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A couple enjoys the lights at Chinatown, Burwood, Sydney
Photograph: Jem Cresswell
Photograph: Jem Cresswell

Things to do in Sydney this week

Wondering what to do across Sydney? Our list will guide you in the right direction

Avril Treasure
Written by Avril Treasure
Editor, Time Out Sydney
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Hello! Welcome to your weekly wrap of what’s on. 

The Biennale of Sydney – Australia’s largest contemporary arts festival – returns this week for its 25th edition, and it’s completely free. There’s a lot to see and experience – and the best part is that it’s here for two months, so you don’t need to tackle it all in one day.

An incredible supermarket-like exhibition has popped up in Marrickville's Voluptuary Ceramics studio – and it's got aisles packed with realistic and retro food-themed art.

If you're up for a delicious, cultural experience, I really recommend heading to the late-night food market, Lakemba Nights. Running every Thursday to Sunday from now to March 15, Lakemba Nights is on during Ramadan, when Muslims break their fast after sunset. Dress modestly, and come hungry. 

Still hungry? Burwood Chinatown Night Market runs Thursday to Sunday from 5-10pm, and it's always a delicious, fun time.

Afterglow is a striking new work, now playing at the Eternity Playhouse in Darlinghurst until March 22. The Broadway hit is said to be a “raw, funny and sensual exploration of polyamory, commitment and modern love.” Get your tickets here. 

Broadway’s award-winning show Purpose has been brought to life by Sydney Theatre Company. It’s about a powerful African American family, and how it’s thrown into chaos when its estranged youngest son returns home with an uninvited guest. Oprah Winfrey said it’s “brilliant and funny and serious and complex and powerful” – and our reviewer gave it five stars. Get a ticket here, and you can explore our full guide to all the shows on in Sydney here.

For a culture hit, check out two fabulous exhibitions at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. First up is Mike Hewson’s The Key’s Under the Mat, a giant interactive playground for the young (and young at heart). It’s free – bring your swimmers. Next up is Ron Mueck’s Encounter – a stunning sculptural exploration of the human condition.

Booking a catch-up? Sydney's best restaurants and best new restaurants are a good place to start. Or, head to one of Sydney's best bars.

Scroll on for our full list of the best things to do in Sydney this week.


Mapping out your weekend? These are the best things to do in Sydney this weekend.

Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, straight to your inbox.

The best things to do in Sydney

Bairro Português

  • Things to do
  • Fairs and festivals
  • Petersham
Bairro Português
Bairro Português
Photograph: Supplied | Bairro Português
Waking up this weekend, you might notice the sweet scent of custard tarts in the air. That's because on Saturday March 14, the Inner West Council will transform a little corner of Petersham into a haven of all things Portuguese. Expect a vivid display of art, music, craftsmanship, food – and a whole lot of vinho. The cultural affair will feature stallholders spruiking Portuguese barbecue, Portuguese tarts and mouth-watering churros. A licensed bar will be pouring Portuguese wines, ice-cold beer and refreshing Sangria all day long, so come thirsty.  Interested in picking up something new? Heavenly delicacies aside, there'll be tile-painting workshop to dabble in, as well as stalls spotlighting Portuguese makers selling everything from scented candles to cork bags. Festival-goers can purchase artisanal goods and homewares from local stallholders throughout the day, and there's a full line-up of live traditional music and dance. Head down to Petersham and wander through the streets for a local party with a bit of international flavour. There's a cultural stage, DJ booth and roving performers where the streets will be filled with traditional drummers, dancers in folk costumes, and come nightfall, giant illuminated puppets.  The festival will run from 3pm right into the night, wrapping up at 10pm around Audley Street and Fisher Street in Petersham. Entry is totally free. Saúde!
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Lakemba Nights

