The Sydney Festival is a huge event that started in 1977 and is now held over 24 days in January yearly.
With over 130 events in cutting-edge theatre, music, cabaret, dance and visual art, come down to this family-friendly event and enjoy one of the many free shows on offer!
Sydney Festival 2026 Dates, Program, Music Lineup & Free Events
The Sydney Festival offers massive events, including large installations, circus performances, dance and comedy acts, cabarets, and live theatre. It is held in various venues throughout the Sydney CBD, including the Art Gallery of NSW, Artspace, Arts Centre, City Recital Hall, Sydney Harbour, The Domain, Sydney Opera House, and Sydney Town Hall.
Stretching across the best harbourside location in the world, Walsh Bay and its many theatres and unique spaces will play host to a full-swing Festival takeover. The Thirsty Mile is a cheeky throwback to Sydney’s working wharf history and your new spot this summer.
Many free exhibitions around the city include circus performances, visual art, and talks. There are also ticketed shows that can be purchased as a single ticket or multipack. For those planning on seeing a few shows, purchasing a multipack will save you money. Gift Vouchers are also available.
Please check out the official website’s events calendar for a full range of events, venues, dates, times, and ticket prices.
are there any musical events in the Domain -eg Symphony or Opera?
Hi Wendy,
I actually got an email this morning stating that the 2021 Opera in the Domain is not proceeding.
Looking at The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney website’s event calendar, I can’t see any musical/concert events listed – just a few children’s events.
All i can suggest at this point is to keep an eye on the event calendar for when things are announced. As I am currently managing 10 travel websites around Australia, I can say that most large scale events have not been confirmed or cancelled for early next year.
Thanks
Michael