
- 16th to 22nd May 2011
The 2011 Sydney Writers'
Festival presents some of the world's finest poets, novelists and authors.
Sydney Writers Festival
Highlights
Politics
Festival highlights include
"why a good leader is so hard to find", a critical look at
Australian politics and the challenge to government and media power
from WikiLeaks.
The shift in global power
from West to East is the focus of a number of events including“G’day,
China!” at Sydney Town Hall.
September 11
James Gleick joins other
writers from New York to reflect on September 11 terrorist attacks and,
no doubt, the recent demise of Osama bin Laden. Scottish journalist
James Fergusson, author of a controversial book on the Taliban, points
us to a possible new direction in Afghanistan.
Climate Change
Since the 2010 emergency
Town Hall meeting seeking leadership on climate change, things have
only got worse. Naomi Oreskes, who unmasks the dark forces that manufacture
climate-change scepticism, is joined by paleoclimatologist Curt Stager
and environmental strategist Paul Gilding in “You’ve Been
Warned” at Sydney Town Hall.
The Good Book
Britain's most widely read
philosopher AC Grayling takes on the power of religion with his opus,
The Good Book, an alternative to the Bible that sets out a secular path
towards the good life.
A A Gill
There is perhaps no more
delightfully vicious power than that wielded by the critic. We present
legendary restaurant critic and travel writer AA Gill and the man who
single-handedly created the celebrity chef, Anthony Bourdain.
The Chaser
And in recognition of the
last great refuge of the powerless – satire – the Festival
Club returns nightly with a new variety format, spearheaded by The Chaser.
Walsh Bay
Whilst most of the Sydney
Writers’ Festival action takes place at Walsh Bay, events are
also held at venues throughout Sydney and regional NSW.
Top
100 Things To Do In Sydney, Australia 
Vivid
Sydney - 24th May – 10th June 2013.