  • Things to do
  • Food and drink
  • Lakemba
Lakemba Nights
Lakemba Nights
Photograph: Supplied
For people of Islamic faith, Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year. During this time, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. But once the sun sets, iftar begins – a fast-breaking feast that runs late into the night, bringing family and friends together to enjoy an array of rich treats and moreish morsels. To coincide with this time of year, Sydney’s popular month-long celebration Lakemba Nights is back, running every Thursday to Sunday from February 19 to March 15, 2026. RELATED READ: The 5 must-try dishes at Sydney's Lakemba Nights Ramadan markets. What time does Lakemba Nights during Ramadan open and close? From 6pm until 2am, Thursday through to Sunday, more than 60 local businesses will transform Lakemba’s Haldon Street into a vibrant, global food bazaar with traditional cuisine from Indonesia, Burma, Pakistan, India, Lebanon, the Cocos Islands, Syria and more. Time Out tip: We recommend getting there early, around 6pm, and making a beeline straight for the busiest stalls (they're the ones with fences up for lines!). It’s not only Sydney’s Muslim communities that comes together during Lakemba Nights – people of all backgrounds are welcome to flock to sample the fare of pop-up kitchens and food trucks lining Haldon Street. What started as a single street barbecue back in 2012 has grown into what many consider one of Australia's best places to celebrate the ancient tradition, with the event from previous years drawing in more than one million people across the...
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Purpose

  • Dawes Point
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended
Purpose
Purpose
Photograph: Supplied | Prudence Upton
The question of meaning has long shaped the human condition, at once a source of existential anxiety and a catalyst for some of the world’s most powerful artistic expression. For some, purpose is not pursued but inherited – something life quietly unfolds in its own time, revealing itself only in hindsight. For others, it is a relentless obsession, a restlessness that has driven monks, scholars and countless others towards faith, philosophy and protest in the hope of naming and securing it. Whatever the path, one thing remains certain: purpose is a question that sits within all of us.  Sydney Theatre Company has built a reputation for championing African American voices, staging landmark works by writers such as August Wilson (Fences, 2023) and Lorraine Hansberry (A Raisin in the Sun, 2022). While those productions connected Australian audiences with enduring American classics, Purpose offers a voice unmistakably of the present, one grappling with the complexity of living in a world that is hyper-aware of itself.  The play premiered on Broadway in the 2024-25 season, winning the 2025 Tony Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It's rare for Australian audiences to encounter work with such immediacy; more often, international successes arrive years after their debut. Its programming signals that new artistic director Mitchell Butel may be shaping a tenure characterised by currency. At a moment when conversations around race, human rights, identity, politics...

Ocean Lovers Festival

  • Things to do
  • Sydney
Ocean Lovers Festival
Ocean Lovers Festival
Photograph: Supplied | Ocean Lovers Festival
Sydney is a city known for its coastline, so it makes sense that Australia’s largest cultural and science event for the ocean would take place on our sparkly shores.  Running until the end of March, Sydney’s Ocean Lovers Festival is back with a month-long celebration of wellness, culture, food, film, art and outdoor adventures – and this year it’s not just taking over Bondi, it’s a Sydney-wide celebration of the sea. Whether you’re looking for a sunrise yoga session, a beach clean session, an ocean-related film premiere or a hands-on creative workshop, there’s a whole lot to dive into (pardon the pun), with most events free or low-cost. On Friday, 6 March, events are kicking off with a Women Making Waves Harbour Cruise, spotlighting women driving change in ocean science, sport and sustainability.The launch weekend fun will carry on in Manly, with sunrise yoga by the cove, breathwork, the Ocean Discovery Zone for kids, and the Big Manly Beach Clean (Sunday, March 8). The next week will keep encouraging Sydneysiders to get outdoors, with the Seabirds to Seascapes Cruise on March 11 taking curious ocean lovers on a harbour tour that blends wildlife education, conservation and v good coastal views. Keen to keep moving? Paddle into sunrise with the Eco Kayak Tour (March 14) by Sydney By Kayak, or join for the behind-the-scenes Living Seawalls Tour (March 15) showcasing Sydney’s innovative marine habitats. The Ocean Lovers Festival Bondi Weekend (March 21-22) will be packed with...
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Biennale of Sydney

