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 2025 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.
Siegfried & Roy: The Unauthorised Opera
The neon lights of Las Vegas are calling. Join us in January for the wild rise and dramatic fall of magic’s dazzling duo, Siegfried and Roy.
Discover how two boys raised in war-torn Germany became the highest-paid magic act Vegas had seen. More than just business partners, Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn were inseparable: best friends, partners and muses. But the legendary showmen were hurtling towards tragedy – their beloved Mantacore was a tiger.
Featuring larger-than-life characters, powerhouse vocals, live magic and playful humour, this epic new opera has plenty of tricks up its bedazzled sleeves.
This deliciously fun night out takes the capital ‘O’ out of ‘opera’ with a fascinating take on a true tale.
Jalen Ngonda
Early in his career, US-born, UK-based singer Jalen Ngonda was already drawing weighty comparisons to soul greats like Marvin Gaye and David Ruffin. Signed to ‘the’ label for golden-era styled soul, New York’s Daptone Records, Ngonda possesses a rich, nuanced voice that hits those classic touch points while still belonging to the present.
Having earned the respect of everyone from Snoop Dogg to Elton John, Ngonda levelled up on his 2023 debut album Come Around and Love Me. Recorded alongside a who’s who of Daptone-affiliated musicians, the album is infused with classic Motown and Philly soul, carried by Ngonda’s swooning vocals and sharp songwriting.
Following the album with back-to-back 2024 singles, “Here To Stay” and “Illusions”, this fast-rising soul dynamo is coming hot to City Recital Hall.
Rufus Wainwright
The iconic singer plays hits from his technicolour songbook.
For the first time in five years, beloved singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright returns to the stage in Sydney. This time, he brings a solo-selection of the biggest pop and folk compositions from his sweeping 11-album, three-decade career.
Following Wainwright’s Sydney Festival debut in 2005, see him in full flight at the Sydney Opera House this summer.
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