Around Sydney

No Lights, No Lycra is an afterwork activity unlike any other. Beloved by its loyal followers for decades, this pitch black anonymous dance class is all about two things: total and unfettered freedom and the chance to seriously, seriously dance.  With locations all over the world, No Lights No Lycra has been bringing sweet tunes, sweat and a total lack of inhibition to people who are keen to boogie like nobody’s watching them for years. And for interested Sydneysiders, opportunities to let loose in the pitch dark are plentiful.  How does it work? You arrive (solo, or with whoever you want to bring as your anonymous dancing companion), enter a community hall, and dance for a good hour and a half to absolute bangers. The catch? It’s so dark you can’t see your feet.  The joy of this dance class is that it cuts out all the surface bullshit of judgement and fear and leaves space just for you, your joy and time for you to move your body in a way that thrills you, and you alone. In Sydney, there are weekly classes going down in Bondi, Newtown, Parramatta and Sutherland – plus a whole lot more. You can find out all the details of your closest local event by just typing in your location into their online interactive map.  Tickets generally seem to cost around the $10 to $15 mark for an hour or so, which feels pretty worth it to us, and you can book online through your location (which can be found using the aforementioned map). Forget Saturday nights and 79 tequila shots. No Lights...

Plus ça change as the Alliance Française French Film Festival (AF FFF) returns for its 36th edition with a bold line-up of 42 films – screening across some of Sydney’s most beautiful cinemas from Tuesday, March 4 until Wednesday, April 9 2025. This year’s program will kick off with special screenings of Monsieur Aznavour, the French blockbuster starring Golden Globe-nominated actor Tahar Rahim. Fittingly, the story follows Rahim’s character as he grapples with the task and honour of sharing the best of French culture with the world. Other highlights from this year’s program include Holy Cow – an uplifting comedy that follows a teenage boy on a mission to care for his younger sister (by making an award-winning cheese, bien sûr) – and In the Sub for Love: a love letter to the screwball romantic comedies of the 1940s. “While France is recognised as an avant-garde country in the arts, the festival will explore the real-life stories of prominent French cultural figures—universal and captivating tales of hope, struggles, failures, and extraordinary achievements,” explained newly appointed AF FFF CEO Frédéric Alliod. With no shortage of star power, this year’s celebration of French cinema will see French favourites including Charlotte Gainsbourg, Laure Calamy and Camille Cottin (Call My Agent!), Pierre Niney and Vincent Cassel all lighting up the screen. Sydney francophiles can lap up all this and more as the festival returns to cinemas across Sydney; Chauvel Cinema, Hayden...

As evidenced by the major weather events that continue to threaten communities across Australia (Cyclone Alfred, we’re looking at you), the climate crisis isn’t going anywhere. And while it’s easy to feel despondent in the face of climate change, there are incredible people and organisations taking action – harnessing modern technology, regenerative farming techniques and collective action to slow down the crisis. This month, founders, researchers, students and community organisations will be coming together in Sydney for the Harbour City’s second Climate Action Week – taking place between March 10-16. Here's everything you need to know. The inaugural Climate Action Week Sydney (CAW.SYD) popped up in May 2024, following successful events in London and New York which saw forward-thinking people and organisations unite for seven days of education and connection. The aim is to explore solutions for accelerating climate action around the world. Bringing together climate start-ups, community organisations, students, research institutions, investors, NGOs, corporate organisations and the broader community, the 2025 iteration of CAW.SYD will feature a program of events designed to inspire, educate and empower. Under themes ranging from policy to finance, First Nations perspectives to climate tech, the week-long event will involve talks and panel discussions on everything from regenerative agriculture to fashion. Events will be taking place across Sydney, and many are free to...

It’s time to clear your calendar and prepare your body for one helluva gig crawl, because Great Southern Nights is back in action. This means that some 300 gigs are taking over more than 120 live music venues across New South Wales, with a spotlight on major and emerging Aussie artists. This year’s eclectic line-up features Missy Higgins, Lime Cordiale, Budjerah, King Stingray and Mallrat, just to name a few. Other headliners include Winston Surfshirt, Marcia Hines, The Paper Kites, Hoodoo Gurus, Thirsty Merc and Birds of Tokyo.  Here in Sydney, shows will pop up across legendary live music venues as well as more intimate bars and restaurants – with joints like The Lansdowne, Machine Hall, PS40 and Jacksons on George getting amongst the fun. Outside of the big smoke, there are gigs set to take place in Tamworth, Broken Hill, Orange, Newcastle, Woollongong and Byron Bay, to name a few road-trip-worthy locations.  As well as forming part of the government’s plan to amp up Sydney’s nightlife, Great Southern Nights aims to bring a boost to the state’s regional towns, with major names like Sons of the East, The Cat Empire and Ziggy Alberts popping up in small towns across the state. With shows like Bec Sandridge, Boo Seeka and Missy Higgins already sold out, fans are encouraged to secure tickets soon, before they miss out. The series will be brought to life by Destination NSW in partnership with the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).“Great Southern Nights is...

If running a half marathon is on your 2025 bucket list, make sure your race ticks three key boxes: a beautiful location, a fun crowd and an empowering atmosphere that makes you feel unstoppable. Good news for Sydney gals – your search ends here, with the chance to run in Nike’s exclusive, women-only half marathon in Sydney on April 12. Between 2005 and 2018, Nike hosted a hugely popular series of women’s races in some of the most incredible places across the world. Now, the mega sports brand is bringing back its beloved After Dark Tour, with the first race kicking off right here in Australia.  The immersive 21.1-kilometre course will start in Sydney’s Inner West and offer epic views of the city skyline as runners race from White Bay to Jones Bay Wharf to Pyrmont Bridge. Upon crossing the finish line at Tumbalong Park, participants can run straight into an epic post-race celebration, pumping with live music, recovery stations and fierce female energy. You don’t need to be a pro runner to sign up for the late-night half marathon. First-timers can access an official training plan via the Nike Run Club app and stay motivated by connecting with other participants in the lead-up. Yeah the girls! Entry to the Nike After Dark Tour in Sydney is $100 and includes everything from a personalised sports bra fitting (you get to keep the bra) to a race t-shirt and post-race celebration access. Registrations close on February 11, so gather all your gal pals and sign up as a group pronto. ...

So, who else could use a laugh? Good news for us, the Sydney Comedy Festival is gearing up to celebrate its 20th anniversary with its biggest program ever from April 21 to May 18, 2025. With brand-new experiences and more than 350 local and international performers to get around, it’s time for you to prepare yourself for some next-level laughs and silly shenanigans. We’re particularly keen on the brand-new Sydney Comedy Festival Comedy Crawl that will come to life amongst the top-notch bars in the YCK Laneways precinct in the CBD. Led by a host, you can join a group of punters and take a chance on a surprise line-up in surprise venues, moving from bar-to-bar for each comedy set. The Festival’s inaugural ‘One Night Stand’ will also bring Daniel Sloss to town (with some friends) for an Australian exclusive performance at the Sydney Opera House for one night only on April 24, marking the beginning of annual Sydney-only shows. (That’s right, he’s not even going to MICF this year!) Sloss joins a colossal list of big names appearing in the Festival, including Aussie comedy legend Rhys Nicholson (as seen on Drag Race Down Under), Guy Montgomery, Jimeoin, Arj Barker, Melanie Bracewell, Nazeem Hussain, Becky Lucas, Joel Creasey, Rhys Darby and Steph Broadbridge – whose brand new Raygun-inspired show Breaking the Musical has already made quite a bit of noise.  Other local legends joining the throng include Brown Women Comedy’s award-winning line-up of Indian and South Asian...