8 incredible Sydney events that are simply too good to miss

Vivid Sydney is one of the highlights with the city transforming into an illuminated urban jungle from late May to mid-June. During Vivid, light installations and projections are set up across the city as well as iconic landmarks like the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. But it’s much more than just light displays, Vivid also includes a circuit of thought-provoking art, music and talks to accompany it, too. The festival is free to discover and is a great, family-friendly way to explore Sydney.

The Sydney Festival is a mid-Summer celebration of arts and culture that spans across several locations throughout the city. Brimming with a lineup of local and international performances, including theatre, dance, music, and visual arts. With a mixture of free and ticketed events that range from open-air concerts in the parks to gallery installations, the Sydney Festival is a taste of the bursting arts and culture scene that Sydney has to offer.

The Sydney Mardi Gras celebration is one of the world’s most vibrant and renowned LGBTQIA+ events. Kicking off in mid-February to early March, the festival has a series of events scattered around Sydney before finishing off with the iconic Mardi Gras Parade. The parade takes place on Oxford Street in the heart of the city and sees dozens of floats, and performances dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community.

There’s nothing quite like finishing off the year with a fireworks display, and if you happen to be in Sydney on New Year’s Eve, then you can get a front row seat to one of the most spectacular firework displays in the world. Every year on December 31st, the city sees hundreds of thousands of spectators gather around Sydney Harbour to catch a glimpse at the epic firework show. For families, there’s an early 9pm which is then followed by the main event, the midnight spectacle to ring in the new year. You don’t have to be harbourside to enjoy this event, there a tonne of great vantage points around the city that are just as good.

The Sydney Royal Easter Show is one of the highlights of the city’s event calendar. From carnival rides to showbags and street food, there’s plenty to keep the whole family entertained while at the Easter Show. However, beyond rides and food, the show also celebrates the abundance of agricultural and farming excellence with livestock competitions, woodchopping displays and a chance for kids to get up close to farm animals, too.

Sculpture by the Sea is a free, annual outdoor exhibition that combines walking with art. Taking place between the iconic Bondi and Tamarama beaches, the 2-kilometre-long walk takes place through a trail featuring sculptures created by artists around the world. Taking place annually in late October to early November, this is a great way to take in Sydney’s stunning coastline while soaking in some of the world’s best sculptures.

Looking for a challenging and rewarding event? The City2Surf is a fun run that sees thousands of keen participants tackle the 14 kilometre course from the city centre to the shores ofl Bondi Beach. Typically held in August, you don’t need to be a seasoned marathon runner to take part in the fun. From serious athletes to families enjoying a day out, this is an event that everyone can take part in.

Since 1954, Sydney has hosted an annual film festival that showcases the best of the best in Australian cinema as well as films from around the world. The Sydney Film Festival typically takes place over 12 days in June with a swathe of feature-length movies, documentaries, short films and animations playing at various, iconic venues across the city.