  • Art
  • Sydney
Biennale of Sydney
Biennale of Sydney
Photograph: Narelle Wilson
The Biennale of Sydney returns for its 25th edition from March 14 to June 14, 2026 – and, as always, it’s completely free. Titled Rememory, this year’s festival is curated by internationally renowned artistic director Hoor Al Qasimi. Inspired by the writing of Toni Morrison, the theme explores how memory and history shape who we are. Through powerful artworks from Australia and around the world, artists reflect on their roots to connect with communities by telling their stories. At its heart, Rememory shines a light on voices that haven’t always been heard. It highlights First Nations stories, diverse diasporas and the layered histories that have shaped Australia.  As Australia’s largest contemporary art event, the Biennale stretches across five major venues: White Bay Power Station, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney, Campbelltown Arts Centre and Lewers: Penrith Regional Gallery. Extra talks, performances and events will pop up across Greater Sydney, with a big opening night concert, Lights On, kicking things off at White Bay Power Station on March 13. This year's festival features 83 collaborations from artists across 37 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, India, Lebanon, Argentina and Ethiopia. Expect large-scale installations, immersive works and site-specific pieces from both international and Australian artists. A major highlight is the Ngurrara Canvas II at the Art Gallery of NSW – an 80-square-metre...

NSW at Night

  • Art
  • Sydney
NSW at Night
NSW at Night
Photograph: Supplied | Powerhouse | Andrew Quilty
Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum (soon to be plural) might technically have its doors closed right now, but the programming team isn't letting up. From Sydney Observatory’s Sunset Variations lighting up Friday nights to a lunar celebration timed to a rare blood moon, they’ve brought a solid selection of gems to the city’s cultural calendar this summer – and now they’re adding a delightfully left-of-field photography exhibition to the mix. From March 3-26, Powerhouse and the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner will present NSW at Night, a punchy new photography exhibition lighting up Parliament House’s Fountain Court. The collection is formed of freshly commissioned works by four standout NSW photographers capturing the people, places and pulse that define life after dark – from inner-city Sydney to Western Sydney, Wollongong and the Northern Rivers. Six-time Walkley winner Andrew Quilty has turned his lens to Sydney’s train network, finding poetry in commuters suspended between where they’ve been and where they’re headed. Northern Rivers-based photographer Tajette O’Halloran has documented youth culture and rites of passage in the region, while Illawarra-based Anthony Rigby-Smith has deep dived into the sweat, camaraderie and endorphin highs of Wollongong’s evening run clubs. Meanwhile, Jade D’Amico has embedded themself in Sydney’s music and club scene, bottling the movement, colour and gorgeous chaos of a night out in the city. The result is an intimate, unfiltered...
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The Grocery Store – an exhibition of inedible goods

  • Art
  • Marrickville
The Grocery Store – an exhibition of inedible goods
The Grocery Store – an exhibition of inedible goods
Photograph: Supplied
Hate supermarket shopping? You’ll love browsing these aisles of The Grocery Store – an exhibition of inedible goods instead. This fake supermarket is packed with very real food-themed art and it’s the most fun grocery run you’ll ever do. Get to Marrickville's Voluptuary Ceramics studio for this immersive, retro-kitsch exhibition. More than 20 Australian artists have reimagined everyday supermarket staples into covetable artworks through ceramics, sculpture, photography, painting, print and textiles. Nothing is edible; everything is collectible.  Wander the aisles to find ceramic milk cartons, oil-painted mangoes, pasta clocks, glittering fish combs and even asparagus wall hooks. It’s surreal, it's tongue-in-cheek, it's the mundane made magnificent. New works are being added throughout the run, so no two visits are quite the same. The exhibition runs daily until March 15 and entry is free. Find out more here.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED:  Want more? These are the best art galleries in Sydney to visit Make a day of it with these fun things to do in Marrickville  Grab a bite later at any of the Marrickville restaurants on this list

