International Women’s Day (IWD) is coming around on Friday 8 March 2024, and offers a day dedicated to celebrating the women in your life or getting inspired with inclusive events, initiatives and vibrant festivities.
Here are Urban List's picks of International Women's Day events in Sydney this year.
All About Women
Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point | Sunday 10 March, 9am–8.30pm
Image credit: All About Women | Prudence Upton
Back for its 12th year, the Sydney Opera House’s All About Women festival is here to celebrate women, gender equality and inclusivity. Take part in inspirational conversations, panels and workshops with more than 50 international and Australian creatives, artists, authors and storytellers. From 9am to 8.30pm, discover 24 events covering topics including identity, our bodies, gossip, beauty, consumerism and more. Free events include speed mating, stitch and complain sessions, and a book club.
Hear from bestselling American author Rebecca F. Kuang about her book Yellowface, make candles with nonna’s grocer, and embrace your femme energy with Femmergy’s Groove Therapy, a dance class with no mirrors. Festival multipacks are available for purchase if you want to check out multiple events on the day and save some cash, and a range of events also have live-stream tickets available if you can't make it in person.
Ladies Long Lunch
Chiswick, 65 Ocean Street, Woollahra | Friday 8 March, from 12pm
Chiswick is hosting a Ladies Long Lunch in partnership with Two Good Co. and Veuve Clicquot this year. The luncheon will host a panel discussion led by three inspiring women: media personality and presenter Deborah Knight, co-founder of the Daily Aus and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree Zara Seilder, and general manager of social enterprise Two Good Co, Kyle Westgarth.
Tickets are $130pp and include access to the panel, a glass of Veuve Clicquot and canapes on arrival, a three-course share-style menu, and a selection of Australian wines crafted by female winemakers. $25 from each ticket will be donated to Two Good Co., which supports, empowers and employs women facing homelessness, domestic violence and trauma.
Barangaroo Aboriginal Cultural Tours
Meets at The Cutaway, Barangaroo Reserve | Tuesday 5–Friday 8 March, 10.30am
Image credit: Barangaroo | Website
Barangaroo’s Aboriginal Cultural Tours led by Aboriginal educators is offering a female-focused series hosted by Wiradjuri Dharawal woman Sophie. The International Women's Day tours will share the story of Cammeraygal woman Barangaroo herself and her connection to the waters, lands and skies of the area, and immerse guests in the history of Warrane (Sydney Harbour). Tickets are $36.30 for adults or $16.50 for children.
Women In Wine Festival
Public House Petersham, 292 Stanmore Road, Petersham | Saturday 9 March, from 11am
Image credit: Public House Petersham | Supplied
Public House Petersham is converting its car park into a wine garden to host an International Wimen's Day wine tasting event starring a cracker lineup of Australia’s finest women-made wines. There are two tasting options; either 2 x 75ml tastingss for $15 or 5 x 75ml tastings for $35, perfectly paired with pizzas by the slice, and local DJ Simeen Valjee’s chill femme tunes.
PHP’s Batch Brewery will host a panel of industry leaders, and be raising funds at the event for the Mudgin-gal branch of The Redfern Centre; an Indigenous organisation run by Aboriginal women that provides essential services to Aboriginal women. You can skip queues on the day by pre-purchasing tasting tickets.
The Treehouse X Feel Good Project
The Treehouse Hotel, 60 Miller Street, North Sydney | Monday 4 March–Saturday 9 March
Raise a glass and make a difference this IWD because The Treehouse Hotel has teamed up with Feel Good Project (FGP) for a week-long celebration of International Women's Day. Enjoy Treehouse’s special Spritz for Support menu featuring Fever-tree cocktails inspired by remarkable women, with Fever-tree contributing one dollar for every spritz sold during the week to the Feel Good Project.
On Friday 8 March, from 10am to 4pm the FGP mobile hair salon will roll into the Treehouse courtyard, offering haircuts and styling sessions with proceeds going towards Two Good Co. and Women’s Community Shelters. To add more bounce to your blowdry, Fever-tree is also giving away a beverage to anyone who books a haircut or style on 8 March.
Danielle, Louella And The Revolution
Yallamundi Rooms, Sydney Opera House | Friday 8 March, 6.30pm–9.30pm
Image credit: Trippas White Group | Supplied
Celebrate female winemakers in an empowering evening at the Sydney Opera House at Danielle, Louella and the Revolution. Hear from 16 leading Australian female winemakers who are smashing stereotypes in a male-dominated industry in a discussion hosted by sommelier Louella Mathews as she engages in liberating conversations around the industry and its cultural barriers.
Tickets are $89pp and include up to 10 wine tastings, plus antipasto and cheese grazing stations curated by chef and culinary director of the Opera House’s event venues, Danielle Alvarez. Proceeds will be donated to Women and Revolution; a not-for-profit that helps women overcome gender-based inequality in the wine world.
Sydney International Women's Day March
Sydney Town Hall, George Street, Sydney CBD | Saturday 9 March, from 11am
If striving for equality, diversity and inclusion is a cause you're ready to get noisy about, pack the posters and join the Sydney International Women's Day march to have your voice heard. The march welcomes all women and allies, so bring your flags, friends and posters and prepare to get loud to mark International Women's Day in the heart of Sydney.
Food And Wine Specials
Lil Sis, 100 Broadway, Chippendale | Thursday 7–Friday 8 March
Lil Sis is hosting a celebration of Solotel Group's female food and wine talent in a two-night soirée offering a set menu and by-the-glass wine specials. The Chippendale wine bar and shop will offer a six-course share-style spread for $55pp with dishes by Aria’s head pastry chef Aoife Noonan, and Opera Bar’s senior sous chef Naomi Xavier utilising ingredients from Australia’s leading female artisan producers.
The spread will, of course, be paired with a stellar list of female-made wines available by the glass, curated by Master of Wine, Annette Lacey, Lil Sis' Zoe Brunton, Chiswick's Georgie Davidson-Brown, Chez Blue's Eva Santaguida, and Aria's Vikki LouPeng.
Now fill out the calendar beyond International Women's Day with
- The Best Things To Do In Sydney This Month
- Nothing Over $35: Free And Cheap Things To Do In Sydney In March
- What To See On Stage In Sydney Right Now
Main image credit: Barangaroo | Website