Ovata Sundays at Arturo’s Rooftop

  • Things to do
  • Food and drink
  • Woolloomooloo
Ovata Sundays at Arturo’s Rooftop
Ovata Sundays at Arturo’s Rooftop
Photograph: Supplied | Oakridge
Make your next Sunday session sparkle with a brunch that screams summer. Taking place on the rooftop of the gorgeously decked out Woolly Bay Hotel, Ovata Sundays promises a whole heap of bubbles and banging tunes.  While you’d be hard pressed to find a decent all-inclusive brunch in Sydney for less than $100, let alone less than $80 – Ovata Sundays delivers on value and good vibes. For just $75, you’ll score a dedicated spritz menu (including a citrusy number and a classic Hugo spritz), Ovata sparkling wine (including the newly launched Ovata by Oakridge Sparkling Rosé) and fresh canapés for an hour and a half – all while a DJ is mixing it up on the decks from 3pm to 5pm.  For nibbling on, there will be pork san choy bow, wagyu sandos, citrus-cured salmon bites and jamon croquettes – don’t mind if we do. If you’re feeling a bit more peckish there are other deliciously paired items you can add-on like South Coast rock oysters and tempura Yamba prawns. Plus, if you like what you’re drinking, you can score special deals on glasses and bottles of Ovata by Oakridge wine on the day.  Rather a mid-week bevvy? Arturo’s is putting on spritz specials from 4.30pm to 5.30pm on Wednesdays to Sundays. Get the crew together for Ovata Sundays on Arturo’s Rooftop from February 15 to April 19 (excluding March 29). Seatings are $75pp – bookable on the hour from midday – and you can lock yours in here.
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Mike Hewson: The Key’s Under the Mat

  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Sydney
Mike Hewson: The Key’s Under the Mat
Mike Hewson: The Key’s Under the Mat
Art Gallery of New South Wales | Mim Stirling
If you've ever wondered what would happen if a kid's drawing of their wildest dream utopia suddenly came off the page and into real life, you're in luck, because that's pretty much what's happening right now beneath the Art Gallery of NSW.  Artist and professional disruptor Mike Hewson has taken over the weird subterranean world of The Tank with his one-of-a-kind new exhibition, Mike Hewson: The Key's Under the Mat, where for the first time ever, all the main lights in the normally pitch-dark Tank will be switched on, revealing a weird wonderland of interactive art pieces and play equipment that have to be seen to be believed. We're talking: A steam room with stained glass windows that you can actually sit in, a functioning sauna with bespoke church pews, five actual operating public barbeques that you can cook on, rushing water to play in (seriously, bring your swimmers), a working laundry,  and a free-to-use recording studio, plus a whole plethora of bright and delightful surprises that are all about getting community together, to do cool stuff, for free. Basically, break your imagination and delete all adult expectations. This is unlike anything we've ever seen.  Kids who aren't afraid of some risk are also one of Hewson's big targets with this show (although parents, rest easy, the floor is specially made out of recycled soft rubber that's rated for use in public playgrounds), with the space also home to a wild children's playground. Intrepid kidlets can test their...

Ron Mueck: Encounter

  • Art
  • Sculpture and installations
  • Sydney
Ron Mueck: Encounter
Ron Mueck: Encounter
Photograph: Supplied | Art Gallery of NSW
The Art Gallery of New South Wales is one of our fave places to hang out year-round – and this December it welcomes a banging new exhibition from Melbourne-born artist Ron Mueck. Ron Mueck: Encounter is the artist’s largest exhibition ever in Australia, bringing together a stunning selection of his hyperreal human sculptures from around the globe.  The life-like and scaled up sculptures aim to challenge perceptions by offering a profound and observational look at the human experience. Grounded in realism, the captivating figures tenderly embody themes such as birth, death, alienation and togetherness.  After making his start in children’s television, Mueck trained under Jim Henson (The Muppets) in puppeteering and model making where he made a name for himself on major projects including Sesame Street and the film Labyrinth. Soon after he relocated to London to run his own animatronic studio, before finding his way to figurative sculptures in the late ‘90s and revitalising the medium.  Ron Mueck: Encounter runs daily from December 6 to April 12, 10am–5pm, and until 10pm on Wednesday nights, as part of the Sydney International Art Series, a government initiative that teams up with Destination NSW to bring the world’s most prolific artists exclusively to Sydney. Tickets are $35 for adults on weekdays, $37 on weekends and public holidays, with two-for-one Art After Hours deals on Wednesday evenings, or $45 flexi tickets (which are un-dated single entry tickets). You can book...
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